Tender sweet potato chunks are baked up in sweet and sticky brown sugar sauce to make these decadent vegan candied yams. The perfect side for a holiday feast!
- 2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1-inch)
- ⅔ cup organic brown sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup whiskey, optional
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cold water (if needed, see step 9)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (if needed, see step 9)
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Spread the sweet potatoes evenly into a 2-quart casserole dish or 9-inch deep dish pie plate.
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Place the brown sugar, orange juice, whiskey, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt into a small pot and place it over medium heat.
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Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and it comes to a simmer.
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Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, until all of the alcohol has cooked off (if using whiskey), and the mixture is very glossy.
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Remove the pot from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
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Pour the brown sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes. Stir gently a few times.
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Place the dish into the oven. Stir the sweet potatoes every 10 minutes or so while baking.
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Check the sweet potatoes after about 30 minutes. If the sauce is still very runny, stir 3 tablespoons of cold water and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch together in a small cup, then stir the mixture into the sweet potatoes. Return them to the oven to finish baking.
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Bake the sweet potatoes for a total of 40 to 45 minutes, until they're very tender and the sauce is thick and syrupy.
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Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.