Here is a recipe for Southern Candied Yams ¹:

Ingredients:

  • 5 medium, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (start with less and adjust to taste if using any other type of salt)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • nonstick cooking spray or softened butter

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
  3. Scrub the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt, then peel and slice them into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
  4. Arrange them in the prepared baking dish.
  5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  6. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and both types of sugar.
  7. Whisk until all the ingredients have combined with the butter.
  8. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  9. Pour the melted butter mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes, ensuring that each slice gets coated thoroughly.
  10. Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil.
  11. Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and let the sweet potatoes bake for approximately 30 minutes.
  12. After this initial baking period, carefully take the baking dish out of the oven.
  13. Use a spoon and generously coat the sweet potatoes with the candied mixture.
  14. Re-cover the dish with foil.
  15. Continue baking until the sweet potatoes become tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
  16. Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, remove them from the oven.
  17. Allow the candied yams to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.