Easy Candied Yams Recipe

Easy classic candied yams recipe – delicious candied yams with butter, sugar, yams, and vanilla!

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Candied Canned Yams Recipe
How To Make Candied Yams
Tips To Perfect Candied Yams & FAQs
Other Side Dishes You’ll Love

Candied Canned Yams Recipe

This is the easiest way to candy yams – it is quick and simple, and can be used as a base to make your own spin on candied yams!

This recipe uses canned yams, but you can also use pre-cooked sweet potatoes that are soft to the touch but not so soft they fall apart.

Yams are sweet – and great alongside rich, savory dishes like Ribeye Roast, Perfect Spatchcocked Turkey, Easy Smoked Brisket, The Best Pan Fried Ribeye Steaks, and The Best Baked Pork Tenderloin.

We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

How To Make Candied Yams

This recipe is meant to be a base – so you can customize it with your own herbs and seasonings! This side dish is naturally sweet, but tastes great with spicy additions like cayenne or aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, or fresh herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary.

Yams mix well with walnuts, pecans, macademia nuts, almonds, dates, raisins, and pistachios!

Candied Yams With Pecans

To make this dish with a perfect, delicious crunch, add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to dish and toss – it is fantastic!

Candied Yams With Marshmallows

For an extra sweet topping, top with marshmallows before baking.

picture of canned yams in a dish with pats of butter on top

picture of canned yams in a dish with sugar topping

picture of glazed baked candied yams in a dish

Prep your dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Assemble yams and topping. Add yams to baking dish. Top with pats of softened butter. Sprinkle sugar, salt, and vanilla (and any other spices or herbs you might be using) around pan.
Bake. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes. Give dish a quick stir to evenly toss in sugar and butter. Continue to bake until yams are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Tips To Perfect Candied Yams & FAQs

Add crunch. If you want some crunch to this dish, you can mix in pecans, oats, a little flour to make a “crisp” topping, walnuts, or even amaretti cookies!

Add spice. We love this sweet yam dish with a bit of a kick – try adding a dash of cayenne pepper, or some smoked paprika for a smoky but not spicy kick.

FAQs

When are candied yams done?

Yams are done when the sides and tops have browned slightly.

How long do candied yams last?

You can store candied yams in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Yams can be frozen for up to four months.

Other Side Dishes You’ll Love

If you’re looking for another easy Thanksgiving side dish recipe to serve with turkey, please check out some of our recent favorites like turkey pot pie, green bean casserole, or one of 30 slow cooker soups for fall!

For more easy side dishes, please visit our Thanksgiving Side Dishes page.