Easy Candied Yams

overhead view of finished candied yams in square white baking dish

4.81 from 41 votes

This recipe for Easy Candied Yams is a delicious side dish that combines sweet yams, with butter, sugar, and spices. Rich, tender, and full of flavor. Sure to be popular with everyone at the table.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy candied yams

Servings:

Calories: 344kcal

Author: LaKita Anderson

Equipment

1 Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
1 8x8-inch square baking dish

Ingredients

5 large yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into large chunks (about 4 to 5 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons butter, cubed

Instructions

Place the cut yams (5 large sweet potatoes) into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook until they have a bite and can be pierced with a fork. Careful not to overcook, they should not be fully cooked, just enough to soften. Approximately 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Drain the water off the yams and carefully pour them into an 8x8-inch square baking dish.
Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Spread the ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup brown sugar over the yams evenly to distribute.
Top with the cubes of 8 tablespoons butter evenly over the top.
Place in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes. The butter should be melted and the candied mixture at the bottom of the baking dish. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and gently toss the candied yams to evenly cover in the mixture.
Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the yams are fork-tender. Remove from the oven and spoon the candied mixture evenly over the top. Serve warm and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

The yams (sweet potatoes) can be cooked/boiled 1 day ahead and refrigerated overnight to use the next day.
Be sure not to boil the sweet potatoes too long. This is just a parboil to soften them to be pierced with a fork. They will finish cooking in the oven.
While baking the sauce will settle at the bottom of the baking dish underneath the potatoes, be sure to gently spoon the sauce over the sweet potatoes after removing them from the oven and before baking.
Try not to fuss over cutting the sweet potatoes before boiling, they can be similar in size without being exactly the same.
You may use light or dark brown sugar and if you don't have either on hand, granulated cane sugar is perfectly fine to use instead.

Nutrition