Candied Yams Pecan Crumble (Printable version)

Sweet potatoes baked in spiced glaze with marshmallows and pecan crumble topping.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and arrange sliced yams evenly in the 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 aluminum foil.
03 - Bake for 30 minutes covered. 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 the pecan crumble mixture.
06 - Return dish to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until marshmallows are golden and topping is crisp. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Let cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze is buttery and deep, with just enough spice to keep things interesting without overwhelming the natural sweetness of the yams.
  • That marshmallow-pecan topping gets crispy on the edges and gooey in the middle, which honestly makes people pause mid-conversation to compliment your cooking.
  • It comes together in under two hours and tastes like you spent all day fussing over it.
02 -
  • Keep your eyes on that final bake like it's your job—marshmallows go from perfect to charred in the time it takes to step away and check your phone.
  • Don't skip the cream in the glaze; it's the secret that keeps everything silky instead of grainy, a lesson I learned the hard way when I tried to make it once with just butter and sugar.
03 -
  • Don't be shy with that brown sugar in the measuring cup—pack it down so you actually get a cup of it, because loose brown sugar is half the dish you think you're making.
  • Taste the glaze before pouring it over the yams; if it needs more spice, add it now instead of wishing you had later.
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