Description
Deliciously sweet and warmly spiced candied sweet potatoes, baked to perfection with a rich buttery maple syrup glaze infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. This comforting side dish is perfect for holiday meals or any cozy dinner, offering tender sweet potatoes coated in a luscious, caramelized sauce with optional fresh rosemary and sea salt for a gourmet touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 5–6 medium sweet potatoes (3–4 lbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sauce
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest
- optional for garnish: chopped fresh or dried rosemary, flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat evenly. Use nonstick spray or butter to grease the baking dish.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (191°C) to preheat while you prepare the sauce and potatoes.
- Make the Sauce: Cut the stick of butter in half to help with melting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir continuously until the butter has fully melted. Once melted, stop stirring and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Allow it to boil for exactly 2 minutes without stirring, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and orange zest if using.
- Coat the Potatoes: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat the slices in the sauce.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Every 20 minutes, remove the dish and stir the sweet potatoes to ensure even cooking and coating. After the first 20 minutes, cover the dish with aluminum foil to allow even baking without drying out.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the dish from the oven and, if desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh or dried rosemary and flaky sea salt for extra flavor. Let the candied sweet potatoes cool uncovered for 10 minutes before serving, allowing the sauce to thicken to a luscious glaze.
- Storage: Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The sauce will thicken after refrigeration but can be thinned by warming leftovers gently in the microwave.
Notes
- Use nonstick spray or butter to grease your baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Covering the dish with foil after 20 minutes ensures even baking and prevents drying.
- Stirring every 20 minutes helps to coat the sweet potatoes evenly and avoid burning.
- The sauce thickens as it cools, giving the dish a nice glaze.
- Optional additions like orange zest add a citrus brightness, and rosemary with flaky sea salt enhances flavor complexity.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave; the sauce will loosen upon warming.
- For a deeper flavor, light or dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 29g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
