Candied Yams Toasted Pecans (Printable version)

Yams baked in a buttery brown sugar glaze topped with crunchy toasted pecans for a delicious side.

# 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a small 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 mixture just begins to bubble.
05 - Pour glaze evenly over yams, gently tossing to coat all rounds.
06 - Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove foil, gently toss yams, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until yams are tender and glaze thickens.
08 - Sprinkle toasted pecans over yams immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze gets thick and clingy in the oven, clinging to every yam slice instead of pooling at the bottom like a failed promise.
  • Toasted pecans add a crack and snap that keeps things interesting against the soft, almost creamy yam flesh.
  • It's truly small-batch cooking, which means you can make it on a random Tuesday without thinking you're preparing for an army.
02 -
  • If you skip toasting the pecans separately, they'll either stay pale and bland or scorch while the yams cook—give them five minutes on the stovetop first, and they transform completely.
  • The glaze thickens as it cools, so if it looks a bit loose when you pull the dish from the oven, wait five minutes before serving and you'll have exactly the consistency you wanted.
03 -
  • Slice your yams with a sharp knife and reasonably consistent thickness so they finish cooking at the same time—uneven slices mean some pieces are tender while others are still firm.
  • Don't skip toasting the pecans separately; it's the difference between a background texture and something that genuinely excels and catches people's attention.
Return