Description
A classic Southern side dish featuring tender sweet potatoes coated in a rich, buttery sauce infused with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Perfectly baked to caramelized perfection, these candied yams are a sweet and comforting addition to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 3 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Spice and Sugar Mixture
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Par-Cook Sweet Potatoes: Place the cut sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with water by about 1 inch. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, then simmer until they are just starting to soften and can be pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook so they hold their shape during baking.
- Transfer Sweet Potatoes to Baking Dish: Use a slotted spoon to carefully move the par-cooked sweet potatoes into an 8×8-inch baking dish, arranging them in a single even layer. Reserve the cooking water for the sauce.
- Prepare Sugar Sauce: Measure 3/4 cup of the warm reserved cooking water into a bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the dark brown sugar until dissolved, then add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add Spices: Sprinkle the ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg evenly over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
- Combine Sweet Potatoes and Sauce: Pour the sugar and water mixture over the sweet potatoes, ensuring they are well coated.
- Add Butter: Cut the stick of salted butter into cubes and scatter them evenly over the sweet potatoes and sauce.
- Bake and Toss: Bake the dish for 5 minutes to melt the butter and start caramelizing the sauce. Carefully remove from the oven and gently toss the sweet potatoes to coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Finish Baking: Return the dish to the oven and bake until the sweet potatoes are completely fork-tender, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven.
- Serve: Spoon any remaining candied sauce from the baking dish over the sweet potatoes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes so the sauce thickens before serving warm.
Notes
- This dish features par-cooked sweet potatoes, which ensures they don’t become mushy while baking but still become tender and infused with flavor.
- The combination of butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg melds into a rich, sweet sauce that perfectly complements the sweetness of the yams.
- Use an 8×8-inch baking dish to allow the sweet potatoes to spread in a single layer for even cooking and caramelization.
- Letting the candied yams rest after baking helps the sauce to thicken and adhere better.
- Salted butter balances the sweetness and adds richness; unsalted can be used, but add a pinch of salt if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 21.2 g
- Sodium: 172 mg
- Fat: 15.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.6 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
