Candied Yams with Pecans (Printable)

Tender glazed yams paired with toasted pecans, perfect for comforting side servings.

# What you need:

→ Yams

01 - 2 medium yams (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds

→ Glaze

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Topping

08 - 1/3 cup pecan halves
09 - 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil for toasting

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 1-quart baking dish.
02 - In a small skillet over medium heat, toast pecan halves with vegetable oil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Set aside.
03 - Arrange yam rounds evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until smooth and just beginning to bubble.
05 - Pour glaze evenly over yams, gently tossing to coat thoroughly.
06 - Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove foil, gently toss yams, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, or until yams are tender and glaze is thickened.
08 - Sprinkle toasted pecans over yams just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pecans stay genuinely crunchy instead of getting soggy, which is the detail that separates this from mediocre versions.
  • It takes less than an hour start to finish, so you can make it on a random Tuesday without treating it like an event.
  • The glaze gets thick and glossy without being cloyingly sweet because the maple syrup adds depth that brown sugar alone never could.
02 -
  • Toast your pecans separately before adding them; if you add them to the glaze too early, they'll absorb moisture and turn soft and chewy instead of staying that satisfying crunch that makes this dish special.
  • Don't skip the uncovered baking time, because that's when the glaze actually reduces and thickens instead of staying thin; if you bake it covered the whole time, you'll end up with something more like yams in soup than candied yams.
03 -
  • Cut your yams to roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly; uneven sizes mean some pieces are done while others are still hard.
  • Make sure your pecan halves are actually toasted right before serving because that's the difference between this tasting homemade and tasting like it came from a can.
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