Candied Sweet Potatoes are a classic holiday dish and MUST HAVE on every table! They are easy to make with only 4 ingredients and taste 100 times better than what you get in a can!
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❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
Did I mention this family recipe is over 100 years old? It’s tried and true, candied sweet potatoes are a must have on every holiday table! They are….
- easy to make
- only needs a handful of ingredients
- the candied sweet potatoes turn out tender, sweet and buttery every time!
🛒 Ingredients
- sweet potatoes, light skinned or dark (I prefer the dark only because of the dark orange color of the flesh).
- real butter, not margarine.
- brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar can be used.
- Karo syrup – you can use dark or light syrup.
⏲️ Instructions
- Start by peeling the sweet potatoes.
- Next slice them into thin rounds.
- Boil until fork tender.
- Drain off all the water.
- Now add them to a skillet and top with butter.
- Drizzle in the Karo Syrup.
- Stir in the brown sugar.
- Simmer until the potatoes are golden and glazed.
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQ’s
When you’re at the store you’ll find two different types of sweet potatoes. Golden-skinned potatoes; these will have white/golden flesh on the inside. The other choice will be dark skinned orange potatoes. The flesh is bright orange inside.
Both are actually sweet potatoes and they taste about the same and will work for this recipe. It’s more about what your grocery store or market carries.
Not at all! I choose the darker colored potatoes just because when they cook up and caramelize, they look so amazing!
Yes! This recipe can be made three days in advance.
To reheat, remove from the refrigerator, place in an oven proof
dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Absolutely! You can make on the stovetop. Place them in a skillet with high sides to avoid drips or a large pot or stovetop casserole dish.
✔️ Tips
- When you boil the potatoes, make sure they are just fork tender as they will continue to cook during the caramelization process.
- You can use light or dark Karo Syrup and light or dark brown sugar. Both are interchangeable.
Expert Tip: You can’t rush the process to candy the yams. It takes at least an hour and a half to 1 hour 45 minutes. Continue basting the sweet potatoes every 10-15 minutes. Soon the candied yams will begin to glisten and caramelize!
🍽️ Storage
- Serve – hot and bubbly. Pour the excess syrup over the potatoes in the serve dish. Your guests can spoon the sweet “gravy” on top of their serving!
- Store – allow to cool completely and refrigerate up to three days.
- Freeze – Although most potato dishes don’t freeze well, this one does! You can make it several days/weeks in advance. Sealed well, it can be frozen for up to three months, thawed and reheated.
😋 Related Recipes
I love this recipe for candied sweet potatoes! If you want more of my recipes for holiday side dish recipes click here! Additionally if you’re a fan of the Instant Pot, this links has 40+ pressure cooker recipes for side dishes!
I would be amiss if I didn’t share my favorite side dish which is sweet buttered rutabagas. It’s so easy to make and super yummy! Although this recipe for stovetop roasted vegetables is really out of this world and a fan favorite!!
If you love of Brussels sprouts I have several outstanding recipes on the blog – steamed, roasted or pan fried, what’s your favorite?
I think I’m as much of a fan of the sides as I am the star of the meal like turkey or ham! It brings back comforting memories of meals shared with loved ones!
When you try these candied yams, be sure and leave a five-star rating below! It’s one of our very favorites and I know you’ll love it too! Also if you snap a picture, be sure and tag me on Instagram at @bowl_me_over or #bowlmeover – I’d love to see pictures of your tasty eats!
🍳 Recipe
Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 stick butter
- 1 ½ cups Karo Syrup
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and slice into 1 inch rounds.
- Add to a large pot and boil the sweet potatoes until just fork tender – about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and immediately drain really well.
- Transfer potatoes to a large frypan or electric skillet.
- Add the remaining ingredients, brown sugar, butter & syrup. Turn heat to medium until the butter and brown sugar melts and the mixture is thick and bubbly.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 ½ hours, basting every 10-15 minutes.
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Nutrition
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Don’t worry, we’ll never share your email.First published November 2015. Updated November 16, 2020 with better directions and photos to improve reader experience.
