Candied Sweet Potatoes

Candied sweet potatoes are the perfect Holiday side dish for Thanksgiving. This southern-style dish is the ideal Fall comfort food!

What will I need for this recipe?

Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are the ideal fall vegetable as they are sweet and hearty. Be sure you don’t mistake it for a yam as they are very different. You want to have the natural sweetness and softer texture of the sweet potato for this dish.

Unsalted Butter – When you brown the butter for this recipe and add in the spices you will be bringing out all the natural flavors of the sweet potatoes without dulling them. Unsalted butter will not burn as easily as salted butter. While it is possible to use salted butter, it will be much easier and render better flavors to use unsalted.

Spices – This recipe calls for ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger to season the glaze that the sweet potatoes are cooked in. This will give your dish a warm sweetness that will be perfect for the fall.

Sugar – You will need both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to build the glaze for the potatoes. The sugar glaze adds the sweetness and moisture to the dish. For the best color and flavor, you will want your brown sugar to have more molasses so the darker the brown sugar the better. You can use light brown sugar if you would like, but it will yield a lighter color glaze.

Pure Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract adds a smooth and light flavor that helps bring out the spices in the glaze.

Maple Extract – Adding maple will add a warm, comforting note to your dish.

Orange Juice – Orange juice adds a sweet, tart-like flavor. Not only does it help with the flavor but the acidity helps the sweet potatoes to brown more evenly.

Orange Zest – A small amount of zest goes a long way in any dish. It adds a nice punch of flavor!

How to make Candied Sweet Potatoes

Prepare the Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. While preheating the oven, prepare your sweet potatoes by washing, peeling, and slicing them into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices.

Prepare the baking dish

Place them into a large baking dish with half of your butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and brown sugar. Cover with foil and place in the oven.

Make the glaze

In a small saucepan place the rest of your butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook on the stovetop on low and simmer.

Add the final touches

After 20-25 minutes, take sweet potatoes out and mix them around being careful not to break. Pour your sauce mixture over the potatoes and place back in the oven until the potatoes are fork tender or about 15-20 minutes. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve and ENJOY!

FAQ

What is the difference between candied sweet potatoes and candied yams?

Yams and sweet potatoes are often mistaken for each other, but they cannot be used interchangeably. Sweet potatoes are a vegetable with orange flesh and tend to be more naturally sweet. Yams have white or purple flesh and tend to have more starch in them. They are more like regular potatoes then they are sweet potatoes.

Should sweet potatoes be boiled before baking?

Some recipes may call for the sweet potatoes to be parboiled before being roasted to reduce the cooking time. However, by skipping the parboil and roasting them in the oven you will get a much more caramelized flavor. It will also yield a much better texture for your candied sweet potatoes.

How can I store the leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. If you would like to store them longer, they can be placed in the freezer in a gallon freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, place in an oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated through.

I Hope You Enjoy This Recipe!

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