Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes—Rich, Buttery, and Irresistible

Simply the best Classic Candied Sweet Potatoes, aka Candied Yams—tender in the center, sweet and caramelized on the edges, and full of the classic comfort food flavor you know and love. Perfect for holidays, Sunday supper, or celebratory meals, this lighter take is every bit as delicious (if not more!) than the original—and it comes together in just a few easy steps anyone can master.

Growing up in the South, a handful of dishes became part of my DNA—and candied sweet potatoes were front and center. My Nana made them for virtually every holiday gathering, so they’ve always been close to my heart.

After growing up and moving to Boston and New York for many years, I decided it was time to develop my own version whenever needing a nostalgic, comforting taste of home. The culture shock hit me hard, and I missed the delicious Soul Food of my youth.

By then, I had been vegan for many years, so I set out to create a plant-based version of Nana’s classic, a vegan candied yams (or sweet potatoes), if you will. After consulting her on the traditional preparation, I got to work and developed this plant-based recipe.

The resulting baked candied sweet potatoes recipe was so delicious that I decided to add it to my first cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul. I still make it regularly to this day (it is a must for Thanksgiving and Christmas), so I knew it was finally time to share it here with you.

For more vegan Soul Food dishes, check out my Vegan Collard Greens, Vegan Fried Cauliflower Chicken, Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, Vegan Sweet Potato Pie, Sweet Potato Parsnip Bisque, and Vegan Mashed Potatoes.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes: You will need 4 large sweet potatoes, such as Jewel or Garnett. Choose ones that feel heavy for their size with smooth, blemish-free skin. Don’t peel them before boiling—we’ll remove the skin afterward.

Sugar: Adds sweetness to the potatoes and helps them caramelize.

Light Brown Sugar: The molasses provides a touch of caramel flavor. For accuracy, be sure to pack it firmly when measuring. For deeper molasses notes, swap dark brown sugar.

Spices: Cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and ground cloves are the seasoning trifecta for classic candied sweet potatoes. If you don’t have whole nutmeg, pre-ground works just fine. And salt balances the sweet and earthy flavors.

Butter: To keep this recipe plant-based, I use vegan butter, but dairy butter works just as well if preferred. You can also use an extra tablespoon of coconut oil.

Coconut Oil, optional: Its sweet, nutty flavor profile perfectly complements sweet potatoes and gives a sweet tropical flavor Melt it on gentle heat in the microwave or low heat on the stove top before drizzling it over the potatoes. If you’d rather a more traditional taste, skip this ingredient and only use vegan butter.

How to Make Candied Sweet Potatoes

Once you see how straightforward this recipe for candied sweet potatoes is, you’ll want to make it for more than just the holidays!

Boil Sweet Potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes.

overhead of sweet potatoes in pot of water

Peel Potatoes. Drain the potatoes in a colander. When cool enough to handle but still warm, peel them with your hands.

overhead sweet potatoes cooling on a platter

Preheat and Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together.

overhead sugar mixture ingredients in a bowl

Layer the Sweet Potatoes. Quarter or slice the sweet potatoes (about 1/2-inch thick) and place half of them in an 8×8-inch baking dish. Dot with ½ tablespoon of the vegan butter, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the melted coconut oil (in the photos, I swapped butter for coconut oil), and sprinkle evenly with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat this process, layering the remaining sweet potatoes, butter, coconut oil, and sugar mixture on top.

Bake for 40 minutes, until very tender. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Jenné’s Recipe Tips

Don’t Peel the Potatoes Before Boiling: The skins help lock in the starch as they cook, allowing the potatoes to tenderize while reserving that starch for better caramelization when baking.
Let the Potatoes Cool Before Handling: The potatoes will be very hot after boiling. Let them cool until just warm to the touch. To speed things up, place them in the fridge or freezer.
Adjust the Seasonings to Taste: Love cinnamon? Add a few extra shakes. Prefer more sweetness? Make this candied sweet potato recipe your own using dark brown sugar or a tablespoon or two of light brown sugar.
Monitor Baking: Keep an eye on the potatoes as they bake. Cover them loosely with foil if they brown too quickly, or rotate the pan if browning unevenly.
Finish in the Broiler. For extra caramelized edges and a burnt sugar topping, finish the candied yams in the broiler for 5-10 minutes, until perfectly browned.

Make Ahead Directions

Holiday meal preparations can get hectic, so save yourself some stress by including a few make-ahead-friendly sides—like this candied sweet potatoes recipe.

To prepare it ahead of time, follow the recipe as written through boiling, peeling, and layering the potatoes in the baking dish with the sugar mixture, butter, and coconut oil. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, bake as directed, adding 5 extra minutes if needed.

Storage Directions

Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the glazed sweet potatoes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Warm the potatoes in the microwave on gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, or in a covered baking pan in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double the recipe?

Certainly—simply double the ingredients and follow the recipe as written, layering the sweet potatoes and toppings in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for an extra 5-10 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and caramelized.

Can I use yams instead of sweet potatoes?

True yams are not a replacement for sweet potatoes. However, if you are referring to the orange or white fleshed potatoes with smooth skin, these are actually sweet potatoes and any variety can be used in this recipe.

Many Americans use the term yams to refer to sweet potatoes. You may even see sweet potatoes labeled in the grocery store as yams, but they are not true yams. Read more about the difference between true yams and sweet potatoes here.

Can I make these processed sugar-free?

Although it is difficult to make this recipe completely processed sugar-free, you can reduce the amount by substituting coconut sugar or date sugar for the brown sugar and organic cane sugar for the granulated white sugar.

Can I use any kind of sweet potato for this recipe?

Yes. I usually make candied yams with orange flesh Jewel or Garnett sweet potatoes, but you can make them with any kind of sweet potato.

More Sweet Potato Side Dish Recipes

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Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Drain the potatoes in a colander. When cool enough to handle but still warm, peel them with your hands.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves.
Quarter or slice the sweet potatoes (about ½-inch thick) and place half of them in an 8×8-inch baking dish. Dot with ½ tablespoon of the vegan butter, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the melted coconut oil and sprinkle evenly with half of the sugar mixture.
Layer the remaining potato quarters on top. Dot with the remaining vegan butter, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture.
Bake for 40 minutes, until very tender. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Storage Directions

Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the glazed sweet potatoes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Warm the potatoes in the microwave on gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, or in a covered baking pan in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.

Recipe Pro-Tips

Don’t Peel the Potatoes Before Boiling: The skins help lock in the starch as they cook, allowing the potatoes to tenderize while reserving that starch for better caramelization when baking.
Let the Potatoes Cool Before Handling: The potatoes will be very hot after boiling. Let them cool until just warm to the touch. To speed things up, place them in the fridge or freezer.
Adjust the Seasonings to Taste: Love cinnamon? Add a few extra shakes. Prefer more sweetness? Make this dish your own using dark brown sugar or a tablespoon or two of light brown sugar.
Monitor Baking: Keep an eye on the potatoes as they bake. Cover them loosely with foil if they brown too quickly, or rotate the pan if browning unevenly.
Finish in the Broiler: For extra caramelized edges and a burnt sugar topping, finish the candied yams in the broiler for 5-10 minutes, until perfectly browned.

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