Candied yams add a comforting Southern flair to your holiday table. Sliced yams are coated in a buttery, sugary, spiced glaze, and baked until beautifully caramelized. It’s one sweet side dish that will have everyone going back for seconds!

I’m a sucker for candied yams at Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect sweet side dish to balance all the savory options on the table (or at least that’s what I like to tell myself).

This recipe has Southern roots and is different from a sweet potato casserole which often has marshmallows on top (though I top mine with nuts). Candied yams have a roasted sweet potato base, which is then tossed in the most delicious, syrupy sauce, before being baked to perfection.

And let me emphasize just how good the sauce is. It’s simple, sweet, and spiced — making it hard to stop at one bite. So if you need a new potato dish to add to your Thanksgiving menu this year, you can’t go wrong with this classic Southern candied yams recipe.

Candied Yams Ingredients

• Yams: To simplify the confusion of yams versus sweet potatoes (which I talk more about below), just know that I’m using sweet potatoes in this recipe.
• Sugar: Most recipes use brown sugar. But today, I’m using a mix of coconut sugar and blackstrap molasses that gives the same effect — but with no refined sugar. Plus, it imparts a slight hint of caramel that I love.
• Butter: Make sure to grab unsalted butter, so it’s not overly salty.
• Orange Juice: You can use store-bought orange juice, though I do recommend freshly squeezed. Plus, you can use the orange zest to garnish your candied yams at the end.
• Spices & Flavoring: Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger give this side dish so much seasonal flavor.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How To Make Candied Yams

Peel and cut. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel the yams and cut them into chunks, about 1-inch to 1 ½-inches in size. Then, add them to a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Make the sauce. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, orange juice, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

Coat the yams. Pour the sugar sauce over the yams, and stir them together so that the yams are well coated. Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the yams are fork-tender and caramelized. Note: Don’t cover the pan with foil as you want some of the liquid to evaporate, so that you end up with a more syrupy sauce.

Garnish the yams. Before serving, I love to add fresh orange zest on top for an extra citrus touch.

More Thanksgiving Sides

• Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Another staple to add to your Thanksgiving table.
• Stuffed Mushrooms: These are a great side dish or appetizer.
• Creamed Corn: Add this sweet and creamy pop of yellow to the table.
• Scalloped Potatoes: Cheesy potato goodness in one skillet.
• Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts: The best way to serve Brussels sprouts.
• Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash: A savory twist everyone will love.
• For more delicious recipes, enjoy my curated list of Thanksgiving side dishes!