Soul Food Candied Yams (Printable)

Tender sweet potatoes coated in a buttery brown sugar syrup with warm spices.

# What You 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 orange juice

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The syrup actually gets thick and sticky instead of staying watery, which means every bite feels intentional and rich.
  • You can make this ahead and reheat it, turning a potentially stressful side dish into something you handle before guests arrive.
  • It bridges the gap between a vegetable and a dessert without ever feeling confused about what it wants to be.
02 -
  • Do not skip the cooling time at the end, I learned this the hard way when I tried to serve immediately and the syrup was still too thin to coat properly.
  • If your yams seem to be browning too quickly on top, cover them loosely with foil for the second baking stage, then uncover just for the last 5 minutes to set the gloss.
03 -
  • Slice your yams slightly thicker than you think you need to because they shrink more than you expect during cooking, and thin slices can turn to mush.
  • If you prefer a less sweet dish, reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and it will still be delicious but feel more balanced.
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