Cooked carrots are a typical dish served pretty regularly in people’s homes, so why not switch them up a bit by adding a handful of spices and some fresh herbs! Your whole family will enjoy having some flavor added to these Honey Glazed Carrots!
The traditional, old school, recipe calls for just carrots, water and brown sugar or honey, creating a syrupy glaze that makes adults and children alike devour their vegetables. My version elevates the traditional just a bit.
I always like taking a traditional dish and seeing what I can add to or take away from the recipe to make it better. These Honey Glazed Carrots don’t get more traditional than most recipes.
They don’t take much to make, and you probably already have all of your ingredients you need in your kitchen. Everything gets put in a pan on the stove and you cook your carrots until you’re left with a delicious, syrupy combination!
While Glazed Carrots usually don tables around the holidays, specifically Christmas and Easter, they are good for any meal throughout the year.
Why You’ll Love These Honey Glazed Carrots
Tender carrots coated in a delicious glaze for the best flavor- what’s not to love!
- Perfect side dish for a holiday dinner – The color of these bright orange carrots is a great way to add something fun to the holiday table. And because they’re so easy, they allow extra time for all the other holiday dishes.
- Great recipe for picky eaters – Because there are very basic ingredients, this tasty side dish is loved by even the pickiest of eaters.
- Quick and easy – Easy sides are always a must during the holidays. These ones are ready in only 15 minutes- can’t get much easier than that!
Ingredients
You can find all of these simple ingredients at your local grocery store if you don’t already have them on hand.
- Carrots – When I made this recipe, I used whole carrots cut into ½ inch pieces. You can also use precut baby carrots, they will just take a little longer to cook.
- Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter when cooking. That way I’m able to control the amount of salt in the recipe. I prefer to use a good quality butter.
- Seasoning – We use a blend of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg to bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- Fine sea salt – If you used salted butter, you can omit this. But salt really brings out the simple flavor of these honey-glazed carrots.
- Honey – I like to use a good quality honey, as this is the star ingredient to this glaze.
How to Make This Honey Glazed Carrots Recipe
You are going to love how easy it is to make this easy recipe.
- Heat water. Heat water in a medium saucepan. When at a low simmer, add carrots.
- Simmer. Simmer until soft. Drain well and add back to warm saucepan, keeping off heat.
- Remaining ingredients. Add butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, fine sea salt and honey. Mix until coated, serve immediately. The residual heat from the pan should be enough to melt butter and honey, but if not, put on low heat until just combined.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to make these honey glazed carrots your own. Here are a few suggestions:
- Seasonings – Instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg blend, you can use almost anything you’d like. I’d stick with simple seasonings like fresh thyme, garlic powder or black pepper to make this a savory side dish.
- Sweet glaze – Instead of using honey, you could always use something like maple syrup or agave nectar for a slightly different taste.
- Vegetables – You can use this simple honey glaze on other veggies too. It would taste great on green beans or sweet potatoes. Just keep in mind roasting time will vary.
How to Serve Honey Glazed Carrots
The natural sweetness of the carrots pairs well with just about anything you serve them with. My favorite way to serve these carrots is with a main dish like a whole roasted chicken or even some simple pork chops.
You can serve them along other side dishes like air fryer brussels sprouts or a nice green side salad. These simple carrots really pair well with just about anything.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: You can store any leftover carrots in an airtight container. They will stay in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Freezing: You can also freeze these roasted carrots. Store in a freezer bag and they can stay frozen for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
The honey in this recipe helps to bring out the natural sweetness of carrots. The cinnamon and nutmeg also can enhance the flavor.
Yes you sure can! You can reheat carrots in the oven for about 5 minutes, or in the microwave until heated through.
While every recipe is different, these glazed carrots are made from carrots, butter, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.
More Easy Carrot Recipes
- Tri-Colored Carrots with Herbed Yogurt
- Lonesome Dove Burnt Carrots
- Shaved Zucchini Salad with Lemon-Chive Dressing
Carrot Cake Muffins
Rainbow Carrots with Ricotta Topping
Charred Carrots with Honey Brie Sauce
Honey Glazed Carrot Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots , cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Heat 1-2 inches of water in a medium saucepan. When at a low simmer, add carrots.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, or until soft. Drain well and add back to warm saucepan, keeping off heat.
- Add butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, fine sea salt and honey. Mix until coated, serve immediately. The residual heat from the pan should be enough to melt butter and honey, but if now, put on low heat until just combined.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve been looking for crock pot carrots. They take hours to make the carrots and your recipes here cooks them in 5 mind? I dont get it.
Hi Sandy! Great question. If you have carrots in a crock pot for hours, they are going to be pretty mushy. I prefer mine to still have a little texture so these will be soft enough to not crunch, but still toothy enough to stick it with a fork. There are a few other reasons too. I cut mine into smaller discs, therefore they aren’t as thick as a whole carrot or even the baby carrots people buy. When you simmer them for 5 minutes, the temperature is about 2x hotter than a slow cooker and comes to heat much faster. Ultimately, it will depend on how thick you cut your carrots. The total cook time here is closer to 10 minutes after simmering and then also adding the sauce. Cutting them larger might require a little more time, but not by too much. Give it a try!
I love the sweet flavor of these carrots! And they are so easy to make.