Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes

This recipe for candied sweet potatoes is an easy, one-pan wonder. It’s a delicious side dish and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Sweet potatoes. This recipe can be used for candied yams too and will be delicious made with butternut squash.
• Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted.
• Brown sugar. I used soft brown sugar but Demerara, Muscavado, etc. will all work.
• Cinnamon. I used both ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks. Other spices like nutmeg and ground ginger would also be delicious.
• Lemon juice. Orange juice can also be used.
• Salt. 

How to make candied sweet potatoes

1. Prep: Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into ½cm / ¼in slices. In a deep pan, add the brown sugar, water, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Layer the sweet potatoes on top of the brown sugar mixture then dot with the butter and add cinnamon sticks (optional).
2. Cook: Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes, glazing the sweet potatoes every 5 minutes until they are fork-tender and glossy and the sauce has reduced into a caramel. You can bake this in a casserole dish in the oven for 30 minutes, glazing the sweet potatoes every 10 minutes. Sprinkle over chopped pecans for extra crunch (optional).
3. Serve: Once cooked, glaze the potatoes one final time then serve.

Can I make candied sweet potatoes in advance?

This dish can be assembled and kept covered in the fridge for up to a day in advance. Cooked sweet potatoes can be kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours covered with foil and reheated just before serving.

Sweet potato recipes