Candied Yams Recipe (Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes)

Candied yams glaze sweet potato pieces in a dark brown sugar, butter, and vanilla syrup until fork-tender and caramelized. The Southern method par-cooks the potatoes on the stovetop, then bakes them at 350°F for about 15 minutes so the syrup thickens instead of running thin.

How to Make Candied Yams: Par-Cook, Then Glaze

Why par-cook the sweet potatoes first

Par-cooking the sweet potatoes in simmering water shrinks the oven time to a quick finish. The base method peels and cuts 3 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) into 1-inch pieces, then simmers them just until a fork pierces them but they are not fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Because the potatoes are already nearly done, the oven only has to glaze and finish them — about 15 minutes total — instead of a long, dry roast that can scorch the sugar syrup.

Why reserved cooking water makes the syrup smooth

The syrup begins with the water the sweet potatoes cooked in rather than plain tap water. After draining, 3/4 cup of that warm reserved cooking water is stirred with the dark brown sugar and vanilla until the sugar dissolves. The water is already warm and carries starch released from the potatoes, so the sugar melts into a smooth, glossy syrup instead of a grainy one; dissolving the sugar in liquid is what keeps the glaze from turning gritty on the dish.

Old-Fashioned Baked and Basted Candied Yams

The no-par-cook alternative skips the simmer and goes straight to the oven, which needs a hotter oven, a longer bake, and steady basting.

Basting keeps them glazed

The old-fashioned method layers sliced sweet potatoes in an ungreased 9x13 dish with 1 1/3 cups of packed dark brown sugar, then bakes at 400 degrees until bubbly, about 45 minutes. Basting every 15 minutes is the step that keeps the pieces glazed — spooning the syrup back over the top re-coats the potatoes so the surface stays glossy instead of drying out. The recipe serves 8.

Stovetop Candied Yams (No Oven Needed)

For a holiday kitchen short on oven space, both stovetop paths below deliver the same glazed finish without touching the oven.

Stovetop simmered candied yams

A covered simmer builds the syrup right in the pot. This version slices 2 pounds of sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds and simmers them covered in a syrup of 3/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of white sugar, 4 tablespoons of thawed orange juice concentrate, and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract until tender, about 50 minutes. The recipe lists a total cook time of about 1 hour and serves 5.

Dutch-oven method with toasted pecans

A Dutch-oven version cooks 4 pounds (about 8 medium) of sweet potatoes cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds, simmered in 1/2 cup of firmly-packed dark brown sugar seasoned with 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice until just tender and the sauce turns thin and syrupy, 25 to 30 minutes. It finishes with pecans toasted at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, and serves 8 in about 50 minutes total.

Candied Yams with Marshmallows (or Without)

When to add the marshmallows

Marshmallows go on only for the final stretch, never at the start. A baked version tops 2 pounds of sweet potatoes with 3 cups of mini marshmallows and bakes them at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. The canned version scatters 3 1/2 cups of marshmallows after the dish is already heated through and browns them uncovered for about 15 minutes. That short, uncovered window is what melts and toasts the marshmallows without letting the sugar scorch.

Candied yams without marshmallows

Leave the topping off and the syrup alone carries the dish. The baked base method finishes without marshmallows, and its published nutrition reflects the plainer version — 277 calories per serving. Adding the marshmallow topping raises the count: the baked marshmallow version lists 307 calories per serving, so the choice is about sweetness as much as flavor.

Canned vs. Fresh Sweet Potatoes

Making candied yams from canned sweet potatoes

Canned sweet potatoes remove the peeling and par-cooking steps entirely. The shortcut starts with 2 cans (40 ounces each) of cut sweet potatoes, drained, and glazes them with 3 tablespoons of honey, 1/3 cup of packed light brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of walnuts in a 2-quart oval baking dish. The dish bakes covered at 350 degrees until heated through, about 20 minutes, then uncovered for about 15 minutes to brown the marshmallows, and yields 8 servings of about 2/3 cup each.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Safe Reheating

Make-ahead for Thanksgiving

Candied yams are a make-ahead-friendly holiday side because the finished dish keeps well. The baked dish holds in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so it can be assembled a day or two ahead and rewarmed while the turkey rests. Keep the reserved cooking water in the syrup — the 3/4 cup called for — so the sauce stays loose rather than drying out when the dish sits. For the rest of the Thanksgiving spread, a honey glazed ham follows the same holiday timetable.

Storing and freezing

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them. The USDA says leftovers must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, and they should not linger in the 40°F to 140°F danger zone where bacteria multiply fastest. Once chilled, candied yams keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and freeze for 3 to 4 months. The Kitchn’s recipe is more conservative, citing up to 3 days refrigerated and up to 3 months frozen; a freezer held at 0°F or below keeps frozen food safe indefinitely.

Reheating safely

Reheating is the one place the higher temperature applies. The USDA sets 165°F as the internal temperature leftovers must reach when reheated, measured with a food thermometer. For candied yams, that simply means warming the dish through until the center reads 165°F, then spooning the syrup over the top and serving. If a full holiday dinner is on the way, the same leftover rule applies to a main such as chicken pot pie.