Bourbon Candied Yams (2024)

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By Rosie Published: November 12, 2016 Updated: October 22, 2023
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By now, you allknow how much I love candied yams. So far I’ve shared a best ever yams recipe with marshmallows, and a southern baked yams recipe. This year I’m sharing my recipe for Bourbon Candied yams. However, unlike like previous yam recipes, I will be making these completely on the stovetop.

This recipe is very similar to my previous candied yams recipe, however I use bourbon whiskey, and corn syrup. The bourbon adds flavor, however if you aren’t down with it- you can leave it out.

These yams only take about 45- 50 minutes to make. You can make them a day before your holiday gathering, and simply warm them up over medium heat.This recipe can easily be double , tripled, and etc. Just make sure that you have a big enough pot or pan for all your ingredients!

Stove Top Bourbon Candied Yams

These tender, buttery candied yams with bourbon are cooked to perfection on the stovetop. A heavenly dish for your next holiday gathering!

Watch Video Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Side Dish

Cuisine holiday

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Ingredients

4 medium sized yams peeled & chopped
8 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 ounce bourbon whiskey
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients into a medium sized pot.
Turn the heat on medium, and cook for 30 minutes.
Be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so, to make sure that it doesn't burn.
Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
Turn the heat off completely, and let cool.
Serve & enjoy!

Video

Last Step! If you loved this recipe, leave me a review below. This helps futurerecipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!

Recipe by: I Heart Recipes

MEET THE RECIPE AUTHOR

Rosie

I’m a Soul Food blogger living in the Pacific Northwest, bringing Southern cooking to gorgeous Seattle, Washington. I was born and raised in the PNW, but my family roots go all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where my grandparents were born and raised. I live every day to bring the traditional values, recipes, and love of food to life for my family—whether they’re online or in real life. So, welcome to the party, family!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Lady T says
December 12, 2016 at 9:56 am

These were SOOOOO delicious; my kids devoured them. Next time I will be sure to have the bourbon and corn syrup; I just didn’t have these ingredients and didn’t run out to get them – but they were absolutely amazing without. So much flavor – they didn’t last in the pot a whole half hour.
Reply
- Rosie says
  December 12, 2016 at 10:13 am
  So glad that you all liked the recipe! XOXO
  Reply
  - Venessa Walker says
    August 15, 2017 at 5:17 pm
    Im going to make them tomorrow, i have Bourbon Vanilla Extract. Cant wait. Thank you.
    Reply
    - Rosie says
      August 15, 2017 at 8:07 pm
      Enjoy!
      Reply
TrustinHim says
May 6, 2017 at 4:28 pm

This was really good, even without the bourban but i will be sure to use all the ingredients next time for the full experience. Im not sure how or why but this recipe seemed alot easier than your baked yams recipe….?? Anywho…great job again! My husband loved them
Reply
Latanya says
August 7, 2017 at 4:08 pm

Omg i love ur recipes….. thank u for sharing
Reply
- Rosie says
  See Also
  Black Folks Soul Food Candied Yams On The Stove
  August 7, 2017 at 9:00 pm
  Thanks Latanya 🙂
  Reply
Sue Kappa Kotcch says
November 19, 2017 at 5:37 pm
I love your recipes. I love the cabbage ones. I never really knew how to season cabbage. I tried everrything, but now I have your recipes and can’t wait to try them.
Reply
- Rosie says
  November 20, 2017 at 8:01 am
  Thanks Sue!
  Reply
Toyrens says
November 22, 2017 at 11:07 pm
I tried the Mac& cheese with no Velveeta and the yams today they are GREAT! thanks so much
Reply
Donna says
December 20, 2017 at 12:19 pm

This recipe looks sooooo yummy!! What do you suggest I sub for the corn syrup? I don’t use it often enough to buy a bottle for just this. Maybe maple syrup?
Reply
- Rosie says
  December 20, 2017 at 4:19 pm
  Sure, you can use maple syrup 🙂
  Reply
Beverly says
December 24, 2017 at 3:23 pm

This recipe was so wonderful we made a double batch. Thank you so much for sharing.
Reply
Mindy says
March 31, 2018 at 3:10 pm
I’m trying this for Easter. Can it be done in the crockpot? It sounds delish!
Thank you!
Reply
- Rosie says
  March 31, 2018 at 8:08 pm
  Yes, it can be made it the CrockPot.
  Reply
Audrey Nichols says
November 21, 2018 at 5:57 pm

This was so delicious we even made a TRIPLE batch! Get on our level Bevs
Reply
Audrey Nichols says
November 21, 2018 at 5:57 pm

This was so delicious we even made a TRIPLE batch! Get on our level Bevs
Reply
Lynne says
November 21, 2018 at 8:15 pm
I’ve been looking for a recipe like what my mom used to make and these sound similar to how she used to make them. Can I use the bourbon in the slow cooker recipe and cut down the water ? Thanks
Reply
- Rosie says
  November 21, 2018 at 8:24 pm
  sure
  Reply
Joyce says
November 22, 2018 at 4:48 pm

I made this recipe, except I too didn’t have the burbon or kayo syrup very good, everyone loved it. Thank you!
Reply
luana says
August 31, 2019 at 9:10 pm
I make something similar but use Spicy Rum.
Reply
Kellee Burk says
October 24, 2019 at 7:53 pm
This is what I was looking for. My grandmother use to make yams that taste like this, and I could never find a recipe that was close. Thank you a million times. This was great!
Reply
Danielle Guidry says
November 17, 2021 at 2:59 pm

Omg I love your recipes they are so good I’m definitely making this for Thanksgiving
Reply
Margie says
November 21, 2021 at 7:39 pm

Can I use canned yams for this recipe?
Reply
Tyra Williams says
November 14, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Can I used canned yams and if so how much? Could this also be baked?
Reply
- Rosie says
  November 15, 2022 at 8:26 am
  I definitely wouldn’t recommend using canned yams.
  Reply
Nicole says
November 21, 2023 at 10:26 pm
Hi would you be able to tell me how many pounds of yams per recipe is ideal?
I made it last year and it was great but seems like my yams were a bit big lol.
Reply
- Rosie says
  November 22, 2023 at 9:10 am
  Hi there try 2 & 1/2 pounds.
  Reply

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FAQs

What is the difference between candied yams and candied sweet potatoes? ›

Yams and sweet potatoes differ in flavor and appearance, and they are not related. Sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family, while yams belong to the lily family. Yams aren't as sweet as sweet potatoes, and they are starchier and drier. Their texture and flavor are more similar to potatoes or yuca.

View Details ›

Why are my candied yams runny? ›

The prep time is a mere 15 minutes (if that much) and the baking time is 25 minutes. That all adds up to about 40 minutes from start to finish. Drain the syrup: This is a key move so your candied yams don't turn out runny due to too much liquid in the baking dish. Place the drained yams into a medium baking dish.

Learn More ›

Should you peel yams before cooking? ›

You can peel them or leave the skins on. Use a sharp, thin-blade knife to cut the yams into ¼- to ½-inch-thick strips. Our Test Kitchen Pros recommend cutting each fry to an even thickness as best you can.

View Details ›

Which is healthier, yam or sweet potato? ›

Although both veggies are very close in fiber, protein, vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are the healthier option because they are lower in overall calories, lower in carbohydrates, and higher in beta carotene (vitamin A).

Discover More Details ›

Can you bake yams the same as sweet potatoes? ›

The folks at Cooks Illustrated write in their ever-so-modestly titled tome The Best Vegetable Recipes that the best way to make baked yams and sweet potatoes is to lightly coat them in vegetable oil, pierce 'em multiple times with a knife, and stick them in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

Read On ›

Why do people put marshmallows on candied yams? ›

Despite what your grandmother says, this cloying side dish didn't originate as a family recipe. It was concocted by Big Marshmallow as a way to push the candy on Americans. Though the tubers are high in sugar to begin with, there's historical precedent for treating sweet potatoes like dessert.

How long to soak yams before baking? ›

3. Do I need to soak sweet potatoes before baking? Many readers ask if they really need to soak the sweet potatoes before baking to get that great crunch. I've tried it both ways and found that soaking the sweet potato fries for about 30 minutes or so in plenty of cold water does help them crisp up a bit more.

Know More ›

Is eating 2 sweet potatoes too much? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Get More Info Here ›

How much is 4 cups of cubed sweet potatoes? ›

Depending on the size of your spuds, you'll need four to six sweet potatoes to get four cups. You'll need one sweet onion (such as Vidalia) cut into wedges to roast along with your sweet potatoes.

How many sweet potatoes for a family of 4? ›

Use 1 medium sweet potato per person.

Explore More ›

Is there a flavor difference between yams and sweet potatoes? ›

Sweet potatoes tend to have a more tapered shape and may be firm or soft with thinner skin. Generally, sweet potatoes taste sweeter than yams. You will more readily encounter sweet potatoes during your regular grocery run, but if you spot a yam, which may be labeled "sweet potato," you'll know the truth.

Why do Southerners call sweet potatoes yams? ›

The word yam is derived from nyam, nyami, or nyambi, verbs of various African dialects meaning either “to taste” or “to eat.” The prevailing theory is that enslaved Africans applied these terms over time to the sweet potatoes available in the Americas, which took the place in their diet of the staple root vegetable ...

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What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yam pies? ›

From a culinary perspective, the biggest difference between sweet potatoes and yams becomes more apparent when they are cooked. Yams are starchy and dry, but sweet potatoes are fluffier and the right consistency for this rich autumn tart.

Read The Full Story ›

Are there two types of sweet potatoes? ›

There are five main types of sweet potato that are commonly consumed today—Garnet, Hannah, Japanese, Jewel, and Purple Stoke.

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