Candied Yams

We always think of eating candied yams at holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, but in truth, the sweet potato side dish can be eaten any time of year. That’s right—sweet potatoes! While yams and sweet potatoes are in fact very different tubers, when we talk about traditional candied yam recipes in America, it’s always made with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

One of the most beloved Thanksgiving side dishes and classic soul food recipes, we love candied yams because their sweet flavor is a good foil for the more savory dishes on the holiday table. There’s just something about sweet potatoes alongside turkey, stuffing and all the fixings. It’s also because the beloved holiday dish is easy to make, uses only five ingredients and is super adaptable.

What’s the Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes?

If you’re confused between yams versus sweet potatoes, you’re not alone. The terms are used pretty interchangeably in every pocket of the country, but the two root vegetables are quite different in how they grow, look, taste and cook.

Yams, which have a textured, brown, bark-like skin, originated in Africa, and are widely used in African, South American and Caribbean cuisine. Most yams have white flesh, but some have yellow, purple or even reddish-orange flesh. Yams are more neutral in flavor and super starchy, very similar to yucca, and can be boiled, baked, mashed or used in baked goods.

Sweet potatoes, one of our favorite types of potatoes, are eaten all over the Americas. The different varieties of sweet potatoes are, of course, sweeter than yams, and good for everything from frying to stews, curries, roasting, baking and using in casseroles. Varieties with bright orange flesh, like garnet, are most common in this dish.

Ingredients for Candied Yams

• Sweet potatoes: We use fresh sweet potatoes for these candied yams, but you can also use canned. Canned candied yams, aka sweet potatoes, come in a syrup, so if you opt for those, strain them before using (you may need to adjust the sugar and corn syrup amount to taste). One 29-ounce can of canned yams in syrup equals three to four medium-sized sweet potatoes.
• Sweeteners: This recipe uses both brown sugar and corn syrup. Brown sugar brings that molasses flavor to the party, and corn syrup helps make the candied part of the yams sticky and sweet.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the sweet potatoes

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Place the unpeeled sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then gently boil the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove the sweet potatoes from the water and put them aside to cool.

Editor’s tip: It’s best if the sweet potatoes cook in one layer, but if you need to double them up, just flip them around a bit while cooking so they cook more evenly.

Step 2: Cut the potatoes

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While potatoes cool, preheat the oven to 375°F. When sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into wedges. Place the sweet potato wedges in an ungreased 11×7-inch baking dish.

Step 3: Turn those sweet potatoes into candied yams

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Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Dot the wedges with butter, and then drizzle with corn syrup. Bake the sweet potatoes, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Baste with the sauce occasionally. Remove from the oven, top with crushed walnuts, if desired, and serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

• Add marshmallow: Turn these candied yams into an old-fashioned sweet potato casserole. Once the candied yams have baked, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with mini marshmallows (or homemade marshmallow snowflakes). Return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer until the marshmallows are puffed and golden. Or set them under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they’re browned to your liking.
• Change the sweetener: If you don’t want to use corn syrup, try drizzling with maple syrup, honey or other sugar alternatives for just the right amount of sweetness.
• Go nuts: Our recipe includes an optional topping of chopped walnuts, but you could also use pecans. Go even sweeter with candied pecans.

How to Store Candied Yams

Let the sweet potatoes cool completely before transferring to an airtight, lidded container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three to five days.

Can You Make Candied Yams Ahead of Time?

You can easily make candied yams a few days ahead of the day you want to serve them. This is particularly good for busy cooking holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, when oven space is tight and you have a gazillion things to do. Toss the whole thing together and bake a few days in advance, or simply cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time. Peel and cut into wedges the day you want to bake the candied yams.

Candied Yams Tips

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Are canned yams and sweet potatoes the same thing?

Canned yams are basically cooked and canned sweet potatoes in syrup. You’ll also see them labeled as cut sweet potatoes. They can be used interchangeably in our candied yams recipe and many other recipes. You’ll be hard-pressed to find real yams in a can.

What do you serve with candied yams?

You can serve anything with candied yams, from the full holiday spread—roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy and other traditional Thanksgiving recipes—to ham, roast beef and more. Or make to side fried chicken with collard greens and other soul food classics, another winning combo.