Quick Look At This Recipe
- Recipe Name: Brown Sugar Bourbon Candied Yams
- Ready In: 1 hour
- Serves: 12
- Calories: 211 per serving
- Main Ingredients: Yams, butter, sugars, spices, bourbon, and chopped pecans.
- Dietary Info: gluten-free & vegetarian
- Why You’ll Love It: Yams (aka sweet potatoes) are a favorite in my household. And this holiday season I jazzed them up with some rich bourbon flavors. The kids didn’t even blink and eye and and the adults at the table were going back for seconds.
Share and summarize this recipe:
I like having a few different types of casserole dishes at the ready come the holiday season and this 9×13 ceramic baking dish is perfect for candied yams in the oven along with all of my other holiday side dishes!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Butter – Make this dairy-free by using a plant based butter like MiYoko’s
- Yams – We prefer using fresh yams as they yield a firmer texture than canned yams.
- Bourbon – Adds a rich and warming flavor with undertones of caramel, but this can be omitted.
- Pecans – Swap with the nut of your choice or omit completely.
How To Make Candied Yams
Step 1: Combine sugars, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, butter, and a little sprinkling of lemon zest in sauce pan.
Step 2: Bring to medium heat to let butter melt. Stir ingredients together to combine.
Step 3: Lay half of the sliced yams in baking dish and cover with half of the sugar and butter mixture. Repeat and top with pecans.
Step 4: Cover and let bake for 40 minutes, then uncovered for another 5 minutes. Stir and serve.
What To Serve With Candied Yams
Seeing as how this is a fan favorite at Thanksgiving dinner and the fact that it’s on the sweeter side, we love pairing this classic dish with savory sides like our brussels sprouts au gratin and extra creamy mashed potatoes. The great news is that we’ve got over 25 Thanksgiving side dish recommendations for your to feast your eyes on!
Recipe FAQs
Are candied yams the same as sweet potatoes?
Yams and sweet potatoes are often mistaken for each other. Look for a root vegetable that looks like a large potato. It’ll have a rich, orange flesh when cut.
Do I bake my candied yams covered or uncovered?
Both! Cover the baking dish with tin foil for the first 40 minutes and remove it for the last 5 minutes.
Are candied yams good for you?
Full recipe nutritional information is available in the recipe card to help you decide this for yourself.
Drain the yams and cover with butter and sugar mixture. Reduce cook time to 25 minutes and stir minimally to keep the yams from breaking apart. We also have an amazing sweet apple cinnamon yam bake that calls for canned yams.
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Candied Yams Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven + Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our amazing Brown Sugar Pecan Candied Yams recipe is a decadent side dish that will level up any holiday table!
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized yams
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (can sub coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon bourbon
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick butter (can sub dairy-free)
- scant lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped, divided
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Yams: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outside skin of the yams and then cut into 1/2 inch circles.
- Sauce: Put the sugars, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, butter, and a little sprinkling of lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a medium-high heat, mix and let butter melt until everything is fully combined. Taste and feel free to add another teaspoon of bourbon, if desired.
- Baking Dish: Place half of the yams in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Pour about half of the butter sauce over the yams, along with half of the pecans. Place the rest of the sliced yams on top, add the rest of the sauce on top, and the remaining chopped pecans.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 5 more minutes. Yams should be tender but still form. If a fork can easily pierce them, they’re done perfectly!
- Serve: Give the candied yams a good stir to make sure they are all coated in the delicious sauce before serving.
Notes
- Make ahead: Follow steps 1-4 waiting to add the pecans until you’re ready to bake. Cover and store in a refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
- Candied yams from can: You can used canned yams, but know that the texture will be much soften than if you use fresh yams. Drain canned yams and reduce cook time to 25 minutes. Stir minimally to keep the yams from getting broken up.
- Dairy Free: option to swap out the regular butter for plant-based butter.
- Bourbon: love adding for the depth of flavor but feel free to omit.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 12.8 g
- Sodium: 32.7 mg
- Fat: 12.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.1 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 20.2 mg
Liz says
I am such a sweet potatoes fan and this dish was such a hit with adults and kids alike. Love it!