Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes Yams
This Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes Yams recipe is made the tried and true Southern way and is bursting with natural sweetness and a luscious caramelized glaze. Crafted with warm butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves these sweet potatoes are cooked to perfection on the stove, offering a convenient and efficient way to enjoy this classic soul food favorite.
Servings 5 servings
Calories 209kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes This was 2 large sweet potatoes for me. Washed, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-1 inch pieces.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or sweetener
- 3/4 cup white sugar or sweetener
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or stockpot on medium-high heat and add the butter.
- When melted, add the white sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir. You want to ensure the sugar melts down, but don't overcook the glaze.
- Once the sugar has melted, add in the vanilla extract and stir. The glaze will thicken.
- Pour in the water and stir until the glaze caramelizes.
- Add in the sliced sweet potatoes and stir until the potatoes are fully coated in the glaze.
- Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the pot.
- Simmer and cook the potatoes for 35-45 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Cook time will vary based on the size of your sliced sweet potatoes. Thicker potatoes will require more time to cook and soften. The sweet potatoes should be tender when pierced with a fork or knife. They should offer little resistance and should be easily pierced all the way through.
- Open the pot and stir. Cool before serving. The glaze will thicken more upon standing.
Notes
- If making candied sweet potatoes for the first time, you may want to test out your desired level of sweetness. You can start with half of the recommended servings above. From there, continue to build and taste repeatedly until the dish suits your needs.
- You can omit any of the spices in this recipe, make it suit your taste.
- Watch your sweet potatoes closely. The dish will cook at varying speeds based on the size potatoes you use. You may need more or less time. If you cook them too long the sweet potatoes will fall apart.
- If your sauce is thin and runny you can thicken it with additional cornstarch and water. After the sweet potatoes have cooked, examine the sauce. If it isn’t thick enough start with 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/2 tablespoon of water, combine in a bowl first and then add it to the sweet potatoes mixture. Repeat if the sauce still needs additional thickening.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 19g