This brown sugar candied yams recipe couldn't be easier and it makes a perfect holiday side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Canned yams are already tender, so there's no peeling necessary and it cuts the cooking time in half. Even better than that, they are cooked in sweet cinnamon syrup and topped with melted mini marshmallows!
Easy Brown Sugar Baked Yams
Every Thanksgiving these brown sugar candied yams steal the show. The tender yams coated in sweet, sticky syrup, and toasted marshmallows are the epitome of soul food.
This is one of my go-to sweet potato side dishes because I have so much going on in the kitchen. I love that I can skip the prep time by using canned yams, though you can totally make this with fresh yams or sweet potatoes if you prefer!
Jump to:
Whether you're a pro at hosting Thanksgiving dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Thanksgiving a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday turkey early, too!
🥘 Ingredients For Brown Sugar Candied Yams
The ingredients for this recipe are incredibly simple and inexpensive. I keep most of them on hand and usually just need to grab a can of yams and a bag of mini marshmallows!
- Canned Yams - 1 40-ounce can of yams drained with ¼ cup of liquid reserved, or about 2-2 ½ pounds of fresh yams (peeled and boiled).
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of melted butter (unless using fresh yams in which case you should use 4 tablespoons of melted butter.)
- Light Brown sugar - 1 cup of light brown sugar.
- Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Nutmeg - ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg.
- Salt - 1 pinch of salt.
- Mini Marshmallows - 3 cups of mini marshmallows.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Brown Sugar Candied Yams
There's almost no prep for this quick and easy version of candied yams. To get started, you'll need an 8x8 baking dish (or 1-quart casserole dish) and your measuring utensils.
One batch of these baked yams makes about 6 servings. You can easily double the recipe but you will need to use a bigger baking dish!
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and drain the 40-ounce can of yams, reserving ¼ cup of liquid to add back to the yams. Then, pour the yams into an 8x8 baking dish or 1-quart casserole dish along with the reserved liquid.
- Add butter and spices. Next, pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the yams (4 tablespoons if using fresh yams) and then sprinkle them with 1 cup of light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Add marshmallows. Spread the yams in an even layer, cut any large pieces in half if desired, then sprinkle 3 cups of mini marshmallows over the yams.
- Bake. Place the yams on the middle rack of your oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes until the marshmallows have browned and the yams are coated in a bubbly brown syrup. Remove from the oven and serve while warm.
Candied yams will be a welcome addition to your next Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner spread! Whether you are serving turkey or ham, these yams will pair wonderfully. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 40 ounces of candied yams is equal to 1 40-ounce can, or about 2-2 ½ pounds of fresh yams.
- If your marshmallows are browning more than you'd like, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- If you would prefer to use fresh sweet potatoes or yams for this recipe, simply peel them, boil them until tender, and use them as instructed. You can omit the liquid, just increase the amount of butter to 4 tablespoons instead of 2 tablespoons. It should take about 5 medium yams/sweet potatoes.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once cool, you can store your brown sugar candied yams in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
Reheating Brown Sugar Candied Yams
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or larger amounts in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Technically, yams and sweet potatoes are two different root vegetables. However, you may notice that most canned yams will say in small text that they are 'sweet potatoes in syrup'. Many people use the term interchangeably. This recipe will work just fine with either yams or sweet potatoes. For more information on the difference between the two, take a look at my post 'yams vs sweet potatoes'!
The festive version of candied yams with toasted marshmallows was actually the marshmallow company 'Angelus Marshmallows' in 1917. They recommended the recipe as a way to show how versatile marshmallows can be.
Anything that pairs well with sweet potatoes will pair well with candied yams. I recommend something savory to balance out the sweetness. In fact, any of these recipes to serve with sweet potatoes would be a great choice!
😋 More Tasty Side Dishes
- Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls - These soft and buttery rolls are perfect for scooping up gravy or making turkey sliders!
- Bacon Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes - Savory cream cheese mashed potatoes with bacon are the perfect side dish to balance out the sweetness of candied yams.
- Cambell's Green Bean Casserole - This old-school green bean casserole recipe is a classic Thanksgiving side that everyone will enjoy!
- Baked Buttercup Squash - With chopped apples, butter, and pumpkin pie spice, this squash is loaded with fall flavor!
- Instant Pot Au Gratin Potatoes - Use your Instant Pot to quickly whip up some creamy, cheesy au gratin potatoes.
- Cornbread Stuffing - This cornbread stuffing will become a new Thanksgiving tradition because it is so tasty and easy to make!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Brown Sugar Candied Yams
Ingredients
- 40 oz canned yams (drained with ¼ cup of liquid reserved)
- 2 tablespoon butter (melted)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and drain the canned yams, reserving ¼ cup of liquid to add back to the yams. Then, pour the yams into an 8x8 baking dish or 1-quart casserole dish along with the reserved liquid.
- Next, pour the melted butter over the yams and then sprinkle them with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Spread the yams in an even layer, cut any large pieces in half if desired, then sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the yams.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes until the marshmallows have browned and the yams are coated in a bubbly brown syrup. Remove from the oven and serve while warm.
Notes
- 40 ounces of candied yams is equal to 1 40-ounce can, or about 2-2 ½ pounds of fresh yams.
- If your marshmallows are browning more than you'd like, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- If you would prefer to use fresh sweet potatoes or yams for this recipe, simply peel them, boil them until tender, and use them as instructed. You can omit the liquid, just increase the amount of butter to 4 tablespoons instead of 2 tablespoons. It should take about 5 medium yams/sweet potatoes.
- To store: Once cool, you can store your brown sugar candied yams in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or larger amounts in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Michelle Shadoan says
Loved it!!!