Southern Stove Top Candied Yams - Garnish & Glaze

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Stove Top Candied Yams are a delicious one-pot old-fashioned southern side dish. These melt-in-your-mouth tender sweet potatoes are cooked to perfection in a buttery cinnamon syrup.

Stove Top Candied Yams are such and easy side dish that is perfect for serving at holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone loves sweet potatoes and the vibrant orange adds a pop of color to ones plate. For more sweet potato side dishes, try Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Two Potato Scallop.

Stove Top Candied Sweet Potatoes

The best way to eat vegetables is covered in buttery syrup, right?! Kids will be lining up for these southern Candied Yams. Adults too!

This recipe is very simple with only a few simple ingredients. Unlike other candied sweet potato recipes, this one requires just one pot. No separate cooking or transferring to a different dish. It’s also really helpful that it doesn’t take up oven space on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients for Candied Yams:

• Sweet Potatoes– Yes, “candied yams” are actually candied sweet potatoes. Try to select long and thin ones.
• Butter– This is a southern recipe so of course there is going to be butter and a lot of it!
• Granulated Sugar– This is needed to make the delicious sweet syrup.
• Brown Sugar– The molasses in brown sugar adds more depth of flavor.
• Cinnamon– Such a pleasant aromatic warm spice that pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes.
• Nutmeg– Has a sweet, spicy, nutty flavor with hints of clove. Just a small amount is needed.
• Salt– Salt helps enhance the other flavors in the dish.
• Vanilla– Use pure vanilla extract. This adds more flavor and enhances the other flavors of the sauce.

How to make Candied Yams:

Time needed: 30 minutes

1. Prep potatoes

   Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch rounds. Set aside.

2. Combine

   Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the sweet potatoes and stir until coated.

3. Simmer

   Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to med-low, place lid on but cracked open 1-2 inches. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid, carefully stir and continue to simmer (uncovered) for 10-15 more minutes until tender and sauce thickens. Gently stir in the vanilla and serve.

FAQs

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

Sweet Potatoes– there are 2 types: soft and firm. The Soft Sweet Potatoes have smooth red skin, orange flesh, become soft and tender when cooked, and taste sweet. They are often mislabeled as “yams”. Firm Sweet Potatoes have a tan skin with off-white flesh and remain firm and waxy after cooking. They are not as sweet as the soft variety. Real Yams have a rough brown skin, white starchy dry flesh, mild flavor, and are grown in Africa.

Why add vanilla at the end?

Vanilla is an alcohol and evaporates when cooked. If added to at the beginning, the vanilla start to evaporate and not be as strong.

Why cover the pot partial with a lid?

Covering the pot but leaving it open a crack allows the potatoes retain some of the water in the pot at the beginning of cooking to prevent burning. It is removed halfway through cooking to allow the water to evaporate so the syrup will thicken.

Do I need to add water?

Nope! There is enough water in the potatoes. Add more water will make the syrup take longer to thicken.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE STOVE TOP CANDIED YAMS:

• Knife Set– These are the knives I have been using for 11 years! I use them multiple times a day and they’re still going strong!
• Cutting Board– I love having various sizes of cutting boards and these are awesome because they won’t slip and slide around on the counter.
• Deep Skillet with Lid (non-stick)– This is a great all-purpose non-stick pan. The skillet photographed is MasterClass from TJ Maxx.

LOOKING FOR MORE THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES? CHECK OUT THESE:

• The BEST Thanksgiving Stuffing
• The BEST Mashed Potatoes
• Cheesy Rood Vegetable Gratin
• Apple & Bacon Spinach Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

Print Recipe 5 from 2 votes

Stove Top Candied Yams

Stove Top Candied Yams are a delicious one-pot old-fashioned southern side dish. These melt-in-your-mouth tender sweet potatoes are cooked to perfection in a buttery cinnamon syrup. Prep Time10 minutes minsCook Time20 minutes minsTotal Time30 minutes mins Servings: 8 Calories: 354kcal Author: Garnish and Glaze

Ingredients

• ▢ 4-5 sweet potatoes, (~2.5 pounds, try to select long and skinny ones)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, (optional)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

• Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch rounds. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the sweet potatoes and stir until coated.
• Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to med-low, place lid on but cracked open 1-2 inches. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid, give it a stir to flip the rounds over and continue to simmer uncovered for 10-15 more minutes until tender when poked with a fork and sauce is slightly thickened like syrup. Gently stir in the vanilla and serve.

Course: Side Dish Cuisine: American Keyword: Stove Top Candied Yams Nutrition Facts Stove Top Candied Yams Amount Per Serving Calories 354 Calories from Fat 81 % Daily Value* Fat 9g14%Saturated Fat 5g31%Trans Fat 1gPolyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 23mg8%Sodium 304mg13%Potassium 513mg15%Carbohydrates 68g23%Fiber 5g21%Sugar 45g50%Protein 2g4% Vitamin A 20374IU407%Vitamin C 3mg4%Calcium 68mg7%Iron 1mg6% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Did you make this recipe?Tag @GarnishandGlaze on Instagram and use hashtag #GarnishandGlaze