Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe
by Sommer Collier — on Nov 11, 2026 
My candied sweet potatoes are just sweet enough to balance the savory dishes on my holiday plate without tasting like dessert. I keep this side dish simple by roasting the potatoes in a butter and brown sugar glaze with cinnamon, ginger, salt, and a dash of black pepper. The potatoes soak up all that buttery, spiced glaze as they roast and come out silky and fork-tender.
You’ll usually see at least one potato-centric recipe on my regular weekly meal plan, and find 2-3 different potato dishes on the table during holidays. Especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’ll have some sort of mashed potato and gravy dish, plus something on the sweeter side… My classic sweet potato casserole, loaded with chopped pecans and covered with ooey-gooey marshmallows, is always a hit. But sometimes I don’t want something quite that sweet, which is where this fantastic candied sweet potatoes recipe comes in! Instead of mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, here I bake slices of potato with a buttery brown sugar glaze made with plenty of cinnamon and ground ginger to hit the holiday notes, plus a bit of salt and black pepper to cut the sweetness. It’s just as kid-friendly and versatile, but also appeals to a crowd with slightly more sophisticated tastes.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Sweet, But Not too Sweet – Sweet potatoes are of course sweet by nature, at least compared to other potatoes like russets and yukon gold. But as I mentioned, only adding a little brown sugar versus using brown sugar and marshmallows is decidedly less sweet. I also add a generous pinch of salt and smidge of black pepper to balance the glaze.
Fabulous Side Dish – Glazed sweet potatoes are especially popular during the holidays, and are great to serve in place of, or in addition to, other potato dishes. It’s perfect if you want a dish that isn’t too sweet and is also not quite as savory and heavy as, say, my cheesy scalloped sweet potatoes.
Easy to Make – There is also less prep here compared to many other Thanksgiving and Christmas potato recipes. I simply slice the sweet potatoes into rounds… so no tedious chopping, make a quick microwave glaze, assemble and bake in the oven. There’s no need to boil the potatoes first, and the dish can even be assembled the day before for less day-of work!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Sweet potatoes – I use potatoes that are not very thick, so I can easily peel and slice them into even-sized rounds. If your sweet potatoes are on the larger side you can cut the pieces into half moons so they all lay flat in the dish. (Note: You can use yams, which are a more starchy tuber with lighter flesh and only a lightly sweet, more earthy taste. They cook about the same, but keep in mind that nope, these two are not actually related!)
- Brown sugar – Light brown sugar is best to add sweetness without being too heavy. You can use dark brown sugar if you like, but the glaze will have a much deeper sweet flavor similar to molasses. (Which makes sense because that’s how the sweeten the granulated white sugar.)
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my recipes. That way I have total control over how much salt goes into the dish
- Seasonings – I use a combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, some kosher salt, and fresh-cracked black pepper… The pepper is optional to make this candied sweet potato recipe, but highly recommended to balance the sweeter flavors of the potato and glaze!
- Cornstarch – I use this gluten-free ingredient to thicken the glaze without making it super heavy.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep and Make the Sauce – I start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees and get out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, cutting board, veggie peeler, and sharp knife. I grease the dish with butter, making sure to get the sides and corners well-coated. Then scrub, peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds.
Next, I make the glaze by adding the brown sugar, butter, water, spices, and cornstarch to a large glass measuring pitcher or glass mixing bowl. I microwave it for 2-3 minutes on high, until the butter has melted and the sauce is foamy. Then I whisk the mixture to make sure the sugar has totally dissolved.
To note, you can make the candied sweet potatoes glaze in a pot on the stovetop, if you prefer!
Arrange and Glaze – I add the potato pieces to the greased baking dish and spread them out in an even layer. It’s ok if they overlap a bit and you need to arranged them in 2 layers, but they shouldn’t be stacked any higher or too tightly compacted. Once they’re arranged, I pour the glaze mixture on top of the sweet potatoes, trying to get each slice thoroughly coated.
Bake, Toss, Bake, Toss – Now I cover the pan tightly with a layer of aluminum foil, and pop it into the oven to bake for 35 minutes. This steams the sweet potatoes and gets them silky soft without having to boil them first.
When the time’s up, I remove the foil and use a large spatula to carefully flip over each piece of potato. I want both front and back to get coated in the glaze, and if there are any slices on top of one another they can be rotated to cook evenly.
Next, I turn the heat up a few notches to 450 degrees and continue to bake, without the foil, for another 15-20 minutes. I know the potatoes are done when I can see the glaze has thickened a bit and it’s easy to pierce through a slice of sweet potato with a fork. Finally, I give them one final flip to get the sauce coated on all sides.
Serving Suggestions
The ground cinnamon and ginger make these candied sweet potatoes fit right in at fall and winter dinners! I suggest serving them at Thanksgiving and Christmas instead of, or at least next to, other sweet potato casserole or veggie dishes. I’m usually serving up at least one of these main proteins at the holidays…
- Crock Pot Whole Turkey or Crock Pot Turkey Breast
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Deep Fried Turkey
- Spiral Ham or Brown Sugar Ham
- Smoked Prime Rib
Can’t get enough sweet potato? Hey, I don’t blame you. Consider also featuring this favorite root vegetable in desserts, too! My Southern sweet potato pie and sweet potato pound cake are other great recipes to make for any occasion.
Storage Notes
Let the sweet potatoes cool before transferring to an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator. They’ll keep well for up to 5 days, but I try to eat them within a couple of days as the roasted potatoes will continue to soften in the fridge.
The best way to reheat leftovers is in the oven, where the glaze can thicken up again without making the potatoes soggy. Bake them at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes, until the thickest piece is warmed all the way through. You can also microwave the candied sweet potatoes in short 10-15 second bursts at 50% power. Just keep in mind this method will cause the potatoes to soften and potentially loosen the glaze into more of a sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
The glaze will continue to thicken slightly as it cools, but it will still be fluid and more like a light sauce. If the potatoes seem watery it’s possible they weren’t cooked long enough and/or at a high enough temperature. Be sure to check the accuracy of your oven temperature often!
Yes, you can prep the candied sweet potatoes recipe up to 24 hours before baking. I recommend using a disposable pan or other baking dish that allows you to go straight from the fridge to the oven. Once you assemble the potatoes and pour on the glaze, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the fridge. Then bake per the recipe instructions, adding a few more minutes to the cook time when you take the cover off and bake at 450 degrees.
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More Holiday Recipes
Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl (or large glass measuring pitcher) add the brown sugar, stick of butter, water, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cornstarch, and black pepper. Microwave for about 2-3 minutes, until bubbly, to fully melt the butter and help dissolve the sugar. Whisk again until well combined.
- Arrange the peeled sweet potato rounds in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour the glaze evenly over the sweet potatoes. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil and gently flip the sweet potato slices to coat them in the glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F and continue baking, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very tender and the glaze has thickened into a rich syrup.
- Gently toss the sweet potatoes once more before serving, so every slice is coated with the glaze. Serve warm.
