Description
Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes are a classic comfort dish featuring tender sweet potato slices coated in a rich, buttery cinnamon and nutmeg spiced glaze. Slow-cooked in a skillet until perfectly candied with a deep caramelized sauce, this recipe offers a sweet and warmly spiced side that complements any southern-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Spice and Sugar Mix
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Mix the sugar and spices: In a small bowl, combine 2 cups of white sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, stirring until evenly mixed to create the spice-sugar blend.
- Melt butter and coat potatoes: Place 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat and allow it to fully melt. Add the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes to the skillet, stirring well to coat each piece evenly with melted butter.
- Add sugar mixture to sweet potatoes: Sprinkle the prepared sugar and spice mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes in the skillet. Stir gently to ensure the potatoes are well coated with the sugary spices.
- Cover and reduce heat: Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to low to allow gentle cooking and caramelization without burning the sugar.
- Cook until candied: Let the sweet potatoes cook for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce will darken into a rich caramel color, and the potatoes should become tender with slightly firm edges where they caramelize.
- Add vanilla and serve: Stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract for added flavor just before serving. Serve warm as a delicious, sweet side dish.
Notes
- Use firm sweet potatoes for best texture.
- Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent burning.
- The cooking time is long to allow proper caramelization; do not rush the process by increasing heat.
- This dish can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Adjust spices to taste for more or less cinnamon and nutmeg.
