If you’ve ever enjoyed a holiday meal at a Southern table, you probably remember the Candied Yams. Those tender rounds of sweet potatoes in a buttery, spiced syrup. It’s a dish with deep roots in Southern cooking, and while it does appear on holiday tables, we don’t necessarily save it just for those occasions. You’re just as likely to find it at Sunday dinners, potlucks, and most any weeknight.
I want to go ahead and clear up something right from the start. These Candied Yams? They’re sweet potatoes. Always have been. Always will be. But in Southern culture, we’ve always called them yams. Technically, yams are an entirely different vegetable, but when someone says “pass the candied yams,” this is exactly what they mean.
This recipe is about as traditional as they come. Thick slices of sweet potatoes layered in a baking dish, covered with a syrup of butter, sugar, cream, and spices. Easy and delicious, nothing fussy or fancy. Just a dependable recipe that has stood the test of time.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Oven/Stovetop
Total Time: 1 Hour, 25 Minutes
Servings: 8
Primary Ingredient(s): Sweet Potatoes, Sugar, Cream, Spices
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- Classic Southern flavor – Rich, buttery, and nicely spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Easy to make – No fancy steps or ingredients.
- Make-ahead friendly – Even better the next day!
Ingredient Notes
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- Sweet potatoes – You’ll need about 4 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick rounds. Try your best to cut the rounds as near the same size as possible so that they all cook in the same time.
- Salted butter – Adds a deep, rich flavor to the cooking syrup.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – Using both white and brown sugar enriches the flavors with a light taste of molasses.
- Heavy cream – Adds richness to the cooking syrup.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – These warm fall spices bring out the best in the sweet potatoes and make your whole house smell wonderful.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Candied Yams
This recipe is so simple to make, but the payoff is huge!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes in the baking dish in an even layer.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add the cream.
- Cook, stirring often, just until the mixture starts to simmer, about 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
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- Pour the syrup evenly over the sweet potatoes.
- Cover the dish with foil (spray the underside lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking).
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and gently stir the potatoes. Then return the uncovered dish to the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are perfectly tender.
- Transfer to a serving dish using a slotted spoon and drizzle the syrup over top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Slice the sweet potatoes evenly. Thicker pieces take longer to cook and may stay firm, while thinner ones cook fully. Aim for about one-half inch thick slices so everything cooks in the same amount of time.
- Don’t rush the syrup. Let it come to a gentle simmer so the sugars fully dissolve and the flavors have a chance to blend. It should be smooth and pourable, not gritty.
- Use a slotted spoon when serving. These yams are rich and sweet, and you want just a coating of the syrup, not a puddle that runs all over the plate.
Recipe Variations to Try
- Add orange zest. Oranges and sweet potatoes are a great pair! A bit of fresh orange zest stirred into the syrup gives adds a nice brightness.
- Try a splash of bourbon. If you want to dress it up a little, stir in a tablespoon of bourbon along with the vanilla.
- Top with pecans. For a little crunch, scatter some toasted pecans over the dish during the last 10 minutes of baking. Be sure the nuts are toasted, not raw.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven. These also freeze very nicely! Just cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Questions About Candied Sweet Potatoes
Despite what the labels at your grocery store may say, most of what we call “yams” in the U.S. are actually sweet potatoes. True yams are a completely different vegetable. Yams have rough, bark-like skin and are native to Africa and Asia. They’re starchier, drier, and not naturally sweet. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, have smooth skin, orange or pale flesh, and a naturally sweet flavor that deepens when cooked. The confusion started back in the 20th century when orange-fleshed sweet potatoes were marketed as “yams” to help distinguish them from firmer, paler varieties. But for this recipe, and practically every other Southern “yam” dish, you’re using sweet potatoes.
You can, but I do recommend fresh sweet potatoes for the best texture and flavor. If you’re in a pinch and using canned, be sure to drain them well and reduce the baking time since they’re already cooked.
Absolutely! You can make it a day or two in advance and reheat it covered in the oven at 325°F until warmed through. It’s actually one of those dishes that gets better after the flavors have had time to settle in.
More Recipes You’ll Like
Easy Mashed Potatoes
Pecan Cheesecake Pie
Oven Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Apple Bread with Praline Topping
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
Southern Candied Yams (Sweet Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-in.-thick rounds
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Place the sweet potato slices in the prepared dish.4 pounds sweet potatoes
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.½ cup salted butter
- Add sugars, stirring until well combined.¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- Stir in cream.¼ cup heavy cream
- Cook, stirring often, just until mixture comes to a simmer, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour sugar mixture evenly over sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
- Cover with lightly greased (cooking spray) aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, in the preheated oven, about 40 minutes. Uncover and gently stir potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 more minutes.
- Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon; pour syrup over potatoes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh sweet potatoes, not canned. Canned ones tend to fall apart during baking and won’t hold up in the syrup.
- Slice the sweet potatoes evenly. Cutting the sweet potatoes into uniform ½-inch rounds helps them cook at the same rate and keeps the texture just right.
- Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the oven or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.