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Home » Side Dishes » Candied Yams Recipe

October 26, 2020 By Sara 24 Comments

Candied Yams Recipe

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These candied yams are sweet potatoes tossed in brown sugar, butter and spices, then baked until caramelized. Add a sprinkle of marshmallows and you’ve got the perfect holiday side dish with minimal effort!

Every holiday meal must include sweet potatoes. When I’m in charge of Thanksgiving dinner, I often make Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, or these sweet and decadent candied yams.

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Candied yams in a baking dish, topped with melted marshmallows.

Candied yams are a holiday staple for good reason – they’re elegant, easy to make and taste absolutely delicious. This dish is the perfect way to showcase sweet potatoes, whether it’s for a special occasion or a simple weeknight dinner.

How do you make candied yams?

To make candied yams you want to find some yams with a nice, orange interior. Cut them up into small rounds or chunks and place them in a baking dish. Make the delicious sauce that “candies” the yams by whisking together brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. Make sure to add the secret ingredient, a little nutmeg.

Pour the sauce over the yams until they are fully coated. Bake everything up until the yams are tender and caramelized. The finishing touch is a handful of miniature marshmallows, then you’ll be ready to eat!

Sliced sweet potatoes in a baking dish.

Tips for candied yams

  • When you are choosing sweet potatoes, look for long thin ones. They will be easier to cut.
  • Make sure you cut your yams into even sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
  • This dish is best served immediately upon coming out of the oven when the marshmallows are nice and hot.
  • These yams don’t freeze well because of the marshmallows. If you need to prepare this dish in advance, you can bake the sweet potatoes, then store them covered in the fridge. Reheat the yams in the oven, then add the marshmallows during the last few minutes.

Yams coated in brown sugar, butter and spices.

Candied sweet potato variations

Candied yams can be made a number of ways for any holiday or dinner. Here are some fun variations.

  • You can omit the marshmallows and just enjoy the flavor of the brown sugar sauce.
  • Feel free to add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts. You can sprinkle the nuts on top of the yams or mix them into the dish.
  • Instead of marshmallows, try a streusel topping. You can make a quick streusel  by mixing in a bowl 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup of flour, 4 tablespoons of melted butter and 1/4 cup of chopped pecans. Mix everything in the bowl until if forms crumbles. Place those crumbles on the yams before they are baked and you will get a warm, browned streusel topping.

Candied sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows.

What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?

Yams in the grocery store are sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes come in different colors and shapes. Sometimes grocery stores label the orange fleshed sweet potatoes as yams. However, there is a difference between sweet potatoes and true yams. A true yam is a root vegetable found in Africa and Asia with a rough, brown skin. You do not want to use a true yam for this recipe, you will not get the same results.

Feel free use any orange or red fleshed sweet potato for this recipe. I like to use the jewel or garnet varieties of sweet potatoes for this dish.

Are yams good for you?

Yams are full of nutrients especially vitamins A, B5, B6, potassium and manganese. They contain fiber and are not particularly high calorie. Yams may have a positive impact on digestion due to the fiber as well as a benefit to your eye sight from the vitamin A. Yams can be part of a healthy diet.

A spoon serving up a portion of candied yams topped with marshmallows.

Candied yams is a classic dish that is great for holidays, special occasions or any time you want a particularly fabulous dinner. If you love sweet potatoes, you’ll adore this recipe!

More delicious side dish recipes

  • Grilled Zucchini with Garlic and Herbs
  • Scalloped Corn Casserole
  • Grilled Mushrooms
  • Roasted Green Beans
  • Broccoli Casserole

Candied Yams Video

Candied yams in a baking dish, topped with melted marshmallows.
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5 from 18 votes

Candied Yams

These candied yams are sweet potatoes tossed in brown sugar, butter and spices, then baked until caramelized. Add a sprinkle of marshmallows and you've got the perfect holiday side dish with minimal effort!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword candied sweet potatoes, candied yams
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 381kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9x13 inch pan or 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Place the sweet potatoes in an even layer in the dish.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
  • Pour the brown sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes. Toss to coat them evenly in the sauce.
  • Bake the yams for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until tender and caramelized.
  • Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top, and bake for another 5 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and browned. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 32438IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was published on September 10, 2019 and was updated on October 26, 2020 with new content.

Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: Marshmallows, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving

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Comments

  1. Karen says

    December 16, 2020 at 10:52 pm

    Hi Sara,
    If I want to try and do the streusel topping would I bake the sweet potatoes with the streusel topping or do I bake the potatoes then add the streusel topping before they are fully baked? Also can the potatoes be cooked ahead?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 17, 2020 at 5:25 pm

      You could cook the potatoes ahead of time, then add the streusel when you reheat them and bake until the streusel is golden brown.

      Reply
  2. Mark says

    November 23, 2020 at 5:40 am

    5 stars
    Always a part of our Thanksgiving dinner table however I always layer in peaches and use some of the peach juice in the brown sugar cinnamon nutmeg and butter mix.

    Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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