Soul Food Candied Yams (Print Version)

Tender yams in buttery brown sugar syrup with cinnamon and nutmeg, a Southern comfort side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large yams or sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

→ Syrup & Sweeteners

02 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
05 - 1/4 cup water
06 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, optional

→ Spices

07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
02 - Arrange sliced yams in a single, even layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine light brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, water, and orange juice if using. Stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Pour hot syrup evenly over yams in the baking dish, ensuring all slices are thoroughly coated.
06 - Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove foil, baste yams with syrup, and continue baking uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until yams are tender and syrup is thick and glossy.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow syrup to thicken further.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The syrup caramelizes into something so glossy and rich it feels like you're doing actual magic in the kitchen.
  • It tastes fancy enough for the holiday table but requires almost no fancy skills to pull off.
  • Those spices create this warm, comforting flavor that makes your whole house smell incredible while it bakes.
02 -
  • If your syrup looks too thick before the final baking stage, you can thin it slightly with a tablespoon or two of water, but remember it will thicken more as the yams release their moisture and everything cooks down together.
  • Slice your yams to a consistent 1/2-inch thickness or they won't cook evenly, which I learned the hard way when some slices turned mushy while others stayed firm.
03 -
  • Buy your yams a few days ahead and let them sit on the counter, because they peel more easily and cleanly once they've had time to cure slightly after harvest.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the yams around the 40-minute mark to make sure the syrup isn't browning too aggressively, and tent with foil if needed to slow the caramelization.
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