Authentic Southern Baked Candied Yams with Buttery Brown Sugar Glaze
Make the best Southern Baked Candied Yams with a rich, buttery brown sugar glaze. This recipe delivers tender sweet potatoes coated in a perfectly caramelized sauce, a classic holiday side dish.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 75 min
- Total Time: 95 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs yams (or sweet potatoes), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 cup mini marshmallows or 1/2 cup chopped pecans for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange the sliced yams in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, and water. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely. Do not let it boil rapidly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well to create the buttery brown sugar glaze.
- Pour the glaze evenly over the sliced yams in the baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil. Gently stir the yams to coat them evenly with the thickened glaze.
- Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, or until the yams are tender when pierced with a fork and the glaze has caramelized slightly.
- If using marshmallows or pecans, sprinkle them over the top during the last 5 minutes of baking until golden brown.
- Let the candied yams rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a slow cooker version, combine all ingredients except marshmallows/pecans in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Add toppings during the last 30 minutes if desired.
- You can prepare the yams and glaze a day ahead and store them covered in the refrigerator. Add 10-15 minutes to the initial covered baking time if baking from cold.
- This recipe makes a fantastic sweet potato side dish that pairs well with any main course.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 45
- Sodium: 65
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 47
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 30