Thanksgiving Candied Sweet Potatoes are sweet and earthy. A delicious side dish with your holiday feast!
I mean, I’m pretty sure that no one except a Southern girl would have a recipe that starts out ‘boil potatoes in sugar water..’! Southerners do like sugar. For instance, we love tea, but tea is sweet and served over ice.
It’s a tradition with a lot of people to have sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You know the one with the marshmallows on top? My sister-in-law was assigned to bring the sweet potato casserole to Thanksgiving one year. She didn’t have marshmallows so she topped it with chocolate chips! (what?!) It wasn’t a hit!
My family, on the other hand, always had Thanksgiving Candied Sweet Potatoes instead of a casserole. Have you ever heard of Thanksgiving Candied Sweet Potatoes ? We always have this during the holidays
Basically, you slice yummy sweet potatoes thinly and boil them in a simple syrup. It sounds like a dessert, but my family eats them with our meal.
When your choosing sweet potatoes for this recipes, look for medium to small ones about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and 4 or 5 inches long. I’ve found this size overall tends to be more tender; I think you’ll agree with me. Most stores in my area have sweet potatoes in stock right now. I hope you can find them because I really want you to try this recipe.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
- Crock Pot Crack Hash Brown Potatoes
- 3 Ingredient Hash Brown Potatoes
- Hashbrown Potato Casserole No Cream Soup
- Hasselback Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Irish Pub-style Potato Nachos
- Stewed Potatoes
- Parmesan Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Cakes
Thanksgiving Candied Sweet Potatoes
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
Instructions
- Slice potatoes evenly about 1/4 inch thick. Try to get them all the same thickness so they'll cook at the same rate.
- Add sugar and water to a medium sized sauce pan.
- Heat on medium high until sugar is dissolved.
- Add sliced sweet potatoes and salt to water.
- Cook on stove top at a simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft and water has thickened. Your water should be thick like a maple or corn syrup.
- Add butter and stir until butter melts.
Notes
Nutrition
Ruth Cataldo says
These look so simple and so good! I am doing a Thanksgiving Round-Up Series next week on my blog and I would love to share this recipe. Please email me if you are happy for me to include this recipe (and any other Thanksgiving delights you may have to share!) Ruth x
Paula says
I’d love for you to share it.
Andi says
These are beautiful, Paula. I love sweet potatoes, so I know I would love this recipe! Thanks for sharing it with us at Saturday Night Fever 🙂
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
Your candied sweet potatoes look delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe at The Pin Junkie. It was featured in the fall recipe roundup. http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2013/11/fall-recipes-roundup.html. Be sure to stop by to grab an “I was featured” button and stop by Thursday evening to share your best fall crafts!
Diane Balch says
I love hearing about family traditions for the holidays. Being Italian we had both the traditional turkey dinner and a lasagna… isn’t that crazy? Thanks for sharing your sweet potatoes with us on Foodie Friday.
Paula says
You know, I’m thinking about making lasagna for Christmas because my mom loves it but won’t make it for just her and Dad.
Samantha @ Five Heart Home says
These sound just delicious, Paula! We always do a sweet potato casserole, but I love the simplicity of these candied sweet potatoes. Pinning this to my Thanksgiving board…thanks for sharing! 🙂
Paula says
Thanks for visiting and sharing. It’s our family’s favorite, I hope you enjoy.
Dina says
you know, we got into the habit of a sweet potato casserole but I also love candied sweet potatoes!
Deb@CookingOnTheFrontBurner says
I love how easy these are and sweet potatoes are one of my favs – pinned! Great looking photos too!
Paula says
Thank you, Deb!
Debbie Caraballo says
We’ve done the Sweet Potato Casserole thing for many years now. (We’re from Texas). This casserole, and sweet potato pie, are the only way I’ll eat sweet potatoes. Of course, the casserole is a lot like pie, except it has a streusel type topping, and no crust!
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Deb
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
haha… what? Chocolate Chips instead of marshmallows… too funny! 🙂 This recipe sounds delicious, love sweet potatoes. YUM!
Paula says
Exactly!! lol, how do you get from marshmallows to chocolate?
Sandy Spence says
I really like your recipe for sweet potatoes, mine is a little different, but always willing to try something new. I make a sauce to go over the cooked potatoes. Orange juice, brown sugar and pecan pieces. It has become my sons favorite. Don’t have the exact measurements as I just add a little of this and that.
Paula says
I had to measure and make this twice, because I wasn’t sure of exact measurements 🙂 Your recipe sounds great, I trying it next time I make them! Thanks
Joan - My Cookie Clinic says
Paula, My mother always had candied sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas and I’ve carried on the tradition. I love them. In our recipe we boil the potatoes first, then slice and add dark corn syrup. I’ll have to try your method which is how I make candied carrots. Thanks for sharing and have a good week.
Paula says
Oh, I love candied carrots too! My dad always liked the potatoes sliced thin, so I guess that’s why we just boiled them in that mixture, they really don’t take long as thinly as he likes them sliced.
Cranberry Morning says
I love sweet potatoes. they’re a staple around here. And those look delicious!
Paula says
Thank you!
Carrie @ Frugal Foodie Mama says
This is so neat, Paula! I had honestly never heard of doing sweet potatoes like this before. I am just slightly north of the Mason-Dixon Line here & we like our sweet tea- I always have a pitcher in my fridge. But I have never seen someone make sweet potatoes like that for Thanksgiving!
I would love to try it, but I am slightly afraid of having a full-on protest from my family who LOVES the marshmallow topped casserole. 😉
Pinned & sharing!
Cindy Eikenberg says
I’m still laughing over the chocolate chips! 🙂 We love candied sweet potatoes and that’s the way we have always had them, too. These look delicious!!! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a happy Wednesday!
Paula says
Thank you, Cindy!
Danni@SiloHillFarm says
Looks lovely Paula! I’m a sweet potato fan here!
Paula says
Me too!!
Linda @ With A Blast says
I make something similar, but your recipe looks much easier ! Pinned 😉
Paula says
Thanks for sharing, Linda!