Sweet potato pie, aka candied yams, is a confusing dish. Is it dessert? Is it a side dish? In my house, it is a side dish, but only on special occasions. I have shared my recipe for candied yams before, but it was for a larger quantity so I wanted to share the recipe in a smaller amount since not everyone has a big family like us.
This recipe is highly adaptable to various diets. I have replaced the brown sugar with Swerve brown sugar replacement. My mother makes it without the cinnamon, which is also good, but I am partial to the cinnamon flavour. Since we now have a family member who is halal, we have also taken to using halal marshmallows. I haven’t been able to find them in mini marshmallow form, but the larger ones work just fine too.
On a trip to Gulf County Florida, I was served candied yams in a ramekin and thought it was brilliant! I plan to try this myself sometime and will share the recipe when I do.


Sweet Potato Pie, aka Candied Yams
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Mini marshmallows to cover dish
Instructions
-
Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes. Boil them until they are soft.
-
Add the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar to the yams, and mash them until smooth. Put the mashed mixture into a pie dish.
-
Cover the sweet potatoes with the mini marshmallows and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are browned.

Sweet potatoes are a favourite of mine so I can eat them with any meal, but my candied yams are a staple at our holiday meals. My Mom made them every Thanksgiving and Christmas for my entire life, and I have been making them with the added cinnamon for my family over the last decade.
Let me know if you try them!
Anne Taylor says
I’m not a big fan of yams, but I come from a yam loving family! Thanks for the recipe, my family will love it I’m sure!
Judy C (Cowan) says
Thanks for sharing the recipe scaled down. We love yams so will definitely be making this.
Ira says
I love sweet potato, but think this recipe would be too much of an experiment for my family. Still bookmarking it, though, just in case 🙂
Jenny says
i never tried this before but it sure looks yummy!
Florence C says
I love sweet potatoes and this looks yummy.
Pam says
Going to make this recipe tonight, Sheri!
Tammy says
Now this would go over great on the dining table at my home!
HilLesha says
Nothing like good ol’ candied yams! 🙂
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com says
YUM! They looks so delicious.
Lolo says
I never was into yams, but this recipe might just change my mind!
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says
I love candied yams and this looks great!
courtney says
Ooh hubby would love this!
Leilani says
Confession: I have never tried candied yams. This year I’m going to make it a point to try it.
Toni says
this is one of my favorite holiday dishes!!
Holly says
mmm! I make 2 candied yams. One with marshmallows and one without. My fave holiday dish!
Susan T. says
We love yams in my family. I put a bit of orange juice and some cream cheese in mine!
MrDisco says
yum!
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
Ive never tried this kind of pie. does the marshmallows help with the taste or is it just a topper.
DARLENE W says
we have a version of this every Thanksgiving
Amy Lovell says
LOve sweet potatoes!!! Will def be trying these~
Darlene W says
I have never had yams with marshmellows on top, a different twist
loriag says
I wonder if I could serve this and the husband would try it., I love sweet potatoes but the husband does not.
Alexa Nernberg says
My husband and I love yams. We will definitely making this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Jenn says
I’ve never tried candied yams before! But this looks delicious.
Jenna D says
if I’m being honest, I’ve never had candied yams. But – I might have to try!
Margaret Imecs says
Thank you!
kathy downey says
I never had yams but they sure look tasty!