These Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes are just like the classic recipe with a few easy twists! Sweet potatoes are baked with cinnamon, coconut sugar, pecans and apple juice until tender and caramelized. They’re loved by kids and adults alike and are perfect for feeding a crowd.
Plus you only need 5 ingredients! (Okay, plus salt.)
And this Paleo Thanksgiving recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and vegan.
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Why this recipe works
Candied sweet potatoes (or candied yams) are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish and for good reason. They’re a great, easy way to add sweet potatoes to your Thanksgiving table and they add a sweetness to the meal to balance out all the savory dishes.
But a lot of recipes are loaded with sugar or brown sugar and, hey, that’s fine if that’s your thing. It’s not like this is an everyday kind of dish. But I found you can make tender, caramelized sweet potatoes with coconut sugar (an unrefined sweetener), using a lot less of it compared to traditional versions.
I also add cinnamon for flavor and pecans for crunch. Pour in a bit of apple juice before baking to help infuse the whole dish with a bit of apple flavor and help keep everything from drying out.
I’m not going to say these are healthy candied sweet potatoes or healthy candied yams (oftentimes in American markets what are labeled ‘yams’ are actually sweet potatoes), but they’re a healthier take on the classic dish.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4-5 medium potatoes) – You want the sweet potatoes to all roughly be the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt – This is an approximate amount. You might need more or less depending on your layers of potatoes.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon – Again, an approximate amount. You might need a little more or a little less.
- 5 tablespoons coconut sugar – Also an approximate amount.
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup pure apple juice – This will help keep the potatoes from drying out and add a subtle apple flavor.
Equipment:
- a big stockpot or soup pot
- a vegetable brush
- cooking tongs
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- a measuring glass
- a 9×13″ baking dish
How to make Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Scrub the potatoes and carefully add to the boiling water. Immediately set a timer for 40 minutes (no need to wait for the water to come back to a boil). When the time is up, carefully remove the sweet potatoes (I use cooking tongs) and let cool. (The sweet potatoes can be prepped up to this point and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
Step 3: Set the oven to 350° F.
Step 4: Trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes and peel off the skin. Slice into ¼” rounds. Lay the rounds in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish in a single layer. Feel free to cut some of the rounds in half to fit into the edges of the layer, if necessary. Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar.
Step 5: Repeat the layering process, overlapping the rounds when possible to cover up gaps (but don’t worry about any gaps). Add about ¼ cup of the pecans after the second layer. With the final layer, sprinkle over the last of the salt and cinnamon, about 2 tablespoons of the coconut sugar, and the remaining pecans.
Step 6: Carefully pour in the apple juice in two or three places around the edge of the dish. Try not to let it splash over the sweet potatoes but don’t worry if it does.
Step 7: Bake the sweet potatoes for 40-45 minutes, until they look a little darker and caramelized. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You can also add about ½ teaspoon total of ground ginger and/or ground nutmeg over the layers of sweet potatoes. Or omit the cinnamon and any spices altogether.
You can use walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds in place of the pecans, or omit the nuts altogether.
You can use water or orange juice in place of the apple juice.
Once boiled, the sweet potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Once baked, let the dish cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350° F oven for 15-20 minutes.
I do not recommend freezing these. The sweet potatoes will become mushy.
Other recipes you might like:
- Mashed Potatoes (Paleo, Whole30, vegan)
- Sweet Potato, Apple and Sausage Stuffing (Paleo, Whole30)
- Date & Orange Cranberry Sauce (Paleo, Whole30, vegan)
- Paleo Gravy (Whole30, vegan)
Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4-5 medium) all around the same thickness
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt approximately
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon approximately
- 5 tablespoons coconut sugar approximately
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup pure apple juice
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Scrub the potatoes and carefully add to the boiling water. Immediately set a timer for 40 minutes (no need to wait for the water to come back to a boil). When the time is up, carefully remove the sweet potatoes (I use cooking tongs) and let cool. (The sweet potatoes can be prepped up to this point and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
- Heat the oven to 350° F.
- Trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes and peel off the skin. Slice into ¼" rounds. Lay the rounds in the bottom of a 9×13" baking dish in a single layer. Feel free to cut some of the rounds in half to fit into the edges of the layer, if necessary. Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar.
- Repeat the layering process, overlapping the rounds when possible to cover up gaps (but don't worry about any gaps). Add about ¼ cup of the pecans after the second layer. With the final layer, sprinkle over the last of the salt and cinnamon, about 2 tablespoons of the coconut sugar, and the remaining pecans.
- Carefully pour in the apple juice in two or three places around the edge of the dish. Try not to let it splash over the sweet potatoes but don't worry if it does.
- Bake the sweet potatoes for 40-45 minutes, until they look a little darker and caramelized. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
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