Glazed Carrots are simmered on the stovetop to tender perfection and then topped with freshly chopped parsley for a burst of bright flavor. This Glazed Carrot recipe is easy to prepare, economical, and absolutely perfect for any weeknight dinner or holiday meal! Don’t skip the spices though, they really make this dish shine!
Also known as candied carrots, this recipe comes together in just a few minutes on the stovetop making it the perfect vegetable side dish to serve alongside your next holiday ham dinner, weeknight pork chops, or even a Sunday dinner of Rotisserie lamb.
The butter and brown sugar really bring out the sweet flavor of the carrots and they become so tender they practically melt in your mouth. The ginger and nutmeg add a touch of warmth to the dish and my family just can’t help but gobble them down!
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How to Make Glazed Carrots
- Prep the Carrots: Peel and slice the carrots. I typically cut my carrots into 1-inch slices, but you can cut them in sticks as well. If you’re short on time, you can also use a large bag of baby carrots. Baby carrots offer so much convenience no washing, peeling, or cutting required.
- Simmer: The carrots simmer in the butter-brown sugar-water mixture until tender, then the spices are added to the pan and simmered for another couple of minutes.
- Garnish: Add a garnish of fresh parsley (optional) and serve.
This is our favorite way to cook carrots because it’s so simple and it turns out great each and every time!
How to Easily Peel Carrots without a Knife; Use a Spoon!
If you have littles that like to cook, or need an activity to keep them busy while you cook the main part of the meal, have them peel carrots with the edge of a spoon. See the photo below.
It’s super easy and fun – the kiddos absolutely love it.
I’ve been in the position where I didn’t have a vegetable peeler to peel my carrots and using a pairing knife proved to be very difficult. Grabbing a spoon and using the edge, you can peel a carrot quite easily. It’s not as pretty or refined as a vegetable peeler, but it will work in a pinch – and the littles just love it!
Tip for Making Glazed Carrots
- Ensure Even Cooking. Be sure to cut the carrots into like-sized pieces so that they cook evenly. For the large end, I will split the round in half again lengthwise.
- Choose your Preferred Sweetener. You can substitute white cane sugar, honey, agave, stevia, maple syrup, or monk fruit in the raw sweetener for the brown sugar in the recipe.
- Plan Ahead. If you are working towards a food prep calendar countdown to your holiday dinner, no fear! You can cut and peel your carrots up to 3 days before you plan to make this recipe. Simply place them in a zip-top bag with a wet paper towel and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready for them.
- Make them Fancy. Swap out the traditional carrots for rainbow-colored carrots or baby whole carrots with green ends attached. I found these at Costco and they were so beautiful when cooked with the stems on.
Alternate Cooking Methods for Glazed Carrots:
Carrots are super versatile and can be prepared in many different cooking styles. I generally prepare these glazed carrots on the stovetop, but if you are short in stovetop space during your holiday dinner, you can prepare them in other ways instead.
- Microwave: Place carrots in a microwave-safe dish, like a glass casserole dish with a lid. Fill the dish with about 1/2″ of water and cover. Microwave on HIGH for 6-7 minutes or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork. Add butter, brown sugar, salt, pepper, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Cook on HIGH 1-2 minutes longer. Note: The glaze will not be as thick as if reduced on the stovetop. Garnish with parsley and serve.
- Oven: Place the carrots in a casserole dish with a lid. Sprinkle them with ginger, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons brown sugar and drizzle on 4 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until fork-tender.
- Instant Pot [paid link]: Place all ingredients in the instant pot [paid link] liner, cover, and secure the vent. Set the pot to “sealing”, press “pressure cook” or “manual” button”. Set the timer for 3 minutes. When finished, manually release the pressure by switching the vent to “venting” being careful of the steam.
- Slow Cooker [paid link]: Place the carrots in a crockpot. Combine melted butter, ginger, nutmeg salt, pepper and brown sugar, and water. Drizzle over carrots and mix until carrots are coated. Stir to combine. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or until carrots are fork-tender.
- Air Fryer: In a large bowl whisk [paid link] together all the ingredients (except the parsley and carrots). Add the carrots to the liquid mixture and toss to combine. Place the carrots into an air fryer (You do not need a bowl, but I use a small metal bowl to contain the butter). Air Fry at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until fork-tender. Toss carrots with the sauce, garnish, and serve.
Glazed Carrots
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- Silicone Spatula
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lb carrots , peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch diagonally, [See Note 1]
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter , divided
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar [See Note 2]
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger more or less to taste
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg more or less to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt more or less to taste
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper more or less to taste
- 1 tsp fresh parsley , chopped fine
Instructions
- Place carrots, water and 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet on medium heat. Cook, uncovered, 5 to 6 minutes or until carrots are slightly tender. Add brown sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, ginger, nutmeg and salt to the skillet.
- Cook 4 to 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently to glaze carrots. Sprinkle with parsley, just before serving.
Notes
- Ensure Even Cooking. Be sure to cut the carrots into like-sized pieces so that they cook evenly. For the large end, I will split the round in half again lengthwise.
- Choose your Preferred Sweetener. You can substitute white cane sugar, honey, agave, stevia, maple syrup, or monk fruit in the raw sweetener for the brown sugar in the recipe.
- Plan Ahead. If you are working towards a food prep calendar countdown to your holiday dinner, no fear! You can cut and peel your carrots up to 3 days before you plan to make this recipe. Simply place them in a zip-top bag with a wet paper towel and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready for them.
- Make them Fancy. Swap out the traditional carrots for rainbow-colored carrots or baby whole carrots with green ends attached. I found these at Costco and they were so beautiful when cooked with the stems on.
Alternate Cooking Methods:
Carrots are super versatile and can be prepared in many different cooking styles. I generally prepare these glazed carrots on the stovetop, but if you are short in stovetop space during your holiday dinner, you can prepare them in other ways instead.- Microwave: Place carrots in a microwave-safe dish, like a glass casserole dish with a lid. Fill the dish with about 1/2″ of water and cover. Microwave on HIGH for 6-7 minutes or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork. Add butter, brown sugar, salt, pepper, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Cook on HIGH 1-2 minutes longer. Note: The glaze will not be as thick as if reduced on the stovetop. Garnish with parsley and serve.
- Oven: Place the carrots in a casserole dish with a lid. Sprinkle them with ginger, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons brown sugar and drizzle on 4 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until fork-tender.
- Instant Pot: Place all ingredients in the instant pot liner, cover, and secure the vent. Set the pot to “sealing”, press “pressure cook” or “manual” button”. Set the timer for 3 minutes. When finished, manually release the pressure by switching the vent to “venting” being careful of the steam.
- Slow Cooker: Place the carrots in a crockpot. Combine melted butter, ginger, nutmeg salt, pepper and brown sugar, and water. Drizzle over carrots and mix until carrots are coated. Stir to combine. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or until carrots are fork-tender.
- Air Fryer: In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients (except the parsley and carrots). Add the carrots to the liquid mixture and toss to combine. Place the carrots into an air fryer (You do not need a bowl, but I use a small metal bowl to contain the butter). Air Fry at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes (stirring them around halfway through). Toss carrots with the sauce, garnish and serve.
Nutrition
If you are still feeling like a little carrot dessert after your feast, try this Carrot Cake Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. It’s amazing!
Delicious with roasted chicken
Perfect for my holiday mealplan
Careful! These are addictive. :)