Sandra This Candied Sweet Potatoes recipe is a soft and caramelized dish, which is made with brown sugar and pure maple syrup. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving side dish, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Paula Deen Candied Sweet Potatoes Ingredients
- 5–6 medium sweet potatoes (3–4 lbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest
- optional for garnish: chopped fresh or dried rosemary, flaky sea salt
How To Make Paula Deen Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Prep the potatoes: Peel then slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place them in a greased 9×13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the salt on top and toss to coat.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Make the caramel sauce: Combine the butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the butter has melted. Stop stirring and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract (and orange zest, if using).
- Coat and bake the potatoes: Pour the sauce over the potatoes and toss to coat them evenly. Bake for 1 hour, stopping to stir the sweet potatoes every 20 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of baking, cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Cool and serve: Remove the dish from the oven. If using, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt. Let the dish cool uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will be thin right out of the oven but will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Tips
- How to get an extra saucy dish? This recipe is designed to be saucy! Be sure to follow the sauce ingredients exactly and stir the potatoes every 20 minutes as they bake. This redistributes the sauce, ensuring every slice is perfectly glazed and caramelized.
- Can I make these ahead of time? Yes, this is a great make-ahead recipe. You can peel and slice the potatoes up to a day ahead and store them covered in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated. Simply reheat the sauce until liquid, pour over the potatoes, and bake as directed.
- Why cover the dish with foil? Covering the dish with foil after the first 20 minutes of baking helps to steam the sweet potatoes. This ensures they cook through evenly and become perfectly soft and tender without the tops burning or the sauce reducing too quickly.
- What kind of sweet potatoes are best? Look for sweet potatoes that are firm with smooth skin and are roughly the same size and shape. Varieties like Jewel or Garnet are excellent as they have a moist, sweet flesh that is perfect for candying.
What To Serve With Candied Sweet Potatoes
These sweet potatoes are a classic side dish, especially for holiday meals.
- Roast Turkey
- Baked Ham
- Roasted Chicken
- Pork Loin Roast
- Pot Roast
How To Store Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Refrigerate: Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Reheating: The sauce will be thick after refrigeration but will thin out as you warm the leftovers up. Reheat them easily in the microwave.
- Freeze: The baked dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then cover with aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 25 minutes or until warm throughout.
Candied Sweet Potatoes Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Sugar: 45g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
While often used interchangeably in stores, true yams and sweet potatoes are different. This recipe is designed for the sweet, moist flesh of sweet potatoes (the ones with orange flesh). True yams are starchier and would not yield the same soft, caramelized result.
The sauce is naturally thin when it comes out of the hot oven. It thickens significantly as it cools down for about 10-15 minutes before serving. If it’s still too thin, you may not have boiled it for the full 2 minutes, which is a key step in caramelizing the sugar.
While this is a classic candied yams recipe without marshmallows, you could certainly add them. For a marshmallow topping, sprinkle a layer of mini marshmallows over the top during the last 5-10 minutes of baking (with the foil removed) and bake until they are puffed and lightly toasted.
Try More Recipes:
- Paula Deen Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- Paula Deen Creamed Potatoes Recipe
- Paula Deen Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Paula Deen Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Description
Perfectly soft and tender sweet potato slices baked in a rich, buttery brown sugar and maple caramel glaze.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick rounds; arrange in a greased 9×13-inch dish.
- In a saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar, maple syrup, water, and spices.
- Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour the sauce over the potatoes and toss to coat.
- Bake at 375°F for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cover with foil after the first 20 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Notes
- Stirring the potatoes every 20 minutes is crucial to ensure they are all evenly coated in the delicious caramel sauce.
- The sauce will appear thin when you take it out of the oven but will thicken considerably as it stands.
- This dish is a perfect make-ahead side for holidays; the components can be prepped in advance.
- For a brighter flavor, add the optional orange zest to the sauce.
