My BEST EVER Candied Yams… Sweet Tender Candied Yams made completely from scratch!
I honestly can’t tell you how good these yams are, simply because there are no words to describe it! These are indeed the BEST CANDIED YAMS EVER!!! Forget what you heard, learned or witnessed in the past. If you ain’t had these yams… Boo Boo, you haven’t had yams yet. Forget about serving your family those canned yams this holiday season ( shame on you for evening thinking it…LOL) This is what you need in your life right now..
Now if these yams look familiar, it’s because I shared this recipe on YouTube, almost two years ago! Yup, it’s the same recipe, but I am going to give you the “written” recipe AND directions this time around.. Why am I sharing the same recipe I shared a few years back? Because this recipe does NOT need to be revised! It is just that BOMB ( yesssss I still say BOMB…. )
So here is the video, and the recipe!
The Best EVER Candied Yams
Ingredients
- 6 medium sized yams peeled and sliced
- 1 stick 8 tbsp butter
- 3/4 dark brown sugar
- 3/4 granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows optional
Instructions
- Place the peeled and cut yams into a large pot, and cover the yams with water.
- Place the pot on the stove top, turn the heat to high, and let the yams boil for about 5 minutes. Then drain the yams, and set the to the side.
- In a separate pot, add in 1 stick of butter, and begin to melt it over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat to low, and add in the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar. Stir, and cook for 1 minute, then turn the heat off.
- Sprinkle in the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger. Stir, and add in the vanilla extract.
- Place the yams into a butter bake dish, and pour the candied mixture all over the yams.
- Fold in the ingredients. Make sure the yams are well coated with the candied mixture!
- Place the yams in the oven, Uncovered, on 375 F for 20 minutes.
- Remove the yams from the oven, and add the marshmallows on top.
- Place the yams back into the oven for 5-7 minutes
- REMEMBER THE MARSHMALLOWS ARE OPTIONAL!
- SERVE!!!!
I have viewed so many videos and yours is the best by far! I am learning how to be a better cook for my soon to be hubby and you have really helped me learned. Your videos are very easy to follow and I can understanding what you are saying. Thank You and keep up the best cooking ever! 🙂
Thank YOU, for trying my recipes hunny!
Rosie, thank you so much for the recipe for these candied yams! I made six pans of these yams for a church event and every couple minutes I had to put out another pan. They were the talk of the event. I have even had members come up to me and ask if I can make them a pan of candied yams for their birthday lol. Keep up the good work and let me know if you have more recipes that you can share.
LOL! Yams for their birthdays?! Sounds like something I would request! LOL. Thanks for trying my recipe.
Thank you for giving my family sweet memories with your delicious recipes. God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving!
Happy Holidays!
How many servings will your recipe feed! . Thank you!
Another question…Have you made this recipe for a large group and if so, how much longer does the recipe need to bake? Do you use a glass dish or something else? I am planning on using this recipe to feed about 30 adults. Thank you!
Hi Arlene! This recipe served about 6 people. If you’re making it for 30 adults, you’re definitely going to need to make about 5 platters. I don’t recommend trying to cook it all together.
Thank you!
For multiple batches, should I bake each batch individually, then combine them all together in a full tray, add mellows and bake?
You should be fine adding them all together of you have a large enough dish.
What size glass dish do you use for this recipe (for 6 servings)?
Most important– If I double the recipe, what size glass dish do you recommend? Same cooking time if recipe is doubled?
Hi Linda, the recipe can be double. The dish that I used in the video was a 9×13. I’m not sure on which glass dish to recommend for a bigger batch.
Hi Rosie,
I am really excited to make your wonderful candied yams. I was wondering if I can make these a day ahead and bake them the next day?
Sure! You can make them the day before, but don’t add the marshmallows until the next day, when you reheat the yams. XOXO
Can i combine everything except the marshmallows then tomorrow bake as directed and then add the marshmallows the next day to heat up , melt the marshmallows when i serve?
Short on oven space! If it will still be as good !
Thank you and happy t day!
Yes. That should be okay.
Hey Rosie I noticed you only boiled the yams for 5 minutes. My mother-in-law said you have to boil yams for a long time. But since you baked the yams will it still come out tender?
Hi Sharnay. 5 minutes of boiling is enough. Keep in mind that the yams are also being baked. They will definitely be tender once completely done.
Ok thank you
Hello I noticed my candied sauce wasn’t liquidy once I added the sugars. It seem like the sugar absorbed all the butter. I used 3/4 cup of sugar and Brown sugar. But it’s grainy. Did I do something wrong?
If it’s “grainy” you definitely did something wrong, or perhaps you skipped a step or two 🙁
I just added a little water and it came out fine. Thanks!
Looks to me, like she uses more like a 1/4 cup
Okay, after making this recipe, I’m fairly confident it should be 3/8 of a cup of each of the sugars. 1/4 wasn’t quite enough but 1/2 and I had to mix in more butter.
Looks can be deceiving hun
I will be making this recipes for Thanksgiving……cant wait!
YAY!!! Enjoy them hun!
I usually make these just like this in a pan on the stove … never made them in the oven but I will try this way for Thanksgiving! Thanks … looks so good!
Thanks for coming by! Happy Thanksgiving! XOXO
Is there a way to make these ahead of time and then heat them up on Thanksgiving day?
Thank you! These look SO GOOD!
Yes! You can definitely make the yams a day ahead! XOXO
I’m not a fan of candied sweet potatoes but while searching for a recipe to make for larger than usual crowd tomorrow, I came across this recipe. Looks great, l love the spices it incorporates. Expect to get many thumbs up for this dish. Thsnk You. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you Sue!!! Happy Holidays!
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
I used salted, but unsalted butter can be used.
I am getting ready to make this right now, but i have a question. I’ve seen other versions of candied yams where the yams are sort of mashed. If i wanted to do that, when would i mash it, after baking?
Hello. Sorry, but I can’t give you the steps for a whole other version at this time.
That’s fine. I’m going to make your version. Thanks a lot! Happy Thanksgiving!
Love your recipes! I love candied yams but I could never seem to get them quite right…that and sweet potato pie! I’m cooking both of your recipes for Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving love!
I’d like to prepare these a few hours ahead of time (up until the “candy coating” step”) if I boil and candy coat my yams, can I then leave them like that in the fridge for 3 hours or so, that way all I have to do is bake and marshmallow them right before serving? Or will the yummy candy mixture dry out? Hope this makes sense :)Thanks! Can’t wait to make and EAT these! They look divine 🙂
So I am thankful for finding this recipe, lol. I just bought sweet potatoes knowing i was going to make yams, but know HOW I was going to make them. I came across a plethora of choices, but then I typed in “THE BEST candied yams…” And boom! Here you are. My yams are in the oven, and I’m about to take them out to taste them. I will come back in the next 5-10 mins to leave my taste review! Thanks for the thorough directions! 🙂
Thanks for giving it a try!
Ok so they were probably the best yams my guests had!! Girlfriend, these yams are dangerous. My mother in law was stunned how good they were! *bonus points* And they were set off by the marshmallows..I literally have no leftovers. Thank you, these will be made time and time again!
Hi, Rosie, just wanted to tell you that I made these candied yams for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! This was my first time ever making candied yams as I normally make sweet potato casserole for TG. I gotta admit, I was a little nervous about making this, as I was worried it might come out too sweet. But it wasn’t; SO delicious and warmly recieved by my picky family. My husband told me I should make this instead of the casserole from now on. Thank you so much and I look forward to trying out more of your recipes!
I’m glad that you and the hubby liked the yams!!!! Happy Holidays! XOXO
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were AMAZING!!! I cannot thank you enough! The video and the instructions were so helpful and the recipe was so PERFECT even I could get it right!
OMG…this was My first time making candied yams and it was an absolute hit! everyone loved them! this recipe is perfect and simple for first time chefs. Thank You so much for posting this recipe and making it very easy for people to understand
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I’m glad that you liked it! XOXO
Rosie – I’m in a crunch for time and want to
Know if I can use canned yams?
Sorry, I don’ recommend using canned yams for this recipe.
Thank you for responding!!!
I DEFINITELY did something wrong. Mine were still raw, half done. I just put the marshmallows on but I’m gonna have to put aluminum foil on them and let them cook for another 20 minutes or so. Not sure what I did wrong, smh.
Sounds like you didn’t cook them long enough. 🙁
I figured out that my pieces were too large to cook for just 20 minutes per the recipe. I covered them, put them back in the oven for another 20 minutes and they came out PERFECT and the glaze was awesome. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
I’m glad that you were able to pin point what the problem was! XOXO
This was SO delicious!!! I will never make it the “traditional” way again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Glad that you liked it!
Yes Rosie~The Best EVER Candied Yams!!! I’ve tried numerous yam recipes over the years, and this was the BOMB!!! Last year, this recipe was a big hit in our home. I had a family member ask what was in it, so I told him the ingredients, his response was, that was the best yam dish he ever tasted & he hates marshmallows but loved your recipe. I agree with him as I’m not a fan of marshmallows, but I LOVE your recipe. It turned out so good, that I had the yam for dessert, instead of pumpkin pie 🙂 A week later I received a call from this guys wife, saying her husband would only eat your yam recipe. Many thanks from our home!
Oh wow!!!! I’m so glad that you all liked the recipe!! It’s one of my favorites as well! XOXO
Our family traditional candied yams include the marshmallows and a cup of raisins at the same time. A treasure in our family! Making two batches this year for two families (hope to impress the in-laws). Passed on to me from my Mamsey.
Bob
Enjoy!
Rosie this candy is delicious! Thank you for the recipe, i’m bringing to thanksgiving dinner with my family today. Wish you had an apple pie filling recipe up here! lol i’m throwing together an apple cobbler really quick too. I’m sure to get rave reviews on these yams. Thanks again!
I’m glad that you liked it hunny!
I have never made yams before so i want to make these. My family wants walnuts to be in it. Can i add them and when in the recipe would i do that? I am making this in 3-4 days. Thanks!
Wow!!! Best yams ever!!!!!! Thank you for this recipe(: Oh yeah, it was super easy as well!!!!!
I’m glad that you like the recipe!
I do not see the recipe just the video. I would really like to try this recipe.
I fixed it. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Rosie, could I add a little Jack Daniels to this?
LOL! You sure can! XOXO
Do I have to use ginger
no, it’s optional.
What size dish? I know it says butter bake dish, but I’m not sure what that is. Thanks!
9×13
This recipe was AMAZING! I was asked to bring something to my boyfriend’s family’s thanksgiving (no pressure) and everyone loved it! The only problem with this recipe is that it it was so good there wasn’t any leftovers! The best candied yams ever!
Hi Camille! Glad that everyone liked the yams! XOXO
This Christmas made my 3rd time making these utterly sinful yams. My son asked me not to invite people over again because there were no leftovers lol.
I came on to click every ad on the page ^.^ hope the advertisers come flocking.
LMAO!! Thanks Abi. Glad that you liked the recipe!
Hi Rosie..I’m excited to try your recipe this week for our Thanksgiving dinner!
Awesome! Enjoy!
Your recipe sounds delicious I’m making it for 14 people should I double the recipe?
Hi Bobbie! Yes, double the recipe 😀
I made this for thanksgiving and it looked great with the marshmallows it looks so good to eat. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Happy Holidays!
Girl, my Mom’s friends went crazy over these at the Christmas dinner party last night. The only thing though is that I didn’t have any ground ginger. Regardless, it was a hit, and they are the bomb!!
Thanks for trying recipe!
Made these for Christmas and everyone went nuts! Tasted just like the yams we get from our local soul food restaurant that I’m obsessed with. Crazy good! I never want the leftovers to end… Thanks for the great recipe– it’s my go-to for holiday dinners from now on!
Thanks for trying my recipe.
I’m not exactly a fan of candied yams… or any other yams for that matter…. my grandmother was the only person who could make them “right” in my opinion so I’ve never tried anyone else’s. She passed away last March. she was my hero, my role model, and the rock of our entire family. One of the things I miss most is her cooking. She was the best, and could cook anything, and while she taught me everything I know about cooking, I no longer have the ability to call her and ask her how to do something and I never got around to asking for her recipe for things like this. I thought there would always be tomorrow….. then she was gone…. The holidays were definitely hard without her here. We tried our best to plan and prepare our family meal, and after listening to descriptions of everyone else’s version of the dish, I thought I’d give it a try because there was no way I was going to let them do it! Lol It took forever to find a recipe with the right combination of ingredients! Your’s is the first I found and it is the only one I need. Its perfect! They’re delicious! I’m making them tonight for the 4th time since the holidays, and none go to waist, I assure you – I’ve put on a pound or two, but so worth it 😉
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your recipe because it really was exactly what I needed, and every time I make them it takes me back to her.
Thanks for trying April! XOXO
You are correct, da bomb! So, so, so good. Going to see if you have a sweet potato pie recipe. 🙂
These were at hit at Thanksgiving! So yummy and sweet. Check marked as my new go-to candied yams!! Thanks for sharing this!
Cooked these for our Christmas Eve dinner with both of the extended families over. The pan was wiped out! My mom even said it’s the best thing she’s ever had! THING. OF ALL TIME! Haha I don’t even like candied yams, but these were actually so good! Definitely keeping for the future. Thank you!
Rosie, this recipe is, just like all your recipes. I want you to know that I believe your cooking skills come deeply from within. You are an inspiration to me. So sweet, kind and funny! Keep going girrrrrrl because you have a long way to go. Be Blessed and I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much Karen!
Hubs requested candied yams for Thanksgiving, decided to make this and so glad I did. Everyone loved them! The juice was tasty for dipping turkey into. The spices were totally yummy. Sweet enough without being too sweet. Thanks for the recipe!
Truly the best ever candied yams… and soo easy!
THANK YOU, ROSIE!
I have these on my list to make for Thanksgiving. I love candied yams with marshmallows.
This recipe sounds delicious. I’m going to try it but 1/2 it because only 3 of my family members eat yams. But I like the idea of fresh yams vs the canned. Thank you so much. One question do you find that slicing the yams are better than cubing them, so to speak?
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving 2022 and it was DELICIOUS! The candied yams were gobbled up so quickly, I barely had any leftovers to eat! I used 5 large yams and DID include the ginger, which made it extra-tasty. I will be making this recipe over and over again. Everyone raved about how good it was! I enjoyed the flavor of the fresh yams, sliced just thickly enough so they weren’t mushy. Even though I used 5 large yams & your recipe says it serves 6, it worked out just fine for 10 people & fit nicely in a 13x9x2” Pyrex dish. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
I have been making a slightly different version of candied yams for years, but these were the best EVER! However, I noticed when I mixed the 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter with 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup sugar, as directed on the recipe, it was too thick. I ended up adding another stick of butter and it was delicious. Can you give me any tips on the amounts? In watching the video, it looks like you only use about 1/2 cup of the sugars. My son said, “Mom, what did you do different with these yams? These are Next Level!” Thank you for this awesome recipe, my favorite part of the Thanksgiving Dinner!
Hi Jan! I used the amounts listed. When the yams bake, the liquid from the yams thins it out a bit 🙂 . Glad that you liked the recipe.
Hi there! Do you have any idea how many lbs. 6 medium sized yams is approximately? Since yams vary so wildly in size this would help me be a bit more accurate in my preparations. Thank you so much!
Hi Kiki. About 2-3 lbs .
Soooo yummy. Thank you!!!!