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These Southern slow cooker candied yams are sweet potatoes tossed in brown sugar, butter, spices, then slow cooked until perfection! A holiday classic side dish that pairs wonderfully with juicy roast turkey and 4 cheese mac and cheese.
Why You’ll Love These Slow Cooker Candied Yams
- The texture is perfect! These yams are sweet, caramelized, and fork-tender.
- So much better than canned yams and they’re so easy to make!
- Candied yams are super versatile, you can serve them plain like these or add some walnuts for some crunch and marshmallows for extra sweetness.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Yams – I recommend using orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for this recipe. Try to choose potatoes that are similar in size so the slices cook evenly.
- Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness and creates that rich, syrupy sauce. I prefer light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar works too and will give the yams a deeper molasses flavor.
- Honey – Adds extra sweetness and helps give the sauce a smooth, syrupy consistency.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – If you don’t have nutmeg, that’s fine but cinnamon is definitely a must!
- Orange Zest – A little orange zest brightens up the dish and balances all the sweetness. You don’t need much, a little goes a long way.
- Cornstarch – Helps thicken the sauce so it beautifully coats the yams instead of remaining thin and watery.
Top Tips
- Cut the yams into even slices so they cook at the same rate.
- Don’t slice them too thin, or they may become mushy and fall apart as they cook.
- Avoid overcooking. The yams are ready when they’re fork-tender.
- Stir gently once the yams are tender to prevent them from breaking apart.
- Keep in mind that all slow cookers cook differently, so start checking the yams toward the end of the cooking time.
- Traditional candied yams are very sweet, you can always reduce the sugar amount if you don’t like it too sweet.
Do I Need A Slow Cooker To Make These?
No, you don’t. You can make these in the oven instead. These candied yams were baked in the oven and were just as delicious!
How Long Will They Stay Warm For?
You can turn on the “warm” function and they will stay warm for about 2 hours without falling apart.
Storage
Allow the candied yams to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm larger portions in the oven until heated through.
I don’t recommend freezing them, as the yams can become too soft and mushy once thawed.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn – A creamy and delicious side dish!
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole – Another classic holiday side dish.
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken – Goes great with candied yams!
- Crockpot Mac and Cheese – Classic mac and cheese made in the slow cooker.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Candied Yams
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 4 lbs yams, peeled and sliced into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup butter , melted
- 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 tsp orange zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Peel the yams and slice them into 1-inch slices and set them. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups water. Mix well.
- Add the yams to the slow cooker along with all of the ingredients. Mix well.
- Cook on high for 3 hours. If the sauce isn't thick enough, mix 1 tsp of water and 1 tsp of cornstarch. Add it to the slow cooker and mix gently.
- Cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make sure to slice the yams into even-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Once the yams are done cooking, mix them very gently so they don’t fall apart!
- Traditional candied yams are very sweet, you can always reduce the sugar amount if you don’t like it too sweet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were delicious!!