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Southern Candied Yams

Southern candied yams are baked in a 9x13-inch dish under a smooth brown sugar and cinnamon syrup. The sweet potato rounds turn fork-tender and glossy as they bake, then rest briefly before serving.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 13 minutes
Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 38 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the yams
  • 0.5 cup butter unsalted, divided
  • 3 lb sweet potatoes orange-fleshed (often labeled yams), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
For the syrup
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup water
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Prepare the yams
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
  3. Arrange the sweet potato rounds in the prepared dish, overlapping them slightly as needed.
Make the syrup and bake
  1. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  4. Pour the syrup evenly over the sweet potatoes.
  5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
  6. Remove the foil, baste the sweet potatoes with the syrup, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more until fork-tender and glazed.
  7. Let the yams rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For an even glaze, baste the sweet potatoes well after removing the foil. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, use plant-based butter.