These Candied Yams are perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays! Delicious yam rounds are glazed with a spiced, brown sugar, vanilla-orange sauce and baked to bubbly, sweet perfection.
Your holiday dreams have been answered! Sweet and savory candied yams, made easy with my foolproof recipe. The ingredient list is short and sweet, (pun INTENDED) but the flavor is all there! The combination of brown sugar and butter creates an exquisite syrup when the yams are baking in the oven that is just to die for.
Why Make These Candied Yams
- Simple Ingredient List
- Perfect Combination of Sweet, Salty & Savory
- Ideal For Holidays
- Super Easy & Straightforward Recipe
These candied yams are an iconic dish to serve for the holidays! The smell of the sweet melted spiced, brown sugar, vanilla and orange infused sauce will waft through your kitchen and make mouths start to drool, before dinner is even on the table.
Ingredient Notes
- Yams – Peeled and sliced into 1/2″ rounds.
- Orange Juice – I used freshly squeezed, store bought works fine as well!
- Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium in the dish!
- Sugar – Brown sugar, packed. The brown sugar is going to give us that nice sweet, caramelization!
- Vanilla Extract – For that extra flavor and sweetness.
- Spices – We are using a combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
How To Make Candied Yams
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange the sliced yams in a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Make Sauce: Add the rest of the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, while stirring, and cook until the sugar dissolves.
- Bake: Pour the sauce over the yams and toss them to coat. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Candied yams are a classic southern dish! The sweet potato is covered with butter and sugar, once heated the mixture combines to create a sweet and buttery syrup which caramelizes the sweet potato pieces! While they’re delicious on their own, yams are particularly delicious when you add a little sweetness! The combination of sweet, salty and savory is undeniably drool worthy.
That sweet, orange colored root vegetable that we all love around the holidays is a sweet potato. It’s true! All “yams” are in fact sweet potatoes, they just come in a wide variety of colours, textures and firmness!
Yes! These candied yams can be made the day before and just warmed up in the oven before your big feast is served!
Of course these yams are the perfect addition to any holiday dinner, alongside a Roast Turkey and a big heap of Mashed Potatoes,
but they are also great for a weeknight meal! Choose your favorite entree and add a hint of sweetness to your dinner.
Tips
- Add a hint of bourbon for extra richness and flavor.
- Mix up the spices to get different variations of this candied yams recipe!
- Make ahead tip: You can peel & slice the yams 1 day ahead of time. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight for convenience!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover yams sealed in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last for 3 to 5 days!
Freezing
If you have leftover candied yams and you want to keep them for longer, make sure they are cooled completely, put them in a freezer safe bag or container (remove excess air if using bags) and place in deepest part of the freezer. Your cooked yams should last for up to 6 months.
Reheating
Fridge:
Reheat in the microwave, skillet or oven until heated through.
Frozen:
To reheat frozen yams, remove from freezer and bake in a 350 F oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
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Candied Yams
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds yams peeled and sliced into ½" rounds
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ½ teaspoon ginger ground
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the sliced yams in a 9×13" baking dish.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, while stirring, and cook until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sauce over the yams and toss them to coat. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes.
Tips & Notes:
- Make ahead: These candied yams can be made the day before and just warmed up in the oven before your big feast is served!
- Leftovers: Store leftover yams sealed in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last for 3 to 5 days!
- Freezing: If you have leftover candied yams and you want to keep them for longer, make sure they are cooled completely, put them in a freezer safe bag or container (remove excess air if using bags) and place in deepest part of the freezer. Your cooked yams should last for up to 6 months.
- Reheating from frozen: To reheat frozen yams, remove from freezer and bake in a 350 F oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
