Should candied sweet potatoes be cut in rounds or cubes?

Rounds give the better candied finish. Two broad flat faces per slice take on more glaze than small cubes, and at 1 cm thick they cook through in the 8 minute steam without falling apart when flipped.

My skillet has no lid. Can I still make candied sweet potatoes this way?

Yes. A baking sheet or a large plate set over the skillet traps enough steam for act one. The seal matters less than keeping the rounds in a single layer so the steam reaches every slice evenly.

Can I make candied sweet potatoes the day before Thanksgiving?

They are ideal for it. Cook fully, refrigerate in their glaze up to 3 days, then reheat in a skillet over low heat with a spoonful of water, basting until glossy again, about 6 minutes.

Can I swap the maple syrup, or use less sugar overall?

Honey works by volume but tastes more floral; extra brown sugar is the neutral swap. For a lighter glaze, reduce the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and keep the maple and orange, accepting a slightly thinner coat.

Are the sweet potatoes at the store actually yams?

Almost always sweet potatoes. True yams are a different vegetable rarely sold in US supermarkets; the orange fleshed garnet and jewel varieties labeled either way are the right choice here, since sweet potatoes are naturally rich in beta carotene and fiber, as Harvard's Nutrition Source notes (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/sweet-potatoes/).

Candied Sweet Potatoes: Ultimate 20-Minute Skillet Side

Ingredients

Scale

2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) sweet potatoes, about 3 medium, peeled and cut into 1 cm (scant 1/2 inch) rounds
4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (100 g) packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Flaky sea salt, to finish (optional)

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Instructions

Melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and simmer 1 minute until glossy.
Add the sweet potato rounds in a single layer, slight overlap at the edges is fine. Spoon glaze over any exposed faces.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the rounds are just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
Uncover and flip each round gently with tongs. Cook uncovered 6 to 7 minutes, basting once or twice, until the glaze is thick, shiny and slow to drip from a spoon.
Take the skillet off the heat, stir in the vanilla and rest 2 minutes so the glaze sets onto the rounds. Finish with flaky salt if you like and serve straight from the skillet.

Author: Chef Hanna Zest
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes