Description
Sweet, buttery yams baked with a crunchy pecan streusel topping — a comforting and nostalgic holiday side dish perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for streusel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Peel and slice yams into 1/2-inch rounds. Place in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender, then drain and let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
- Gently toss the cooked yams in the syrup mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange the yams in the prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly, and pour any remaining syrup over the top.
- In another bowl, combine chopped pecans, flour, brown sugar, softened butter, salt, and cinnamon. Mix with your fingers until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the yams.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown with crisp edges.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow the syrup to thicken.
Notes
Parboil yams just until tender to avoid mushiness. Chill streusel before baking for extra crispness. For gluten-free, use almond or oat flour. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil or vegan butter. Add orange juice or dried fruit for a flavor twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 3/4 cup per se
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
Keywords: candied yams, pecan streusel, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving, Christmas, sweet potatoes, comfort food