Candied Yams Bourbon Brown Sugar (Printable)

Tender yams glazed with bourbon, brown sugar, and warm spices for a comforting Southern side dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Yams

01 - 4 large yams (about 2½ lbs), 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 It:

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.
05 - Cover 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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This tastes fancy enough to impress people, but honestly takes maybe fifteen minutes of actual hands-on work.
  • The bourbon caramelizes into something almost toffee-like, so even non-bourbon drinkers find themselves asking for the recipe.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, which means you're not scrambling last-minute to accommodate everyone at the table.
02 -
  • Don't skip tossing the yams in the glaze after the first 25 minutes—that basting step is what gives you those caramelized, sticky edges everyone comes back for.
  • If your yams seem to be drying out before they're tender, cover them loosely with foil for the final minutes instead of leaving them fully exposed.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans right before serving instead of using pre-toasted ones; the difference in flavor and crunch is substantial enough to notice.
  • If you're nervous about the bourbon flavor, remember that heat burns off the alcohol and leaves only the deep, caramel-like notes behind.
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