Southern Candied Yams
Southern Candied Yams with Marshmallows and Pecans are for those that canโt decide between marshmallows or pecans. Sticky, sweet baked yams are topped with mini marshmallows and pecans for a crunchy, toasty, sweet topping you just canโt resist.

Southern Candied Yams
Memories of Thanksgiving when I was growing up always had a casserole dish stuffed to the brim with toasted marshmallows. It wasnโt until you dug a spoon into it that you even knew what was beneath that toasty cloud of sweetness. For all we knew, it could have been sโmores dip!
But, sure enough, when you pulled that spoon out of the dish it was loaded with gooey, sticky yams coated in a thick blanket of toasted marshmallow. For some, it was heaven, for me, much too sweet. I always reached for the Sweet Potato Casserole which was more of a soufflรฉ than a casserole. I still shun that overly sweet candied yam casserole but that doesnโt mean I skip the yams completely.
I created a much less cloyingly sweet Southern Candied Yam recipe thatโs super simple and not made from canned yams at all. Thatโs what was used for that super sweet yam casserole I remember from years ago so I knew that fresh yams needed to happen in my revamped version of this holiday side dish.
In addition to fresh yams, I still love the marshmallow but a hint of them in the form of mini marshmallows, just a smattering, would totally do the trick. BUT, I also wanted some crunch to add much needed texture to the soft yamsโฆplus, why not? Right?
Ingredients
- Yams โ Yams are sometimes mistaken for sweet potatoes which can be used as a substitute in this recipe. Either way, they can be made without any other modifications to the dish.
- Butter โ I use salted butter for this recipe. If you use unsalted butter be sure to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dish.
- Sugar โ Both granulated white sugar and brown sugar are used for a little extra sweetness and depth. You can sub out the white sugar with all brown sugar if you want a little more richness.
- Spices โ Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are used for flavorful background notes.
- Orange Juice โ We love using fresh squeezed orange just for a tart, fresh contrast.
- Marshmallows โ Just a few mini marshmallows give you that classic holiday sweet potato nostalgia.
- Pecans โ We love the pecans for a textural crunch. Feel free to skip them.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

How To Make Candied Yams
Easy Candied Yams come together pretty easily, the most time spent will be on peeling and slicing the potatoes. If you have a mandoline, it will cut your prep time in half. If you donโt own a mandoline or you lost the slicing blade, like I did, you can just cut your potatoes into rounds approximately 1/2 inch thick with a sharp chefโs knife.
- Peel and slice your yams into 1/2 inch rounds. Stack and arrange in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. (I used a 2 quart baking dish for this recipe)
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and orange juice.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and remove from the heat, stir to combine.
- Pour the syrup mixture over the yams and toss to coat a little bit. (Your yams will not be completely coated, this will happen in the oven.)
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Uncover the casserole and toss the yams to coat in the sauce. Cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Uncover the yams and toss to coat in the sauce again.
- Top with the marshmallows and pecans. Return to the oven and bake the yams for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.
- Remove the yams from the oven and serve immediately.



What are Candied Yams
This Southern Candied Yam recipe is just what you need when your guests are both team marshmallow and team pecan. I know Iโm undecided so it just seems fitting to top your baked yams with both.
A classic holiday side dish, these homemade Candied Yams are made from scratch and are super easy to whip up. The yams are baked in a syrupy sauce and then topped with mini marshmallows and chopped pecans at the end of cooking.

Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes
Contrary to popular believe, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. Real yams are an entirely different root vegetable with starchy, bland flesh and thick, bumpy skin thatโs similar in appearance to tree bark.
Sweet Potatoes, on the other hand, have a dark, reddish brown skin thatโs thinner and a little smoother. While there are several versions of sweet potatoes at the grocery store, the most commonly found sweet potato is the orange sweet potato. A lot of people will say these are yams, but, technicallyโฆreal yams are hard to find in the United States.
You can also find white sweet potatoes which are less sweet than the orange but you can totally use them interchangeably.
BUT, most likely, the yams you buy at the grocery store in the US are, actually, sweet potatoes. But at least you know the difference now. ๐

What To Serve With Candied Yams
We love to serve these candied yams at Thanksgiving alongside our favorite turkey recipe but you can also serve them with this easy Spiral Ham recipe!
You can also serve them for a Sunday dinner with this extra special Prime Rib Beef Roast or this Beef Tenderloin Roast.
More Easy Holiday Side Dish Ideas
- This super easy Sweet Potato Casserole is sinfully amazing!
- The BEST EVER Mashed Potatoes are sure to be a hit.
- Green Beans Almondine are a classic thatโs ready in a flash.
- Got a spare yam? Make these Stuffed Sweet Potatoesโฆ.because itโs really just a sweet potato anyway.
- The Best Green Bean Casserole
- Corn Pudding
Want to see what else weโre cooking up this season? Follow us on Instagram!

Get the Recipe: Southern Candied Yams Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 medium sized yams
- 8 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Peel and slice your yams into 1/2 inch rounds. Stack and arrange in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. (I used a 2 quart baking dish for this recipe)
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and orange juice.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and remove from the heat, stir to combine.
- Pour the syrup mixture over the yams and toss to coat a little bit. (Your yams will not be completely coated, this will happen in the oven.)
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Uncover the casserole and toss the yams to coat in the sauce. Cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Uncover the yams and toss to coat in the sauce again.
- Top with the marshmallows and pecans. Return to the oven and bake the yams for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.
- Remove the yams from the oven and serve immediately.
Video

12 Comments on โSouthern Candied Yamsโ
Made them! They were incredible! Seriously delicious. I love not having to bother parboiling the sweet potatoes on the stove-totally unnecessary extra step! Not going to lie I did make a few changes: I reduced the brown sugar to a quarter of a cup, added a quarter cup real maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, added orange zest, a tablespoon of Grand Marnier and a teaspoon of vanilla after cooking the syrup. I love your recipe but just wanted to โblendโ some things that I liked about other recipes. The Grand Marnier is next level! Yum
thank you so much for your comment and recipe additions!
Do you think I could make the sauce stovetop and then transfer everything to the crockpot to cook? My oven is fully booked for thanksgiving so Iโm forced to get creative. If you have any recommendations please tell me!
Yes! You could definitely finish it in the crockpot, itโs a great way to maximize space on the cooktop.
Can I use Sunny D for the OJ? Or does it need to be like, legit orange juice?
I would use real orange juice. Sunny D may work but it is definitely less orange flavor than real orange juice.
Omg these are amazing! Iโll start off by saying I am not a fan of sweet potatoes! We did a collaborative Thanksgiving this year and someone made these, I tried them and fell in love! Lol I asked her for the recipe and she sent me your link! I made them again a few days later and I am making them for Christmas eve dinner too! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Youโre so very welcome! Iโm so happy you like themโฆ..Iโm not a fan of sweet potatoes either. Ha ha ha!!! But Iโll eat these all day long. Merry Christmas!
Delicious!! Made it for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it.
Thank you! Iโm so happy you liked it!
OMG! Thank you for your wonderful recipe! My boyfriend, from the south, said โthese are the best candied yams heโs ever eaten!โ Iโve never made them before and was excited with his truthful response! I was so very excited and pleased as they were made with LOVE โค๏ธ
Ahhhh, that makes me so happy! Iโm thrilled that they got the southernerโs stamp of approval. Thank you for your comment!