Description
These Candied Sweet Potatoes are a classic holiday side dish that’s both sweet and savory. Tender sweet potatoes are coated in a buttery maple syrup sauce with warm spices, making them a delicious and comforting addition to any meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 5–6 medium sweet potatoes (3–4 lbs), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest
- Optional for garnish: chopped fresh or dried rosemary, flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prep Sweet Potatoes: Place sliced sweet potatoes in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Make Sauce: In a saucepan, combine butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (and orange zest, if using).
- Coat Potatoes: Pour sauce over sweet potatoes and toss to coat.
- Bake: Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil after the first 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt (optional), and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Peel and slice sweet potatoes 1 day ahead of time. Prepare the sauce 1-2 days ahead of time. Store both in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Freezing: The dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
