These caramelized sweet potatoes are the ultimate fall side dish. It has all the season warming flavors in just one simple and easy dish.

This recipe is perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner with a sweet touch. The caramelization will give to the sweet potatoes a candy-like finish that makes it irresistible.

The spices are the key for these candied sweet potatoes: nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. It’s the perfect candy flavor.

To add the sweet touch you can use a wide variety of sweeteners: honey, agave, white sugar or brown sugar. I like to use brown sugar because I think it complements the rustic fall flavors.

My little secret that differences this recipe from another caramelized sweet potatoes is that I topped my candied sweet potatoes with roasted almonds. It gives a crunchy texture and the roasted almonds end up caramelizing themselves during the process.

My way to achieve a soft sweet potato but not a mushy one is to boil first with the skin until it is soft but firm. Boiling with the skin prevents excess moisture inside the sweet potatoes while cooking. Then I peel them and cut them into 2-inch chunks.

The caramelization process is quite simple. I add the sugar — honey, agave or what you prefer — a little bit of water and all the spices. Then I toss the sweet potatoes and cook until they are glossy. If you notice that the sweet potatoes are kind of watery add more sugar to thicken the caramel.