Candied sweet potatoes (candied yams) are a classic holiday side dish for good reason! It’s hard to go wrong with tender sweet potatoes covered in a glaze of buttery brown sugar! The basic components are sweet potatoes, butter and brown sugar and I like to add hints of maple, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange. You can make candied sweet potatoes several different ways including a baked method, a stove top method and a combined baked and stovetop method. All of the ways of cooking start out by melting brown sugar into butter along with all of the seasoning. The baked method simply throws the sweet potatoes into a baking pan, topping them with the butter and sugar mixture and baking until the sweet potatoes are tender. The stovetop method places the butter and sugar mixture in a pan along with the sweet potatoes where they are covered and simmered until the potatoes are tender. The baked stove top method involves baking whole potatoes the day before, peeling and slicing them and then simply caramelising them in the butter and sugar mixing on the stove top. The baked method is super easy, the stovetop method frees space in the stove, and the baked stove top allows the best caramelization since the potatoes are already tender and you can just cook to get them caramelized in the butter and sugar. My favourite method is the baked stovetop method, the way my mother in law makes them, because of that pan fried caramelization! No matter how you make candied sweet potatoes, they can be made a day ahead of time and reheated, and they are the perfect addition to any meal!
An essential Thanksgiving side dish!
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Tender sweet potatoes in butter, brown sugar and maple syrup with hints of citrus, vanilla and cinnamon!
ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled into 1/2 inch thick slices*
directions
- Heat the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sugar has melted, before mixing in the cinnamon, nutmeg, slat, orange zest, and vanilla extract.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large casserole dish, pour the butter and sugar mixture over the potatoes, and bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven until the potatoes are tender, about 60 minutes, mixing every 20 minutes.
- Heat the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a pan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sugar has melted, before mixing in the cinnamon, nutmeg, slat, orange zest, and vanilla extract.
- Add the sweet potatoes, mix, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 60 minutes, mixing every 20 minutes.
- *Bake WHOLE, UNPEELED, and pricked with a fork, sweet potatoes in a preheated 425F/220C oven until tender, about 50-60 minutes, and chill in the fridge overnight before peeling and slicing.
- Heat the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a pan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sugar has melted, before mixing in the cinnamon, nutmeg, slat, orange zest, and vanilla extract.
- Working in batches: Add the sliced sweet potatoes, in a single layer, and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes per side.
Baked method:
Stovetop method:
Baked stovetop method:
Note: These can be made a day ahead and reheated!
Option: This recipe easily halves or doubles!
Option: Add 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped.
Option: Add 1/8 teaspoon ginger, chopped.
Option: These reheat well so make them a day ahead, store them in the refrigerator in an air tight container, and warm when ready to serve!
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Kevin, these are delicious! I used the baked stovetop and they came out just like my grandma’s. I really like the addition of orange, cinnamon and vanilla. Great job!
Made these with my Jack Daniel’s marinaded pork tenderloin for Christmas dinner. Awesome, delicious recipe Kevin!
Thank you!