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–+ servings
close up of sweet potato casserole with browned marshmallows on top.
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5 from 3 votes

Old-Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes

The sweet potato side dish you know and love: cooked in sugar syrup and covered in toasted marshmallows. A classic holiday dish.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 481kcal
Author: Katie

Ingredients

  • 6 medium-sized sweet potatoes peeled and cut Into ½.inch slices
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the prepared sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
    mixing bowl with sliced sweet potatoes in candied glaze.
  • Make sugar syrup. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and salt to the melted butter. Stir until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
    saucepan with butter, sugar, and brown sugar melted into a syrup.
  • Toss potatoes in syrup. Pour the sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss together until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated in the sugar mixture.
    mixing bowl with sliced sweet potatoes in candied glaze.
  • Bake to soften potatoes. Transfer the coated sweet potatoes and any remaining sugar mixture on the bottom of the bowl into a baking dish or cast iron pan. Bake, covered with foil, for 50-60 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
  • Add marshmallows and bake briefly again. Remove the baking dish from the oven and evenly sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the sweet potatoes. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown and toasted.
    skillet of potato potatoes topped with marshmallows before and after baking.

Notes

The more shallow the baking dish, the quicker the potatoes will cook.
Be sure to check for tenderness.  If they are not very soft and fork-tender, bake a few minutes more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 618mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 24405IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg