Classic candied sweet potatoes recipe! This simple recipe bakes right in the oven – no need to boil the sweet potatoes.
This classic candied sweet potato recipe is so easy to make! It requires less hands-on time than sweet potato casserole.
There is minimal prep with this recipe. The oven does almost all the work, and there’s no pre-boiling necessary.
The sweet potatoes bake up nice and tender, and the sweet, buttery glaze is delicious! While this dish is a traditional Thanksgiving side dish for turkey, it goes well with ham and works well for Christmas or Easter dinner, too.
“My family said make it again for Christmas, son said it was the best part of Thanksgiving meal.” – Francine
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Maple syrup: I highly recommend using real maple syrup for the best flavor.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own pumpkin pie spice blend with this pumpkin pie spice blend recipe.
- Pecans: If you haven’t made toasted pecans, you can find a toasted pecan tutorial here.
How to make candied sweet potatoes
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. Peel the sweet potatoes, and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. It’s important that the slices be the same thickness so that they cook evenly. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Step 3: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Add the sliced sweet potatoes and the sugar mixture to the Dutch oven. Toss to coat.
Step 5: Cover, and bake, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 6: Uncover, and continue to bake until the liquid forms a thin syrup, about 15-20 minutes longer. Be careful when you uncover the sweet potatoes as there will be a fair amount of steam.
Step 7: Sprinkle with toasted pecans just before serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Candied sweet potatoes vs. candied yams: True yams are rarely sold in grocery stores in the United States. So, most dishes that are labeled as “yams” are actually sweet potatoes.
- Toasting the pecans: You can find my tutorial on toasting pecans here.
Storage
Leftover candied sweet potatoes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When properly stored, the sweet potatoes should keep for up to 4 days.
More Thanksgiving side dishes!
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Candied Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup real maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Set aside.4 pounds sweet potatoes
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat.6 tablespoons butter
- Remove from heat.
- Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to a medium bowl, and stir to combine.½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup real maple syrup, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the sliced sweet potatoes and the sugar mixture to the Dutch oven.
- Toss to coat.
- Cover, and bake, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
- Uncover, and continue to bake until the liquid forms a thin syrup, about 15-20 minutes longer.
- Sprinkle with toasted pecans just before serving, if using.⅓ cup toasted pecans
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Pecans: You can find a how to toast pecans tutorial here.
- Dutch oven: If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a covered, oven-safe pot will work.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Grace says
Can you cook them on the stove in a pot with a lid? Or uncovered on a sheet pan in the oven?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried either of those methods to say for certain.
Francine says
My family said make it again for Christmas, son said it was the best part of Thanksgiving meal
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that the sweet potatoes were a hit!
Kay King says
I made these for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved them, even those who didn’t think they liked sweet potatoes
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that they were a hit!
Pam says
I made these for Thanksgiving and my kids especially loved them.