Whether you call them Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes or candied yams, these tender, sweet, and irresistible nuggets are the quintessential Thanksgiving side dish. They’re also super simple to prepare, which gives them a permanent spot on my Thanksgiving menu. Because when I’m trying to cook ten recipes at once, I need things to be as simple as possible! Just mix everything up in a dish, pop it in the oven, and let them do their thing while you work on the rest of the meal. Done and done!
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See this recipe in my Easy Thanksgiving Dinner for Beginners meal plan.
Are They Yams or Sweet Potatoes?
This has been the topic of much debate for decades. While these orange fleshed root vegetables are often labeled “yams” at the grocery store, that’s really just a slang term and true yams are a different vegetable all together. Here is a great video clip from Alton Brown’s Serious Eats that goes over the history of sweet potatoes and the controversy over the term “yam” (worth the watch just for the “man yam” bit).
But I don’t care what you call them. Language is fluid. Just make sure to buy the orange guys for this recipe. ;)
Can You Make These Roasted Sweet Potatoes Ahead?
While you can roast these the day before and reheat on Thanksgiving day, I think they have a much better presentation when prepared fresh. The appearance does change from a glassy candied appearance to sort of a darker dull color after refrigeration. Instead, go ahead and peel and cube your sweet potatoes the day before so that all you have to do on the big day is pop them in the oven.
Can I Roast The Sweet Potatoes at a Lower Temperature?
If you’re trying to do double duty and roast these sweet potatoes at the same time as your turkey, you can make it work. If your turkey is being roasted at 350ºF, you can roast the sweet potatoes at the same time, keeping in mind that they will take much longer to roast (probably an additional 20 minutes or so). Make sure to stir the sweet potatoes about every 20 minutes while roasting.
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
Servings 6 About 3/4 cup eachIngredients
- 3 lbs. sweet potatoes ($3.39)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.20)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.16)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup ($1.20)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup pecans ($1.76)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes. Place the sweet potato cubes in a large casserole dish (11×15" or 5 quart).
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the butter is melted, then stir until combined. Pour the butter mixture over the sweet potatoes in the casserole dish, and stir to coat.
- Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, roughly chop the pecans. After roasting for 20 minutes, add the chopped pecans, give everything a good stir, and then roast for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft and the liquid in the casserole dish has reduced to a sticky candy coating. Serve hot.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes – Step By Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Peel and dice 3 lbs. of sweet potatoes into 3/4-inch cubes. Place them in a large casserole dish (11×15″ or 5 quart).
Combine 2 Tbsp butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds to melt the butter, then stir to combine.
Pour the butter mixture over the sweet potatoes and stir until they’re all evenly coated. Transfer the sweet potatoes to the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, roughly chop 1/2 cup pecans (or just use pre-chopped pecans).
After roasting for 20 minutes, add the chopped pecans, give everything a really good stir, and return the sweet potatoes to the oven. Roast for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Roast until the sweet potatoes are very tender and all the liquid in the bottom of the dish has reduced to a sticky candy coating.
I mean, look at those potatoes… 🤩
These Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes (or candied yams, whatever) will be a stunning addition to your Thanksgiving table!
I’m partial to the leaving the skin on sweet potatoes. Can this recipe be done with skin on?
You’re welcome to do that!
These turned out delicious! Great recipie and simple to follow!
So yummy! Oooey, gooey goodness! I used crushed walnuts instead of Pecans as that’s what I had on hand and turned out delish!
Tasty and simple. Everything I’m looking for in a recipe!
Yum! Simple and delicious, my whole family loves this recipe. Thank you!
I’ve made these two Thanksgivings now and they’re always a hit!
My first time making sweet potatoes. I made these for Thanksgiving. They were a big hit. They were made early in the morning and transfer to a crock pot set on low until after the game. The extra time in the crock pot gave them a softer texted, but every loved them.
I am making this but you didn’t specify light or dark brown sugar? I looked at the photos and guessed light brown sugar. When I tasted the glaze it had a powerful maple flavor. Not sure if I didn’t this right.
You can use either.
I’ve made this for the first time in my life ever this year but I left the nuts out because my husband is allergic to nuts so just in case he wanted to try I left it plane that’s ok more for me my mon used to make it every year for Christmas and thanksgiving and now I’m doing it for the first Time with my family on Christmas! Thank you very much
I grew my own sweet potatoes for the first time this year, and was really looking forward to using them in this recipe for Thanksgiving. They were **AWESOME** — just absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
Made this for Christmas dinner and everyone LOVED them!! Will be making them again for sure. Something different than the traditional brown sugar and marshmellows.
This makes us so happy to hear it!
Can these be made ahead of time? A day before?
Yes, you can!
Made it at Thanksgiving. The other “candied yams” dish with marshmallows is the one that got eaten by most because that’s what they are used to. I didn’t care… that left more of this for me! Will make it again.
Yay for leftovers for you! It’s hard to stray from tradition at those big holiday meals.
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious!! Perfect for this time of year.
That’s great Millie! Good work!
Any idea if it would be a good idea to add brussel sprouts in with this dish? I’m trying to get in some greens while also not having to make another separate dish. Thoughts?
I don’t think that could hurt one bit. They may not get too crispy but they’ll be delicious!
Looks delicious, I love roasted sweet potatoes with apples, I’ll have to try it with the maple and pecans!
Yes you’ll have to try it and see what you think Tom!
L-O-V-E your blog!!! I have gotten many delicious recipes here and am going to give this one a whirl. Drooling just looking at the photos!!
Thank you Lara!
A big hit at Thanksgiving!
Can this recipe be made the day before and how would you reheat it?
Although oven roasted vegetables still taste great the next day, they tend to not be nearly as pretty. So, if you’re making it for Thanksgiving I’d try to make it the day of, if possible.
I usually make a sweet potato dish for Thanksgiving that is much more complicated and very sweet. Its great, but its a bit much with all the other food. I think I’ll give this dish a try this year, seems easier and lighter.
I made these a bit ago and they were awesome. I wanted to make them for Thanksgiving this year, but oven space is limited. Do you think this would work in the slow cooker?
Interesting idea! I have to admit, I’ve never tried to cook sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. I’ve done whole regular potatoes and it worked well. I think it probably would work, just make sure to coat the inside of the cooker with non-stick spray. That sugar will stick!
i made sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, and you just don’t get the chewy, carmelized yummy crispness of baked/roasted. they do cook but the texture is meh.
I made these last year for Thanksgiving and I am making them again this year! Soooo yummy :)
Anon – Yes, just go to the list of labels in the far right hand column, and click on the “Thanksgiving” label to see the rest of my Thanksgiving recipes :) The turkey and stuffing in the picture is the “Turkey & Stuffing Casserole” and it’s SO GOOD. I don’t think I ever posted the green beans, but I just cooked some bacon, then cooked onions in the bacon grease, and tossed steamed green beans in that.
Do you have the recipes posted for the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and green beans??? I would be really interested in trying those too! :)
Usually when I roast sweet potatoes I cut them into wedges. Looking forward to giving this cubed version a try. Looks great!
Ooops! Typo! I used cloves, but honestly, either would taste great! (fixing the typo now – thx for the heads up!)
Quick question!
The recipe list calls for cloves, but the recipe states nutmeg. Which one would work best?
This looks awesome. We’re making regular ol’ boring sweet potato casserole, but since we eat baked sweet potatoes once a week with dinner, this would be a nice switch up!
this looks so delicious! I just moved to the south from Idaho and discovered I really like sweet potatoes!