Stovetop candied yams in delicious spiced butter, brown sugar, and orange juice syrup – a perfectly appetizing Thanksgiving side dish classic ready in under an hour.

What Are Candied Yams?

Candied yams are a Southern soul food staple. It’s made by combining sweet potatoes (either on the stove or baked in the oven) with a syrup concoction of vanilla, brown sugar, and butter (sometimes with added spices and/or liquid). The mixture is cooked until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has turned into a thick syrup. The dish is sometimes made even sweeter with toppings like marshmallows or sweet streusel (aka a crumble topping).

Either way, the result is a buttery, sweet, and melt-in-the-mouth dish that’s undeniably appetizing and 100% a crowd-pleaser! Even better, this holiday candy yams recipe can be prepped and/or frozen in advance for less fuss on the day!

Origin Of Candied Yams

Some speculate there’s a candied sweet potato dish dating as far back as 16th century Europe. But the popular Thanksgiving dish we think of first appeared in publications in the late 19^th century (1889, to be exact).

Unsurprisingly, the popular marshmallow topping for this candied yam recipe only came about later. It was thanks to the mass-marketing efforts of Angelus Marshmallows (the original makers of Cracker Jacks) and their marshmallow-based cookbook published in 1917.

Are Yams And Sweet Potatoes The Same

Technically, no. True yams are a starchy root vegetable that are pale yellow color inside with a thick, rough brown peel and starchier consistency than sweet potatoes (which come in white, orange, and purple varieties). They’re also less nutritious and not as globally recognized or available. In fact, they’re closer to russet potatoes or yucca than sweet potatoes, but contain more complex carbs and fiber.

With some research, I’ve gathered the reason sweet potatoes are sometimes referred to as yams in the United States. It is because the potatoes reminded enslaved Africans (who worked the fields/crops in the early 1900s in Louisiana) of African-grown yams.

They began to refer to them as yams to distinguish the crop from others at the time. The name stuck and sweet potatoes are still sometimes labeled as yams in grocery stores today. Voila, this recipe for candied yams is actually candied sweet potatoes.

Ingredients for Candied Yams

Create this sweet, buttery, and absolutely delicious homemade candied yams from scratch with just a handful of simple pantry staples.

• Sweet potatoes: Now we’ve established that this sweet yams recipe is made with sweet potatoes. So you can use fresh or canned sweet potatoes (like garnet sweet potatoes). It’s best to use orange-flesh sweet potatoes, though Japanese white sweet potatoes should also work.
• Sugar: I use a combination of brown sugar and white sugar. However, you can use all brown sugar. If you prefer unrefined sweeteners, coconut sugar could work.
• Orange juice: The tart flavor in orange juice helps cut through some of the sweetness while brightening the dish.

For even more citrusy zing and brightness, also add the zest of one orange to these old-fashioned candied sweet potatoes.

• Butter: Use high-quality unsalted butter.
• Spices: I like to use a warming combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
• Vanilla: A small amount of vanilla extract compliments the dish’s sweet elements.

How To Make The Best Candied Yams

There are just a couple of easy steps for how to cook candy yams.

First, clean, pat dry, and peel the sweet potatoes. Then chop them into ½-inch round slices.

Next, combine the butter, orange juice, spices, and vanilla in a large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until the butter and sugar have melted.

Add the yam slices, stirring well to coat them with the brown sugar mixture.

Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan with a lid, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow the potatoes to cook for 40-50 minutes or until fork-tender.

Remove the lid and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat once more. Allow the sauce time to thicken and reduce for a few more minutes.

If you don’t want to serve the candied sweet potatoes immediately, you could place them in a low oven.

Allow the candied mixture to sit for about 5 minutes before serving, as the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

How To Substitute Sweet Potatoes For Canned Yams

As candied yams from a can are already cooked, I recommend reducing the cooking time to just 20-25 minutes.

How to Serve Candied Yams

Stove-top candied sweet potatoes are a super popular holiday season dish (including Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, and Easter). And so, it pairs well with all your holiday (and roast dinner) favorites, like:

• Roasted meat – like roasted chicken, turkey, beef, etc.
• Creamy mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, potato au gratin.
• Roasted veggies (asparagus, green beans, honey-roast carrots, cauliflower & broccoli, etc.)
• Stuffing.
• Brown gravy (or vegan gravy).

How to Store Candied Yams

Allow the homemade yams to cool and then store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

To freeze, wrap the cooled Thanksgiving yams with plastic wrap. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. The potatoes will become softer upon thawing.

Reheat large portions of the Southern candied yams in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC until warm. Alternatively, pop a single portion of candy jams in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between, until warm.

FAQs

Side Dishes for the Holidays

• Best Creamed Spinach
• Southern Fried Corn
• Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Fried Apples Recipe (Southern Style)
• Pineapple Casserole Recipe

If you try this best candied yams recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!