Candied Sweet Potatoes

Cooked sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet.

5 from 35 votes

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes are a delicious holiday side dish. They are covered in a mixture of butter, sugar, syrup, and vanilla, then caramelized in the oven.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 443kcal

Author: Gina Abernathy

Ingredients

2 pounds Sweet Potatoes about 2 large or 4 medium
1 stick Butter (½ cup)
¼ cup Water
½ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup White Sugar
¼ cup Dark Karo Syrup
2 teaspoons Vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Preheat the oven so it’s ready when you need it and grab a cast-iron skillet.
Prep the Sweet Potatoes. First, start by peeling and slicing your potatoes - fry style.
Melt butter in a large cast-iron skillet on low heat. Add water, sugars, syrup, and vanilla. Heat and stir until all is melted.
Add the potatoes. Add the potatoes and toss them well until they are evenly coated. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes on the stovetop. Gently stir every 5 minutes or so to ensure the potatoes are evenly coated and not sticking.
Transfer to the oven. After 20 minutes, carefully move the skillet to a 350-degree oven and bake for 40-45 minutes without stirring.
Rest before serving. Allow the potatoes to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the sauce to set on the potatoes.

Notes

To store leftovers: Cool sweet potatoes, then place them in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. They will keep for several days and are fantastic reheated to eat again.

To Reheat: The best way to reheat these potatoes is in the oven, microwave, or stovetop. They warm really fast, so be careful.

Recipe Tips:

Slice uniform size: Try to make the slices as uniform as possible; this will allow all potatoes to cook at the same rate. I have found that if the sweet potatoes are large, cut each potato into quarters and then slice. This makes it easier to handle the bigger potatoes.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven before starting this recipe so the cooking process does not stop as you move from the stovetop to the oven.
Stir gently: Gently stir the potatoes as they cook on the stovetop.
Watch closely: Most of the liquid will cook out, so keep a close eye on your potatoes during the last few minutes of cooking time. They will be fork-tender.
Let the potatoes rest before serving: Allow these Southern candied sweet potatoes to cool slightly before serving. This will allow the sauce to thicken a bit.

Nutrition