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Candied Yams

These candied yams—or sweet potatoes, to be precise—are a fresh take on a holiday classic. Growing up, I always enjoyed my grandmother’s buttery candied yams, but I’m excited to share this version made without oil or butter. Instead, we use natural sweeteners, and we’re juicing sweet potatoes for our candy sauce that will thicken like butter as it heats on the stove. This twist on a holiday classic has received rave reviews and plenty of praise. You won’t even miss the butter or refined sugar.

Sweet Potatoes:

3 lbs sweet potatoes (about 5–6 medium-sized), peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1 cup pecans or chopped roasted chestnuts (optional)
3 cinnamon sticks (optional)

Candy Sauce:

5 lbs sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium-sized), peeled and chopped
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp orange zest
Juice of 1/2 orange

You’ll need a juicer for this recipe!

Instructions

Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Bake the sweet potatoes:
Place the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes in a large baking dish with 1 cup of water. Cover the dish with parchment paper to trap the steam and bake for 25–35 minutes, or until tender.
Prepare the candy sauce:
While the sweet potatoes bake, juice the sweet potatoes for the candy sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the sweet potato juice, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla bean powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 15–20 minutes.
Combine and roast:
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and drain any excess water. Pour the candy sauce over the sweet potatoes and add the optional pecans, roasted chestnuts, and cinnamon sticks. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 45 minutes.

Serves 6

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