The Best Candied Yams

Candied yams are a classic Southern dish (and quintessential Thanksgiving side!) I’ve enjoyed my entire life. But for years I avoided making them, partially because I thought the process was complicated but mostly because I knew they’d never be as good as my mom’s. Her candied yams are rich in flavor, covered in sweet brown sugar sauce, and flavored with vanilla.

Recently, I finally decided to ask my mom how to make her candied yams. I was shocked by how easily they came together, and now understand what makes hers better than any others. Today, I’m sharing her beloved recipe with you.

• The dark brown sugar sauce is next-level. My mom highly recommends using dark brown sugar for its deeper caramel notes, which taste amazing with some cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. Mixing together the sauce before baking allows the brown sugar to melt completely, helping the sauce come together better. Trust me, it’s what makes the biggest difference.
• They won’t hog the oven. (Which means everything on Thanksgiving.) By partially cooking the potatoes on the stovetop, the sweet potatoes only need about 15 minutes in the oven.
• They go with everything. While candied yams are popular on the Thanksgiving table, they don’t need to be reserved for holidays! Serve this sweet side with your favorite main dish any time of the year.

They can be difficult to find in grocery stores, which is probably why sweet potatoes are more commonly used. In fact, what your grocery store is labeling a “yam” is likely actually a sweet potato. (If I’ve totally confused you, we’ve got an in-depth discussion of the difference between yams and sweet potatoes.)

Regardless, candied yams are made by par-cooking sweet potatoes in boiling water, placing them in a baking dish, and topping with a mixture of butter, sugar, and spice. They’re then baked until tender and the sweet sauce mixture has thickened and is rich in color.

• Sweet potatoes: You’ll need 3 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total).
• Dark brown sugar: My mom recommends using dark brown sugar for its deep, complex flavor.
• Vanilla extract: A bit of vanilla extract really does make a difference.
• Spices: Use a combination of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.
• Salted butter: Look for a good-quality salted butter.

1. Prep the sweet potatoes. While the oven is heating to 350ºF, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces.
2. Partially cook the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan or pot and cover with water by about 1 inch. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and simmer just until they can be pierced with a fork and are starting to soften.
3. Transfer to a baking dish. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the sweet potatoes into an 8×8-inch square baking dish (reserve the cooking water). Spread them out in an even layer.
4. Make the sauce. Transfer 3/4 cup warm reserved cooking water into a measuring cup or medium bowl. Add the dark brown sugar and vanilla extract, then stir to combine.
5. Add the spices and sauce. Sprinkle ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg over the sweet potatoes, then pour the water-brown sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes.
6. Top with butter. Cut the butter into cubes and scatter over the sweet potatoes.
7. Bake 5 minutes. Bake for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and gently toss the sweet potatoes to combine the sauce and evenly coat them.
8. Continue baking until fork tender. Bake until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes more. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the candied mixture evenly over the top.
9. Serve. Let the sweet potatoes cool for a few minutes so the sauce can thicken. Serve warm.

When I asked my mom how to make her candied yams, I expected her to hand me a recipe. Instead, she told me to add enough sugar to cover the top of the sweet potatoes, use vanilla extract if you have it, and sprinkle the spices until it feels right in your spirit. She’s repeated this process so many times she could make candied yams in her sleep, but the lack of specifics made my job more challenging.

I took her outline and came up with my own version, but while they were good, they weren’t quite my mom’s. I realized the only way to know exactly how she made hers was to join her in the kitchen and write it down as she cooked.

As it turned out, our recipes were similar and our ingredient list fairly close, but while I prefer to use a combination of granulated and brown sugars, my mom strictly uses dark brown sugar and adds vanilla. 

The biggest difference between our recipes is that while I placed all the ingredients into the baking dish and had the sauce come together while baking, my mom prepares her sauce before baking by stirring together brown sugar, vanilla, and leftover water from boiling the potatoes.

She then pours this over the sweet potatoes before placing them in the oven, tossing them as they bake to create the candied yams. This one extra step doesn’t take much time, but it’s a huge payoff in flavor, allowing the sugar to melt into the water and the sauce to come together better.

• Make ahead: The candied yams can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, be sure to also reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. The butter may solidify once stored in the refrigerator. It will melt upon reheating, and stir again before serving.
• To freeze: Let the candied yams cool completely. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or the oven.

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