These easy candied yams with marshmallows combine canned or fresh yams that are baked with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. They're exactly how my family and I have been making this classic holiday favorite for decades! This easy vegetable side dish is sure to be a winning holiday side dish your family loves too!
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The holidays are on their way, so it’s time to start practicing your favorite side dishes! My delicious candied yams are the perfect place to start.
The Easiest Holiday Candied Yams
They’re made simply with canned yams or sweet potatoes and then topped with a layer of butter slices, crumbled brown sugar, and mini marshmallows. It’s so easy and so delicious!
Everyone will love these easy candied yams – you will too! In just 30 minutes you’ll have an amazingly sweet and sticky candied yam side dish! It really doesn’t get any easier than this recipe!
The whole family will adore this recipe, but kids will go nuts! They’ll love the sweet yams with toasted, gooey marshmallows on top. It’s like having dessert for dinner!
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s So Easy! This recipe has 5 ingredients, 4 steps, and takes just about 30 minutes to create. It’s never been easier to make candied yams!
- It’s a Holiday Favorite! Whether you like marshmallows on top or not, everyone loves candied yams! They’re a classic, sweet holiday side no one can resist!
- It’s Perfectly Sweet! The brown sugar and mini marshmallows give the yams the perfect amount of sweetness without being too sweet and a pinch of salt helps to balance the flavors!
🥘 Ingredients
My delicious candied yams recipe only has 4 ingredients! Using store-bought canned yams is what makes this side dish so easy!
- Canned Yams – You can also use canned sweet potatoes, though the two are usually interchangeable! These can typically be found near the canned pumpkin and/or in the baking section. (See Tips & Recipe Notes)
- Salt – We’re using just a pinch for this recipe, so any salt you have will do perfectly!
- Butter – You want this to be cut into slices so it can be evenly distributed on the yams. You can use your preferred brand of butter!
- Light Brown Sugar – This helps give the candied yams that yummy, caramelized taste. You can also use dark brown sugar here if that’s what you have, but the flavor will be more pronounced!
- Miniature Marshmallows – If you love marshmallows on your candied yams, this recipe is perfect for you! If you’re not a fan of marshmallows, you can skip – but try it out and I promise you’ll love it!
🔪 Instructions
This is seriously the easiest recipe ever! It makes 8 servings, but you can easily double or half the recipe.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and butter or spray with non-stick spray a 9x13 baking dish.
- Layer the Yams. Open and drain a 40-ounce can of canned yams, then spread the yams evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Make sure to have the yams mostly in a single layer (photo 1).
- Add Other Ingredients. Sprinkle a pinch of salt all over the yams, then top with ⅓ cup of butter, sliced into pieces (photo 2). Next, crumble ⅔ cup of light brown sugar over the yams (photo 3), followed by 2 cups (or more if needed to cover yams) of mini marshmallows (photo 4).
- Bake. Bake in the center of your oven’s middle rack at 400°F (205°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until the yams are bubbling with the sugar and butter and the marshmallows are melted and toasted. Let the dish cool for a few minutes before serving.
My amazing, sticky-sweet candied yams with marshmallows recipe is a perfect Thanksgiving dinner side! Serve alongside a delicious main, like my delicious smoked turkey, and your other favorite holiday side dishes! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes
You can also use fresh sweet potatoes or yams for this recipe, but it’ll take a little longer!
- It’s best to pre-cook the yams to make sure they don’t burn with all the sugar and butter before they’re cooked through. Peel and slice 2 ½ pounds of fresh yams/sweet potatoes into thick slices and boil until fork tender – drain, then follow the rest of the recipe!
Want to halve the recipe to do a trial run? I’ll make it easy!
- Use 1 single, 29-ounce can of yams, and place the drained yams in an 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then top with ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of butter slices. Crumble over ½ cup of brown sugar, and about 1 ½ cups of mini marshmallows. Bake as directed above!
If you like candied yams with spices, you can add those with the brown sugar!
- If you prefer, you can sprinkle ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and/or ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg with the brown sugar over the yams.
- You can also add a drizzle of vanilla extract, or a couple of pinches of allspice, cloves, or mace!
You can use any butter for this recipe, but I like a good quality unsalted European butter!
- European butter, like Kerrygold or Plugra, has a higher fat content (which you can see by how yellow it is!) and has more flavor than American butter. It just gives the candied yams a bit more flavor!
- You can buy European butter in bulk at stores like Costco and stock up for all your holiday butter needs!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Who doesn’t love holiday leftovers? If you have extras of my delightful candied yams, simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days! They’ll keep perfectly if covered well!
You can also make these sweet candied yams ahead of time and freeze! Allow the dish to cool completely.
Then, cover the baking dish with a layer of plastic cling film and then follow with a layer of aluminum foil. (If the sides are buttery and the plastic wrap has a hard time sticking, wipe the sides of the baking dish with a little water with either a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar). Place in the freezer, and it’ll keep for 4 months!
Reheating
To best reheat leftovers (from the fridge or frozen), place them into an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil. Then bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or 15-25 minutes (if still frozen).
Heat until hot and bubbling or the candied yams reach your desired temperature.
❓ Recipe FAQs
For many Americans, marshmallows are the traditional topping for candied yams or sweet potato casserole. This dates back to as early as 1917! Not every family adds marshmallows to their candied yams, but it gives the dish a delicious, caramelized top that’s worth trying!
In the US, the names “sweet potato” and “yam” are used interchangeably, but they’re actually different! Sweet potatoes are usually sweeter and less starchy than yams. Most candied “yam” recipes and most containers of canned yams that you get in the grocery store are really sweet potatoes!
Sure! If you’d like to use larger marshmallows instead of mini marshmallows on the candied yams – go for it! I’m sure it’ll be just as delicious.
😋 More Great Holiday Sides
- Oat Rolls
- Sauteed Broccolini
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Skillet Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Buttery Acorn Squash
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Brown Sugar Candied Yams
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📖 Recipe Card
Candied Yams With Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 40 oz canned yams (or sweet potatoes)
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅓ cup butter (cut into slices)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows (or more, as needed to cover the yams)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and butter or spray your 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Open and drain your can(s) of 40 oz canned yams then spread the yams in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle a 1 pinch salt over the yams, then top with ⅓ cup butter slices. Crumble the ⅔ cup light brown sugar over the yams next, followed by a generous layer of 2 cups miniature marshmallows.
- Bake in the center of your oven's middle rack at 400°F (205°C) for 20-25 minutes until the yams are bubbling and the marshmallows are melted and toasted.
Diana says
Do you think all would fit in the dish of I double the recipe?
Thanks for your help.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
You can double the recipe and still fit in a 9x13 baking dish (or 3 quart casserole dish). It may bubble over a bit since it will be closer to the rim of your baking dish, so to prevent any of the juices sticking to your oven, I would suggest a sheet of aluminum foil under your pan or dish. Thanks for asking and enjoy the holidays!
Anonymous says
Can you use a can of candied yams and drain?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
This recipe is written with canned candied yams, so definitely yes. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Nancy Snyder says
Very Delicious. Just the way my mom use to make it.
Rita says
The marshmallows were sooo yummy on these yams!
Jack W says
Don't forget, to your personal liking, a sprinkle or two of cinnamon.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, definitely! Salt, pepper, and cinnamon make a divine batch of candied yams!
Dawn says
Oh.my.word. This is perfection. I've never been a fan of sweet potato casserole.... until this recipe happened. I used freshly steamed, cubed sweet potatoes and did 2 repeats of layering. There's something magical about the ratio of potatoes: butter: brown sugar. My whole family loved these, myself included. Simple and delicious = winning!
Casie Clennon says
Do you mash the sweet potatoes at all?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
No, I don't mash them when I make candied yams. I do slice any large chunks into smaller pieces. I like my candied yams to be bite size. 🙂
Frankie D says
I make mine just like this except I add just a little bit of nutmeg. Always a hit
Debbie says
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing 😊
Chris says
Easiest Time saving recipe. Enjoyed by all. Sometimes I will add just a little bit of pumpkin pie spice to my Brown sugar.
Mrs. Fran Ward says
Love this canned version, sooo easy to make. Love the marshmallows as well.
Kenny W says
Roasted pecans and added maple syrup really bring these yams to another level, WOW!!!
Debbie says
When do I put the maple syrup and the pecans on the delicious sweet potatoes I’m using instead of yams. And how many sweet potatoes should I use in place of canned yams? Thank you 😊
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
You can see my maple candied yams recipe for the additions, and take a look at my Southern candied sweet potatoes for using fresh sweet potatoes in your dish. Happy Thanksgiving!
Barb says
I added pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup, really great yam recipe!
Carolyn Thomas Page says
Simply delicious!
Les says
Same recipe my mom used but we added chopped pecans to it. Yum yum !
Les says
*****5stars
Monica says
Best recipe that ive found on line. It took 4 yrs , 4 different recipes & finally, we have a winner. I'll stick to this one for sure for the rest of our Thanksgiving & Christmas Dinners & when ever we get the cravings of Canied yams. Classic, simple ingredients is the best !
Anonymous says
This was amazing! So easy, and everyone absolutely loved it with our Thanksgiving dinner. Looking forward to making it again, the recipe's a keeper!!
Leann says
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and it was gone. Everyone (12 of us) loved it. Next time, I'm doubling the recipe. Thank you so much and have a blessed Holiday!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Aw, that's what makes sharing so great! Thank you for letting us know it was a hit!
Shanda Raynett Anderson says
Thank you!
Cindy Haefele says
Can you make this with real sweet potatos. And how long to bake?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Definitely! When I make these from scratch, I usually boil the quartered or sliced sweet potatoes for 12 to 15 minutes. You will want them slightly underdone (tender but not falling apart). Follow the rest of the instructions after they cool. Thanks for asking, Happy Thanksgiving!