Candied Yams Bourbon Brown Sugar (Printable Version)

Tender yams glazed with bourbon, brown sugar, and warm spices in a rich Southern-style side.

# What You Need:

→ Yams

01 - 4 large yams (about 2½ pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds

→ Glaze

02 - ½ cup unsalted butter
03 - ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - ¼ cup pure maple syrup
05 - ¼ cup bourbon
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Garnish

11 - ¼ cup chopped pecans, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange yam rounds evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Pour the glaze evenly over the yams, tossing gently to coat all rounds.
05 - Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
06 - Remove foil, baste yams with the glaze, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until yams are tender and caramelized.
07 - If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans before serving.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The bourbon dissolves into pure comfort without tasting boozy—it's sophisticated enough to impress but tastes like home.
  • You can have these on the table in just over an hour, which means less stress when you're juggling six other dishes.
  • Sweet potatoes and yams both work beautifully, so you're never stuck if the market runs out of one.
02 -
  • Don't skip the uncovered baking phase or you'll end up with soft yams swimming in glaze instead of caramelized edges that give you texture contrast.
  • If your glaze looks broken or separated, whisk it one more time off the heat—sometimes the bourbon and butter need a moment to fully emulsify, and a few vigorous strokes fix it every time.
03 -
  • Use a sharp vegetable peeler and steady cutting board—yams can roll around, so anchor yours with a damp towel underneath to avoid slips.
  • The difference between good and great is the basting step: those last 20 minutes when you're uncovered and letting the glaze reduce is when the magic happens, so don't skip it.
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