Sweet, tender, silky, and beyond buttery, these candied yams are a legit Southern side dish done the right way. We slice those yams thinly then let them bake away in a homemade perfectly warm spiced syrup until they melt in your mouth y’all. They are just as at home for Sunday supper as they are for your next holiday feast. Get at these candied yams and get your whole life.
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“I recently tried making these candied yams and they were a delightful addition to our Sunday dinner. The yams were absolutely irresistible. It’s a truly comforting and mouthwatering dish that I’ll be making again, especially for holiday gatherings.”
—KRYSTEN
I can’t name one Thanksgiving dinner where we didn’t have candied yams on the table. They even show up at Christmas dinner and most Sunday suppers too! They are essential to a real deal Southern meal. A lot of candied yam recipes are cooked on the stovetop like my mama’s candied sweet potatoes and require a good amount of babysitting. But by baking them instead, you cut the work in half and save some time in the process boos. In just under an hour, you can have the most tender, warm, and flavorful candy yams you’ll ever taste! No lies detected.
The Lowdown of These Candied Yams
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Gluten-Free; Can be made vegan with ingredient substitution
Key Flavor: Rich, silky caramelized yams in syrupy sauce
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
No-Fuss
We keeping it low-key with this recipe. Southern candied yams ain’t that hard to make, and with straightforward instructions and minimal ingredients, you’ll have these yams prepped and ready in no time.
Flavors on Flavors
The luscious glaze, made with brown sugar, citrus notes, cinnamon and nutmeg, coats each tender yam slice making this the side dish of your dreams! Warm, gooey, and beyond comforting, this candy yam recipe is like a cozy hug for your taste buds!
The Ultimate Crowd-Pleaser
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, a potluck, or a casual dinner party, these baked candied yams are a legit hit. Ain’t no stopping the compliments you will get.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Candy Yams
- Yams: We peel and slice them up thinly so they melt into the sweet, buttery sauce and get super tender.
- Brown Sugar: This is gonna give you that perfect syrupy caramelized texture and consistency.
- Cornstarch: We gotta have this thickener to make sure that syrup sticks to those yams like glue.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg: Both spices add cozy warmth and a wonderful depth of flavor.
- Apricot Nectar: The natural acidity in this fruit nectar adds a unique sweetness and intensity.
- Orange Juice + Zest: A bright, citrusy squeeze of orange juice and a little bit of zest brightens all the flavors right up.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla gives that bomb fragrant robust aromatic essence to the mix.
- Butter: We get that sauce super rich and melt-in-your-mouth from my fave ingredient.
- Salt: This mostly just balances out the sweetness and enhances everything perfectly.
How To Make Candied Yams
How to serve this candy yams recipe
- Comfort Vibes: Serving these candy yams with my auntie’s Southern baked chicken and a nice harvest salad is a delish move to make.
- Southern Sunday Supper: Get down on some soul food with a meal of fried chicken, Southern baked macaroni and cheese, collard greens, these candied yams and honey cornbread. And don’t forget my big mama’s sweet potato pie recipe for dessert. It’s a hit every time!
- Potluck Dish: Bring this baby to a neighbor’s or a friend’s, and trust it will be the star of the next potluck.
Recipe Substitutions
- Butter: You can use salted butter here and just omit the salt in the recipe. Ghee will also work and make a thicker glaze due to the lower water content.
- Brown Sugar: If you don’t have light brown sugar, dark brown will give a deeper molasses flavor. You can also swap in pure maple syrup to add a unique sweetness.
- Yams: You can also swap in sweet potatoes here if you can’t find yams.
- Spices: If you don’t want to use individual spices, you can also use a pre-packaged apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for ease.
- Orange Juice and Zest: You can use another citrus flavor like lime or lemon and it will still brighten the flavors perfectly.
Recipe Additions and Variations
- Go Vegan: Replace the butter with your fave plant-based butter.
- Get Nutty: Sprinkle a generous handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds on top before baking for some extra texture.
- Add Marshmallows: Layer marshmallows on top before the final minutes of baking. Watch them toast and create a gooey, indulgent topping.
- Booze it Up: Add a little bourbon or rum to the syrup to add some adult depth of flavor.
- Spice it Up: Just a hint of cayenne can add a fun kick.
Expert Tips For Making The Best Candied Yams In Oven
- Pick Them Right!: Look for deep orange yams that are free from soft spots or bruises when picking them out. They will have a richer flavor.
- Slice Evenly: Aim for consistent 1/4-inch thickness when slicing your yams! This will make sure that they bake evenly.
- Mellow Out: Marinating the sliced yams in the glaze for a few minutes before baking allows those flavors to really penetrate and soak into the yam.
- Soak Trick: Before boiling the yams, give them a quick soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. This helps draw out excess starch so the yams get tender but not mushy as they bake.
- Layer It Up: When arranging the yam slices in the baking dish, drizzle a bit of glaze between each layer to get a consistent burst of sweetness in every bite. Boss moves!
How To Store & Reheat Baked Candied Yams
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container after they have cooled down.
I prefer to reheat in the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees then add leftover yams to a baking dish covered with foil and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until heated through.
How Long Will They Last In The Fridge?
They should last for up to 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Can I Freeze ?
Yep for sure boos! Place the leftovers in freezer-safe bags. They should last for up to 6 months. When you want to reheat, let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Boiling them starts the tenderizing process so they become perfectly tender as the syrup gets thick and sticky on them. If you don’t, they still may be a bit tough.
Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh, and a sweet flavor.
With that dreamy glaze, a blend of brown sugar, spices, and a burst of orange zest, these sweet and tender baked Candied Yams will blow your mind! The flavor is popping in every way possible, and each bite is more addictive than the last. Get at it boos!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Grits
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Toasted Marshmallows
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Baked Candied Yams
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 inch thickness
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup apricot nectar
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice warmed until hot
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter separated
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a large pot with water and boil until just tender, not mushy though. Drain and allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature.
- Add the tender potatoes to a 9×13 inch sized baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Next add sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Next stir in the apricot nectar, hot orange juice, and orange zest and stir together then bring to a boil, stirring the entire time. Remove from the heat and add in vanilla extract and half of the butter.
- Pour the mixture over the potatoes then take the remaining butter and cut into pats and place on the top of the potatoes.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and potatoes are soft and completely tender.
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My mom taught me to make candied yams with pineapple juice which I love, but decided to switch things up and try this recipe with orange juice. I can’t decide which I like best – these were SO good!
My yams came out perfect. They were sweet and fork tender. I loved the flavor.
Oh I loved your recipe. Never imagined a Baked Candied Yam recipe ever. Have to give this recipe a try. Perfect option for a good Appetiser.
I love baked candied yams, your recipe using apricot nectar and orange juice differs from mine, so I gave it a try. Really delicious, thank you
These candied yams were a hit! I love that they had a perfect amount of sweetness. The perfect holiday side dish.
These classic, fabulous, Southern baked yams are sure to be a crowd pleaser in my house.
Loved the texture and flavor of these baked yams. They came out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Served this with dinner last night and it was a savory success! Even my picky eaters enjoyed this dish; looking forward to serving this again for Thanksgiving!
So delicious! These will definitely be making an appearance at our Thanksgiving table!
These really are the best baked candied yams ever! They’re sweet and tender, and I know I’ll be making these again during the holidays!