Classic Candied Yams

Candied yams land somewhere between a side dish and a dessert. This classic Thanksgiving dish has the perfect blend of warming spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, sugar, and a touch of cream. Plus, our streamlined recipe for candied yams doesn't require any boiling. Everything is mixed in one dish and baked for a fantastic final side.

Learn how to make candied yams as a special holiday treat, and don't forget that you can make this sweet side any time of the year—no excuses needed!

Tips for the Best Candied Yams

Though this dish is quick and easy to prepare, here are a few tips and tricks we've learned throughout the years to take candied yams from super to stellar:

• Get good potatoes: When picking your sweet potatoes, look for small to medium-sized potatoes that have smooth, firm skins free of dark or soft spots. You can store whole sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks. Don't refrigerate them, as they'll dry out and be less tender after cooking.
• Slice evenly: Make sure you chop the sweet potatoes into equal-sized pieces, so that they cook at the same rate. If you have small and large chunks in the same dish, some pieces will be overcooked and mushy while other pieces will be unappetizingly crunchy.
• Don't skip the foil: The foil over the pan will help the potatoes steam and turn tender and keep the sugar mixture from scorching.
• Let the potatoes rest: Letting the sauce sit for a few minutes after the dish comes out of the oven will create that thick, dark syrup we all have come to expect and love.

Ingredients for Candied Yams

The full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are further below, but here's a brief list so you know what to get from the store:

• Sweet potatoes: Yes, sweet potatoes, not yams. A Southern staple at many family tables, candied yams aren't actually made with yams. Most often, when you purchase a "yam" at the grocery store, you are really getting a sweet potato.
• Butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and heavy cream: These ingredients form the base of the syrup. Both sugars provide a great balance of flavor and sweetness, but you could use all of one or the other type.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: These warming spices are the perfect partner to sweet potatoes. Feel free to add others like allspice or cardamom.

How To Make Candied Yams

For being so impressive and special, candied yams really are a breeze to make. Follow these simple steps. The full recipe is below, so this is just a recap:

• Step 1. Prep the potatoes: Layer the sweet potato rounds in a baking dish.
• Step 2. Make the sauce: Combine butter, cream, and sugars. Just as the mixture reaches a simmer, remove the saucepan from the stove. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
• Step 3. Combine: Pour the butter-sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• Step 4. Bake, stir, and serve: Bake the candied yams. Remove the foil, and stir the potato mixture, helping to coat the pieces in the sauce. Return the baking dish to the oven (without the aluminum foil), and bake until bubbly.
  

Sweet Potatoes Vs. Yams

Yams are a dry, starchy root vegetable with rough skin that looks a bit like the bark of a tree. They can be as small as a potato or grow up to 45 feet long. Yams are most often found in Latin America, West Africa, and Asia. Though they are a versatile root vegetable, they are more starchy than sweet and are difficult to find in the United States.

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable with softer, red skin and creamy flesh.

Which type of sweet potato does this recipe use?

There are many varieties of sweet potatoes available at most grocery stores, ranging from white to orange to purple. Though the orange-fleshed sweet potato is what we most often associate with candied yams, any variety will be delicious in this dish.

Can You Make Candied Yams Ahead of Time?

Assemble candied yams up to 3 days in advance. Make the recipe through Step 3, store it covered in the refrigerator, and then bake it on the day you plan to serve it.

Do You Have to Peel the Sweet Potatoes?

You don't have to peel your sweet potatoes when making candied yams. In fact, we recommend leaving the skins on. Give them a good scrub to get rid of any dirt, then chop them up, skin and all.

What To Serve With Candied Yams

Candied yams are a classic holiday side dish, just like Cornbread Casserole, Cranberry Salad, and Hashbrown Casserole. It goes perfectly with main dishes like Roast Chicken, Roasted Turkey Legs, and Skillet Chicken Pot Pie.

How To Store Candied Yams

Leftover candied yams can be wrapped with storage wrap and aluminum foil and stored in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

You can also freeze candied yams in an airtight container up to 3 months. Let the dish thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat in the microwave or oven.