Glazed sweet potatoes are the stuff that side dish dreams are made of!
We love the way the bourbon or rum gently sweetens this glazed sweet potato recipe! They are the colorful and nutritious side dish that everyone loves! For a holiday meal, we like to serve them alongside a baked ham with pineapple, red leaf salad with lemon vinaigrette, and some honey cornbread muffins.
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What We Love About This Recipe
This recipe can be cooked in so many different ways! Make them in the slow cooker, oven, or on the stovetop. Glazed yams come out crisp on the outside and tender on the inside every time! Make ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake! Baked with a yummy brown sugar glaze and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, we know you’ll reach for this recipe again and again!
Ingredients
SWEET POTATOES or YAMS Sweet potatoes and yams are two different root vegetables. Sweet potatoes are sweet and moist, while yams are starchy and drier. Canned sweet potatoes can be used in a pinch to reduce cooking time, but in general, fresh is best!
GLAZE Our recipe uses brown sugar, butter, and a dash of rum (or bourbon), but you can use whiskey, honey, or orange juice for a lightly sweetened version.
Variations
- We also like to add carrots, bacon bits, and cranberry sauce for a festive twist!
- Try topping (or tossing!) with mini marshmallows and chopped pecans!
- Maple bourbon-glazed sweet potatoes can be made by mixing together maple syrup, bourbon, and butter in a saucepan and then pour it over the diced sweet potatoes before baking.
- Glazed sweet potatoes can also be added to vegetarian chili.
How to Make Glazed Sweet Potatoes
To make a quick dish of candied yams, just follow a few easy steps!
- Peel and dice sweet potatoes.
- Toss with brown sugar, rum (or bourbon rum), and roast in a buttered casserole dish.
- Stir in butter, salt & pepper, and serve.
When making these for turkey dinner, add them to the oven after the turkey has roasted for one hour.
How to Make Glaze for Yams
- Make a simple glaze by melting butter and stirring in brown sugar until it’s dissolved.
- Feel free to add any other seasonings to create your own signature sauce.
- Try nutmeg, cinnamon, or even a spoonful of apricot jam for a sweet and tangy glaze that really clings to sweet potatoes.
Tips and Tricks
- Peeling sweet potatoes will ensure they stay light and creamy. Try for uniformly sized pieces so the sweet potatoes all cook at the same rate.
- To speed up the cooking process, place diced sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with an inch of water. Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few venting holes. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Remove bowl and drain. Add the glaze and then bake for 30 minutes in the oven.
Leftovers and Storage
- Maple glazed sweet potatoes taste even better as leftovers! Simply keep them covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat in the microwave when ready to serve again.
- Try a breakfast hash with the leftovers!
- Freeze by scooping cooked, cooled sweet potatoes in zippered bags with the date labeled on the outside and they’ll keep up to 12 months.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- ½ cup brown sugar or maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons dark rum or bourbon
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted* if desired
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (I use butter). Add sweet potatoes, sugar, and rum, and toss to coat.
- Toss every 30 minutes, baking until potatoes are tender, about 60-90 minutes.
- Remove from oven, stir in butter, salt, and pepper before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart
