A holiday ham or turkey needs a star side dish like a sweet potato recipe. This southern side dish recipe is easy to make. It is one of my favorite crock pot recipes.
Free up some oven space and make this sweet potato side dish recipe in the slow cooker.
Your favorite holiday side dish recipe can be made in the crock pot. Freeing up oven space for the main course and keeping your house cooler.
Candied Sweet Potatoes are one of our favorite side dish recipe when I am making a holiday ham or turkey.
For more crock pot side dish and vegetable recipes head over to my crock pot recipes page.
Homemade Candied Sweet Potatoes
Candied sweet potatoes are so much better when you make them from scratch.
The frozen boxed version of candied sweet potatoes can not compare to the flavor of fresh sweet potatoes cooked in a brown sugar glaze.
That also goes for using canned yams or sweet potatoes instead of fresh sweet potatoes.
When you use the canned sweet potatoes they are way too soft to begin with and turn out mushy and don't hold their shape like fresh sweet potatoes will.
The texture is never the same and the flavor of fresh sweet potatoes is so much better.
Peeling fresh Sweet Potatoes
The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the fresh sweet potatoes. It is a little time consuming, but a sharp paring knife will get the job done better.
I tried using a vegetable peeler, but it was awkward to hold the bigger sweet potatoes and use the peeler. It was much easier to use a paring knife than the vegetable peeler.
A sharp ceramic knife makes quick work of cutting the raw sweet potatoes into thick slices.
I cooked this recipe in my 6 qt crock pot slow cooker.
There was plenty of room left in the crock pot so if you need to double the candied sweet potatoes recipe to feed a large crowd you could easily double the recipe.
I like to serve most of my crock pot recipes right from the crock pot.
It makes my life so much easier but for the holidays setting a pretty table is more important.
Keep the sweet potatoes warm in the crock pot until its time to serve dinner.
Then carefully transfer the sweet potatoes to a casserole dish so you can serve them from the table.
Directions
Step 1: Make the brown sugar syrup: Place the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg into a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Once the syrup starts to boil cook for 3 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and set aside.
Step 2: Place half of the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes into the bottom of a 4-quart crock pot. Pour half of the brown sugar syrup over the sliced sweet potatoes.
Step 3: Layer the remaining sliced sweet potatoes in the crock pot. Pour remaining syrup over the sweet potato slices.
Step 4: Fold a triple layer of paper towels and place over the top of the crock pot pulling it taunt so it does not touch the ingredients.
Step 5: Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until fork tender.
Step 6: Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender uncover the crock pot and remove the damp paper towels and discard.
Step 7: Spread the mini marshmallows over the top of the cooked sweet potato slices. Replace the lid and turn the crock pot on the warm setting.
Step 8: Serve once marshmallows are melted. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the marshmallows if desired. Keep warm if not serving immediately.
Recipe FAQS
Candied yams and candied sweet potatoes are the same thing. Yams are a variety of sweet potato.
If the brown sugar syrup of your candied sweet potatoes is runny you can thicken it very easily. Mix 2 tablespoons of corn starch and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Pour the corn starch slurry into the brown sugar glaze and carefully stir. Try not to break up the pieces of sweet potatoes. Heat over medium high heat until thickened or return the dish to the oven and continue to cook until thickened.
Ingredient Tips & Substitutions
- sweet potatoes: Use fresh unbruised sweet potatoes.
- butter: salted butter can be used in place of the unsalted.
- brown sugar: dark brown sugar will result in a better color
- corn syrup: white corn syrup is usually used but of all you have on hand is dark corn syrup you can use it instead.
- spices: I like using fresh grated nutmeg. It has a stronger flavor than ground nutmeg powder. Use the same amount of ground nutmeg if that is all you have.
- marshmallow topping: mini marshmallows will melt faster. You can use large marshmallows that have been cut into pieces as a substitute.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Sweet Potatoes: Do not use canned sweet potatoes! Canned sweet potatoes will not work for this recipe because they are already cooked and soft. They will turn to mashed sweet potatoes.
- Cooking times: Cooking time will vary. It will depend on how full the crock pot is and how thick you have cut the fresh sweet potatoes.
Tool tips
- slow cooker: this recipe will fit in a 4 quart crock pot. It will cook faster in a 6 or 8 quart.
- peeling & cutting fresh sweet potatoes: use caution when peeling. A sharp knife works better than a vegetable peeler.
Need to make sweet potatoes side dish fast? You can try my 5 minute Instant Pot Candied Sweet Potatoes recipe if you have a pressure cooker.
More side dish recipes you'll love!
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Crock Pot Candied Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch thick slices)
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½-3/4 bag bag of mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Place the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg into a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Once the syrup starts to boil cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove pot from the heat and set aside.
- Place half the sliced sweet potatoes into the bottom of a 6 or 8 quart crock pot.
- Pour half the syrup over the sweet potatoes.
- Layer the remaining sliced sweet potato in the crock pot.
- Pour remaining syrup over the sweet potato slices.
- Fold a triple layer of paper towels and place over the top of the crock pot. Place lid on crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until fork tender.
- Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender uncover the crock pot and remove the damp paper towels and discard. Spread the mini marshmallows over the top of the sweet potato slices.
- Replace lid and turn the crock pot on warm. Serve once marshmallows are melted. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the marshmallows if desired.
- Keep warm if not serving immediately.
- Serve with your holiday meal.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- sweet potatoes: Use fresh unbruised sweet potatoes.
- butter: salted butter can be used in place of the unsalted.
- brown sugar: dark brown sugar will result in a better color
- corn syrup: white corn syrup is usually used but of all you have on hand is dark corn syrup you can use it instead.
- spices: I like using fresh grated nutmeg. It has a stronger flavor than ground nutmeg powder. Use the same amount of ground nutmeg if that is all you have.
- marshmallow topping: mini marshmallows will melt faster. You can use large marshmallows that have been cut into pieces as a substitute.
- Paper towels: This is a trick to keep the condensation from dripping into the slow cooker and thinning the syrup.
- Sweet Potatoes: Do not use canned sweet potatoes! Canned sweet potatoes will not work for this recipe because they are already cooked and soft. They will turn to mashed sweet potatoes.
- Cooking times: Cooking time will vary. It will depend on how full the crock pot is and how thick you have cut the fresh sweet potatoes.
Nutrition
If you like this Crock Pot Candied Sweet Potatoes recipe head over to my Crock Pot Recipe page where you will find 200+ Crock Pot Recipes.
Laura
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was a hit! Everyone loved them and they were even better today as leftovers. I doubled the recipe and cooked on high 4 hours and they were perfect. My peeler worked fine on them, too. I did stir them 3-4 times to rotate the top and bottom layers so all would have cooking time immersed in the sauce. Thanks for this recipe -- I will make these again for sure!!
Valorie
These were the best yams ever. I made 3 lbs. in the crockpot just as the recipe was written and there was not one bite left over after dinner. They were a total hit. With all the sugar they are diabetes waiting to happen, but once a year I think I can take the chance and I will definitely make these again. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Patricia B
What a treasure of a find! This is my go to for now on. EVERY holiday and occasional Family Sunday Dinners. Thank you for sharing. I made only two change. I started these early in morning and cooked on low. Was perfect doneness by time 6 o'clock rolled around. And then sunce my crock is able to go under a broiler I browned my marshmallows and then put them back in the heating element of my crock pot to stay warm. I would like to say that people wanted to take left overs home but.....there weren't any. And it was a double batch! Again thank you for sharing.
Arlene Mobley
Patricia thank you so much for making my day. I know this is an awesome recipe because I have made it myself so many times but it is a joy when a reader makes it and enjoys it as much as I do. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Peggy
If I double the recipe how long do I keep them in the crockpot on high?
Arlene Mobley
Peggy the cooking time really depends on how big your slow cooker is. If the slow cooker is filled to the brim it is going to take at lot longer to heat up and cook. If it is a larger slow cooker and there is plenty of room left after all the ingredients are added it will cook faster. I would say at least 4-5 hours on high. If you boil the sweet potatoes until they are just fork tender before you add them to the slow cooker it will cut back on the cooking time. Just don't pre-cook the sweet potatoes too long or they will turn to mush in the crock pot.
Peggy
I doubled the recipe using a 6 qt slow cooker, cooked on high for 4 hours, then reduced the heat to warm. Any longer and they would have started to break in half when stirred. Even with doubling the recipe there was still plenty of room in my slow cooker that they could be stirred easily and cooked evenly. I was able to use a potato peeler without any issues. I also added a couple of teaspoons of (real) vanilla extract into the sauce. It was wonderful to be able to prepare them the day before, refrigerate right in the crock pot then just set it up and turn it on in the morning. It saved valuable oven space.
They were a big hit. Of all the food I made, I got the most compliments on them and everyone requested them on their take home plate. Thanks for the recipe.
Arlene Mobley
Peggy
I'm so glad to hear the recipe was a huge success! Thanks!
kiki mutungi
hi, i was wondering if i can omit the marshmallows from the recipe?
Arlene Mobley
Yes you can.
Kiera
perfect recipe and so easy! Made it for big group for t-giving and making again for a big crowd today! Bonus for (majority of the) cooking in crock pot - its too hot in south florida to have the oven on all day! Thank you!
Arlene Mobley
Kiera
Merry Christmas! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. I know what you mean. I am in Florida also. It has been way too hot for it to be Christmas.
Brittanny
Is the syrup mixture suppose to cover the sweet potatoes? Like if it was a soup or something? Does that make sense?
Arlene Mobley
Brittany
Sorry but I didn't see your comment yesterday. The syrup doesn't cover the sweet potatoes completely when you first put the ingredients in the crock pot. As it cooks the sweet potatoes shrink a bit and will be covered once they are done cooking.
Brittanny
I was worried the whole time they were cooking but it turned out amazing. Total hit and I'm pretty sure I will be making this every thanksgiving. Thank you.
Arlene Mobley
Brittany I'm so happy to hear the recipe was a success! You're welcome!
Miranda
Light or dark brown sugar?
Arlene Mobley
Miranda I used light corn syrup but dark would work also.
Russ
Can you make this a day ahead?
Arlene Mobley
Russ
Yes this could be made the day ahead and heated up.
Michelle
Can you use more butter and omit the corn syrup?
Arlene Mobley
Hi Michelle
No, I'm sorry you can't omit the corn syrup and replace with butter. The corn syrup is what makes the sauce thick and cling to the sweet potato pieces. You could use granulated sugar to make a heavy simple syrup and use that in place of the corn syrup. I've never tried this with this recipe but I've made a simple syrup with 1 cup water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Cook on medium until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Allow the syrup to boil until it thickens like corn syrup. Remove from heat and cool. Keep in mind that once the heavy syrup cools it will get thicker. Let me know how it turns out if you try it. I'll be making this recipe myself on Thanksgiving. If I have time I'll try it myself. Happy holidays!
Chris
Do you think real maple syrup would work as a substitute for the corn syrup?
Arlene Mobley
Chris
I'm sure maple syrup would taste amazing. I would test the recipe first if you are planning to serve this for guests. You could half the recipe. The corn syrup helps with the sauce slightly thickening. I'm not sure the maple syrup would thicken the same way. But if you don't mind a thinner sauce I say go for it.
Emily
Soonds/looks delicious! Can this recipe be doubled easily? Cooking for a group of about 15 this Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Emily
Yes it can be doubled. You'll need a bigger crock pot and a couple more hours for cooking. Enjoy and have a great holiday!
Cate
What purpose does the paper towel serve?
Arlene Mobley
It absorbs the condensation that forms on the lid. It prevents the sauce from getting thinned out from the extra water.
Melissa
What does the paper towels do? Do you leave them in the crockpot while cooking the sweet potatoes?
Arlene Mobley
Hi Melissa
I lay the paper towels over the top and trap them with the lid. They absorbed the condensation that forms on the inside of the lid while cooking. This way it doesn't fall into the crock pot and make it watery.
Sharyl Connor
Can this candied sweet potatoes recipe be made on stove top? Thank You.
Arlene Mobley
Sharyl
Yes it can. You would cook the syrup ingredients on the stove and pour over the cooked sweet potatoes that have been placed in a baking dish. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Top with marshmallows 2 minutes before removing from the oven.
Erlene
We don't usually make candied sweet potatoes, but this looks really good and may have to give it a try.
Madge Hribar
maybe i'm missing it in the instructions...cook on high or low? making these today - so i'll start on high and keep on eye on the potatoes...thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Madge
So sorry the cooking temp is high.
Jaci Kulish
This recipe looks great! I wanted to make a candied sweet potato casserole using fresh sweet potatoes but it takes a while to candy them! This is perfect, I won't have to stand over my stove on an already busy day!
Arlene Mobley
Jaci
So glad you found my recipe. Thanks for stopping by. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Jessica
Are you supposed to put the marshmallows in with everything in step 1?
Arlene Mobley
Jessica
No the marshmallows go on the top at the end of the cooking time.
Amanda
I made this mistake last year— step 1 says all ingredients except sweet potatoes— you might want to correct that step— mine were like a soup bc there was soooooo much liquid, but they still tasted great!
Arlene Mobley
Amanda not sure what you mean when you say I should correct the step. You should be cooking the syrup in a pot on the stove without the sweet potatoes so the sauce thickens up. You then place the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker and pour the thickened sauce over them. The sweet potatoes cook in the sauce in the slow cooker. Sorry if you didn't understand the directions.
Violet
Should the crockpot be on high or low?!
Arlene Mobley
Violet
High temp for the cooking time. Then reduce the heat to warm or low, depending on your crock pot and add the marshmallows on top. Serve once the marshmallows have melted.
Trisha @ Home Sweet Homemade
Looks yummy! I love dishes that free up oven space! Pinned! Visiting via Whats Cookin Wednesdays blog hop!
Arlene Mobley
Have a Happy Thanksgiving Trisha and thank you for stopping by!
Liz
Can this be made and put in the fridge besides the marshmallows?
Arlene Mobley
Liz yes you can make this ahead of time then add the marshmallows once it has heated up enough to melt them.