Candied Yams Marshmallow Pecan (Printable)

Sweet potatoes glazed and baked with marshmallow and pecan crumble topping for holiday sides.

# What You'll Need:

→ Yams

01 - 4 large yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds

→ Glaze

02 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 1/4 cup maple syrup
05 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

10 - 2 cups mini marshmallows
11 - 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
12 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange sliced yams evenly in prepared dish.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, maple syrup, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour glaze evenly over yams and toss gently to coat. Cover tightly with foil.
03 - Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, gently stir yams, and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until tender.
04 - In a bowl, combine pecans, flour, brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a fork until crumbly texture forms.
05 - Sprinkle mini marshmallows evenly over the yams, then top with pecan crumble mixture.
06 - Return dish to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until marshmallows are golden and topping is crisp. Monitor carefully to prevent burning. Let cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Those marshmallows get impossibly gooey while the pecan crumble stays crunchy, creating this contrast that makes every bite interesting.
  • The spiced glaze keeps the yams from being cloyingly sweet, so even people who think they don't like sweet potato sides end up going back for more.
02 -
  • Those marshmallows go from perfectly golden to charred in about 30 seconds, so set a timer for the final bake and actually stay in the kitchen instead of wandering off.
  • If you assemble this the night before, the yams will release extra moisture and your topping won't be as crispy—bake it fresh or your crumble will turn soggy.
03 -
  • Cut your yams to a consistent thickness so they cook at the same rate—irregular slices mean some are mushy and others are still firm.
  • Don't skip the foil cover during the first bake; that's what steams the yams into tender submission instead of baking them dry.
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