These Candied Sweet Potatoes are tender sweet potato rounds cooked on the stovetop in a buttery brown sugar sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. They come together in under an hour and, best of all, they don’t take up valuable oven space during Thanksgiving dinner.
I am obsessed with sweet potatoes. I think they are the most delicious of the root vegetables, and I would happily take a giant plate of sweet potato fries over regular.
This particular recipe for stovetop candied sweet potatoes should immediately be added to your holiday list if you too are a sweet potato lover. It comes together with simple ingredients, doesn’t require any boiling, and is made completely on the stovetop. Finally, it has a syrupy sauce with a hint of spice that pairs with the sweet potatoes in the best way.
Candied Sweet Potato Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: Try to choose potatoes of roughly similar size so they cook at approximately the same rate.
- Brown sugar: Gives the sauce its deep caramel flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Works with the brown sugar to create the thick, glossy, candy-like sauce.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt.
- Vanilla: Added at the end for a beautiful final layer of flavor.
Are Candied Sweet Potatoes and Candied Yams the Same Thing?
In the United States, the terms “candied yams” and “candied sweet potatoes” are often used interchangeably. The orange vegetables labeled “yams” in most grocery stores are actually a variety of sweet potato. For this recipe, look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes such as garnet or jewel.
How to Make Candied Sweet Potatoes
Save your oven space for turkey, stuffing and rolls. This recipe can be made in under an hour on the stovetop! All the ingredient measurements are listed below in the recipe card, plus a video to show you how simple the process is!
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Peel and cut six sweet potatoes into one inch rounds. (See more on prepping the sweet potatoes below.)
- Melt the butter. With the melted butter, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and spices.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes. Do this very gently.
- Cook for 40 minutes. They will need to be covered, and you will want to stir them a few times, very carefully.
- Finish them off. Finally, add some salt and vanilla to the tender potatoes, stir and serve!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Cutting the potatoes: Slice all your potatoes consistently. They should be between half an inch and one inch thick. If they are too thin, they will burn, if they are too thick they won’t cook evenly.
- Be careful with stirring: Take care when stirring these candied sweet potatoes so they don’t break apart. I find using a wide spatula to gently turn the slices over works best.
- If your sauce is too runny: If at the end of the cook time your sauce is runny or watery, continue cooking with the cover off at a low temperature. The sauce should be a nice syrup consistency.
How to Know They’re Done
Before removing the potatoes from the stovetop, check to make sure they are done. A fork should easily slide into the center of the potato. They should be tender but still hold their shape, and the sauce should look glossy and syrupy. If the potatoes are still firm or the sauce is still runny, continue cooking, being careful not to overcook them.
Serving
You can serve this great Thanksgiving side dish recipe right from the skillet, and no one will even notice because the smells and tastes of it will overwhelm them. That being said, if you want a pretty presentation, you can line them up in a casserole dish as you see pictured here.
Work with three or four potatoes at a time, angling them into a dish from one end to the other. At the end, pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Variations on Candied Sweet Potatoes
Want to really dress up this side dish and make it the star of the holiday table? Try some of these additions to the candied sweet potato recipe:
- Add in maple syrup. Stir in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup when you add the sugar for an added layer of flavor.
- Bring some bourbon to the party. Add a shot of bourbon (or two!) for a rich flavor.
- Think about toppings. Top the sweet potatoes with pecans, walnuts, or even shredded coconut.
Storing and Freezing
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Warm them up in a covered baking dish in the oven for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Please keep in mind that they will be softer, as this is the second time they are being cooked.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months. When you are ready to eat them, place them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and warm them in the oven.
As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
FAQ
Yes. Candied sweet potatoes can be frozen after being made and stored in the freezer for up to three months.
I do not recommend making this recipe the day before. They are pretty hands-off, and they will taste best fresh.
No! Which is another great reason to pick this side dish for your holiday.
For this recipe, you should stick with fresh as a big part of the recipe is cooking the potatoes in the sweet sauce.
What to Serve with Candied Potatoes
These candied sweet potatoes are probably my favorite holiday side dish! They’re the perfect balance to heavier, savory foods of the season. If you make these or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment below.
Recipe Video
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Stir in the sweet potatoes, then stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently stir to combine. As the sugar melts into the butter, it will create a sauce. Once the sauce begins to simmer gently, cover the skillet.6 large sweet potatoes, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Cook, covered, for 40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Stir 2 or 3 times while they are cooking, being very gentle as you stir so as not to break up the potatoes as they cook.
- When the potatoes are tender, add in the salt and vanilla. Gently stir one more time to combine. Serve and enjoy.pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon vanilla
Maryann gomez says
I am having a large crowd for thanksgiving. 22 people! I try to make as many dishes as possible in advance. By doing this, I can then sit down and enjoy dinner with my guests. I would love to make these candied sweet potatoes. They look delicious. Do you think making them 4-5 hours earlier in the day and letting them sit in the pan until serving would work? I would be doubling the recipe. Or maybe you have a different easy candied sweet potato recipe?
Thank you for your time and attention.
Maryann Gomez
Lonandmaryann@ Gmail.com
Hi Maryann! Unfortunately, this is one of my only Thanksgiving dishes that I don’t recommend making in advance. If you want something you can make in advance, I would suggest my Sweet Potato Casserole. You could double it and have one topped one way and one topped the other. There are instructions in the post for making it ahead.
Mary says
Can this recipe be made in the oven?
Hi Mary! I’ve only tested these on this stove top.
Jan says
I am planning to make this for Thanksgiving. Can I peel and cut the sweet potatoes the day before?
I wouldn’t recommend that. The potatoes will brown and will look rather unappetizing.
Bernadette says
Can you add orange juice to this recipe if so how would you incorporate it? If I want to bake it instead of stove top please give that version. Thank you!
I’m sorry, Bernadette, I’ve only tested this recipe as written. You could add a little orange zest at the end for that burst of flavor.
Eizabeth says
This is a new recipe for me to try for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, It looked so easy and yummy I couldn’t pass it up.
I hope you enjoy it!
Jan says
I would like to know total weight vs quantity of sweet potatoes considering sizes vary so much. Thank you
About three pounds.
Karen says
I’m going to try some of your recipes!!! They look delicious! We grew sweet potatoes for the first time this year. We only had 6 plants but it will be great to try your recipes!! I’m with you on the sweet potato fries!!
I hope you enjoy them!
Desiree says
I just have to say that I really appreciate you putting the measurements of ingredients in the directions. It’s so convenient for them to be right there where I need them rather than scrolling back and forth. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoy that feature as much as I do!
Sherry says
Can I peel and slice the potatoes and put in water the day before
I wouldn’t recommend that because I’m worried that that much time in water will result in the potatoes absorbing some water, which will dilute the taste of the final dish.
Rubi Lee says
Good Morning,
I too love, love, love sweet potatoes! The display of your candied sweet potatoes is quite lovely and I would like to try this for a Thanksgiving side dish. My question … could I peel, wash and cut the potatoes into the 1″ slices, place them into a Pyrex baking/serving dish, prepare the other ingredients and pour this mixture over the potatoes and bake?
I would want to test that before I recommend that change. My guess is that it would work fine, but again, I would want to test it to be sure.