Soul Food Candied Yams (Printable)

Tender yams cooked with brown sugar and spices, finished in a skillet for a rich glaze.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Yams

01 - 3 large yams (approximately 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds

→ Syrup

02 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1/4 cup water
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

09 - 1/4 cup chopped pecans

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
02 - Add the brown sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer.
03 - Arrange the yam slices evenly in the skillet, turning to coat thoroughly in the syrup.
04 - Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, gently stirring and turning the yams occasionally.
05 - Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, spooning syrup over the yams, until they are fork-tender and the sauce is thick and glossy.
06 - Stir in the vanilla extract.
07 - If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The yams become silky-tender while the syrup thickens into something almost candy-like, creating a textural contrast that's impossible to resist.
  • It's genuinely easy to make but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, which means you can impress people without the stress.
  • The warm spices hit just right without overwhelming the natural sweetness of the yams themselves.
02 -
  • If your syrup looks too thin after cooking, you cooked it at too high a temperature and it evaporated faster than it could thicken—keep the heat moderate or the yams will burn before the sauce reduces properly.
  • Don't skip the step of occasionally turning the yams; it prevents them from sticking to the bottom and ensures the syrup coats every surface evenly.
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to remove the yam skin, then slice them on a cutting board using a sharp knife—uniform thickness is everything in this recipe.
  • If you're making this for a vegan table, swap the butter for plant-based butter and it tastes just as rich and caramelized.
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