Southern Candied Yams

These Southern Candied Yams are cooked perfectly on the stove, yielding a sweet potato for a fork-tender and swimming in a rich, sweet, buttery maple sauce.

Here are some flavor-packed recipes: Roasted Cajun Turkey, Smothered Turkey Wings, Dirty Rice, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and Sweet Potato Pound Cake.

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• Latest Recipe Video:
• Why are they called Candied Yams?
• What's the difference between Candied Yams and Sweet Potatoes?
• Candied Sweet Potatoes Key Ingredients
• How to Make the Best Candied Yams Recipe
• What To Eat with Candied Yams?
• Storing Leftover Candied Yams?
• Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks
• FAQs
• More Southern Recipes
• Before You Begin
• 📖 Recipe

Growing up, I remember always having a strategy for eating candied yams; they had to be right next to my peas and cornbread dressing so I could have the perfect bite. I can taste the sweet, savory, and creamy with some texture from the meat in the dressing.

Did you just drool a little bit too?

I didn't grow up in a household where my grandmother was the queen of yams. At every family gathering, she would make candied yams, and as soon as they were ready, there would be a traffic jam in the kitchen and people arguing about who was taking too much.

I'm grateful that didn't stop me from falling in love with this classic soul food/southern recipe that always leaves the house with the smell of family, fall, and food memories.

This is my take on candied yams; I hope you love it! I also have a ton of sweet potato recipes on my site, from sweet potato casserole (even one for vegans) and sweet potato pie to sweet potato cheesecake.

One last thing: I don't think candied yams should only be eaten during the holidays; I believe that any Sunday dinner, special occasion, or weeknight dinner can be blessed with these yummy sweet potatoes.

Why are they called Candied Yams?

Candied yams, aka candied sweet potatoes, are a sweet potato dish commonly eaten in the Southern region of the United States. They are a big deal during the holidays in African-American households, but they can be enjoyed all year round.

The dish is made by boiling sweet potatoes in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until they are soft, coating them in a sweet and delicious sauce.

You can use orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, or maple syrup, depending on your family tradition. You can also top them off with miniature marshmallows.

Some families make baked candied yams and add other ingredients that are family traditions. 

What's the difference between Candied Yams and Sweet Potatoes?

Yams and sweet potatoes are often used interchangeably, but they are different vegetables. Sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet flavor, smooth skin, and various flesh colors, such as orange, white, or purple.

Yams, in contrast, are starchy tubers with rough, brown skin and are typically less sweet than sweet potatoes. They are more common in West African and Caribbean cuisines. In the United States, what is often labeled as "yams" in stores are usually sweet potatoes.

So, when making candied yams, you're most likely using actual sweet potatoes.

Candied Sweet Potatoes Key Ingredients

Here's a list of the ingredients that make candied sweet potatoes an ongoing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tradition.

Fresh Sweet Potatoes

Even though yams and sweet potatoes are two different root vegetables, more on that later, Louisiana produces the best sweet potatoes in the country. The Beauregard sweet potatoes were developed for Louisiana's unique soil and climate. This variety has gained popularity among consumers due to its firm flesh and smooth texture. Beauregard sweet potatoes are uniform in size, feature stringless bright orange flesh, and have a light rose-colored skin. Jewel and Garnet yams are readily available nationally.

Sugar

I like to use two different sugars in my yams: dark brown and white sugar. The dark brown sugar creates a maple syrup flavor that complements the warm spices. The granulated white sugar provides the sweetness.

Unsalted Butter

Unsalted butter is all you need, and the butter will make the sauce silky smooth.

Warm Spices

It's not soul food candied sweet potatoes without ground cinnamon and nutmeg, but most people overlook the importance of salt. Using salt allows you to use less sugar because it brings out the sweetness in the dish.

How to Make the Best Candied Yams Recipe

Making candied yams is really easy; the most challenging part is peeling the sweet potatoes. After that, it's smooth sailing.

Step 1: Pick a large pot; my go-to is a 5-quart pot. Add the sweet potatoes, water, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cover slightly so the steam can release and the sauce can thicken.

Step 2: Reduce your heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Step 3: Stir to coat sweet potatoes with candied mixture, boil the mixture, and cook for 8 minutes uncovered until the sugar and butter mixture thickens and the potatoes are fork tender. Cool for 10 minutes before serving hot. 

Step 4: Stir to rotate the sweet potatoes from top to bottom and coat them with the sugar mixture. Be gentle while stirring to prevent the sweet potatoes from breaking up. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook until the syrup thickens and a fork easily pierces the potatoes. (This is where you would add marshmallows; the hot sweet potatoes will melt them.) Transfer to a casserole dish and serve immediately.

What To Eat with Candied Yams?

Candied yams are very a great side dish because they pair well with a lot of options; I recommend serving them with green beans, cornbread dressing, crispy brussels sprouts, cornbread, fried fish, pot roast, or smothered turkey necks.

Storing Leftover Candied Yams?

Candied yams are best two days after, but they will remain fresh for seven days in the fridge, covered in an airtight container. If you make them ahead of time, add cooked candied sweet potatoes to a baking dish and reheat them in a 350°F/ 176°C oven, covered for 20-30 minutes.

I wouldn't recommend freezing them because the syrup will crystalize when frozen and turn into a watery mess when thawed.

Reheat them in a medium pot over medium heat, covered for 6-8 minutes or until hot.

Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks

Here are some things to remember while making these Southern candied sweet potatoes.

• When buying sweet potatoes, never buy old sweet potatoes. Older sweet potatoes have strings hanging from them.
• Measuring a ½ inch is the middle spot of your index finger from the first knuckle. The thicker you slice your yams, the longer they'll take to cook. The thinner you cut them, the faster they will become tender.
• Swap out ½ cup of water for orange juice for a great flavor.
• Feel free to use light brown sugar as a swap for dark brown sugar.
• Add ¼ teaspoons of ground ginger and clove for a warmer flavor profile. This would be an excellent place to use any pumpkin pie spice you want to finish off.
• If you use salted butter, omit the salt from your recipe.
• Pick a large pot that can fit all of your sweet potatoes. This will ensure that they cook evenly and are covered in the syrup. Double the recipe to feed a larger crowd.
• To add more flavor, use the zest of 1 medium lemon or orange zest or pure maple syrup (not log cabin) or stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract right before serving.
• If you do not eat pork, use vegan marshmallows. They even come in mini marshmallows. 
• I recommend using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler for ease of use. Some vegetable peelers will not be able to reach the groves of the sweet potatoes, and you'll have to keep pulling out the skin.
• I do not recommend using canned sweet potatoes for this recipe. They're pre-cooked and will turn mush when the buttery syrup is ready.
• If you want to make candied sweet potatoes in the oven, lightly butter a baking dish, add water and the sweet potatoes in a single layer. In a skillet, melt butter and stir in the sugars and spices. Pour over the potatoes, stirring to make sure they're coated. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 F oven for 30-40 minutes, until fork tender. If you're adding marshmallows, remove the foil, evenly add them, then bake for 15 minutes until browned.

FAQs

Here are the top questions readers have about making candied yams.

Here are readers' top questions about making a Southern candied yams recipe.

Are Southern yams the same as sweet potatoes?

Yes, in the South, we call sweet potatoes yams. Everywhere else, it's more common to call them sweet potatoes.

Are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing?

No. Sweet potatoes and yams are two different root vegetables. Fresh yams have rough, scaly, dark brown skin and are white or yellow flesh. They grow in Africa, Asia, and South America. They can grow up to 5 ft. long and weigh up to 100 pounds.

Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish-brown skin that can be any color, from white, yellow, red, and brown to purple. They're related to the morning glory plant and originated in Central and South America.

Why do we sometimes call sweet potatoes yams?

The Library of Congress reports that the difference between yams and sweet potatoes started when softer varieties of sweet potato were first brought to America: 

"In the United States, firm varieties of sweet potatoes were produced before soft varieties. When soft varieties were first grown commercially, there was a need to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the 'soft' sweet potatoes' yams' because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, 'soft' sweet potatoes were called 'yams' to distinguish them from the 'firm' varieties."

Are candied yams and candied sweet potatoes the same thing?

Yes. Candied yams and candied sweet potatoes are made with whole sweet potatoes that are peeled, sliced, and cooked in syrup made of sugar, water, and spices.

Is it better to peel sweet potatoes before boiling?

No, it's not necessary to peel sweet potatoes before boiling them. By keeping the skin on the sweet potatoes, you're adding more fiber to your diet. If you're going to skip the step of peeling, make sure to wash the skin.

Are candied yams a dessert or a side dish?

Candied yams are a sweet side dish most commonly served as part of a soul food meal.

Are Southern candied sweet potatoes healthy?

No, candied yams are not intended to be healthy; they are designed to be delicious and loaded with flavor. However, to make a healthier version, substitute half the dark brown sugar for brown sugar made by Truvia or Swerve.

More Southern Recipes

If you enjoy my candied sweet potato recipe. Here are some of my favorite Sunday dinner side dishes.

• Sweet Potato Cornbread
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
• Fried Sweet Potato Pies
• Sweet Potato Cheesecake
• Southern Potato Salad
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
• Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
• Instant Pot Southern Collard Greens

Before You Begin

Here are the steps to take to get organized before you begin cooking.

Step 1: Get all ingredients for the southern candied yams on the counter.

Step 2: Wash your sweet potatoes under cold running water.

Step 3: Measure everything out into one bowl except the water.

Step 4: Follow the recipe and prepare for the best soul food candied yams you've ever made.

I'm ecstatic about how these candied yams turned out! They're ideal for your Thanksgiving meal, potluck, or family gathering, and they're a perfect addition to any dinner. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does. If you make them, please leave a comment and star rating below. I would love to hear from you!

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📖 Recipe

Click here to subscribe to MY Weekly Recipes for easy and free recipes right into your inbox! 

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above. 

Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below.