Candied Yams Bourbon Brown Sugar (Printable)

Tender yams coated in a rich bourbon and brown sugar glaze with warm spices.

# What You’ll 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange yam rounds evenly in the prepared baking dish.
02 - 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, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
03 - Pour the glaze evenly over the yams, tossing gently to coat all pieces.
04 - Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
05 - Remove foil, baste yams with the glaze, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until yams are tender and caramelized.
06 - If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bourbon adds depth without tasting boozy—just warmth and complexity that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually looks impressive on the table, which is rare for side dishes.
  • Vegetarian and naturally gluten-free, so you're not scrambling to accommodate different diets during the holidays.
02 -
  • The foil step isn't just for heat—it prevents the top from browning too fast before the yams are actually cooked through, which I learned the hard way the first time I skipped it and ended up with charred edges and crunchy centers.
  • Cutting your yams into uniform thickness is genuinely important; I once had some cut thicker than others and spent the last ten minutes of cooking fishing out the thinner ones because they were already falling apart while waiting for the thick pieces.
03 -
  • Make the glaze while the yams are arranged so everything comes together at the right temperature and the flavors have time to meld in the oven instead of getting dumped in cold.
  • If your yams are releasing a lot of liquid while cooking, you can carefully drain some off before the final baking phase—this prevents a soupy bottom layer while keeping everything moist.
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