Description
These candied sweet potatoes are a classic side dish featuring tender sweet potato slices baked in a rich butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar sauce, delicately spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. With hints of vanilla and optional orange zest, this comforting, caramelized dish is perfect for Thanksgiving—or any occasion that calls for something irresistibly sweet and cozy.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 5–6 medium sweet potatoes (3–4 lbs), peeled and sliced into ½‑inch thick rounds
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Maple-Brown Sugar Sauce
- ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (200 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- (Optional) 2 tsp orange zest
For Serving (Optional Garnish)
- Chopped fresh or dried rosemary
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Sweet Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Grease a 9×13‑inch (or similar 3‑quart) baking dish. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into ½‑inch thick rounds. Arrange the slices in the prepared dish, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat evenly.
- Make the Maple-Brown Sugar Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir until the butter is melted and all ingredients are well blended. Once melted, stop stirring and bring the mixture to a gentle boil; let it boil for 2 minutes without stirring further. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and orange zest (if using).
- Coat the Sweet Potatoes: Pour the hot sauce evenly over the sweet potatoes in the dish and gently toss to make sure the slices are well coated.
- Bake: Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Every 20 minutes, remove the dish and gently stir the potatoes to ensure they cook and caramelize evenly. After the first 20 minutes, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil to promote even baking without excessive browning.
- Rest and Garnish: Once the potatoes are tender and the sauce is thick and bubbling, remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle with rosemary and flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool uncovered for 10 minutes before serving—the sauce will thicken as it stands.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover candied sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The sauce thickens on chilling but can be smoothed by gently reheating before serving.
Notes
- To ensure evenly cooked potatoes, slice them as uniformly as possible.
- The orange zest adds a subtle citrusy aroma that balances the sweetness—highly recommended for extra flavor.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead and reheated; the sauce thickens beautifully after cooling and will loosen up when warm.
- For a nutty crunch, consider adding a handful of toasted pecans before serving.
- Both light and dark brown sugar work well—dark brown will create a deeper caramel flavor.
- Use real maple syrup for the best flavor; pancake syrups may make the sauce overly sweet and less complex.
- Bake uncovered first for caramelization, then cover to avoid burning; this step is key for texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side-dishes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg