Maple Glazed Carrots are one of those side dishes that could almost pass as dessert, which makes it a great way to serve vegetables and actually have the kids begging you for them! These carrots remind me of roasted carrots with a glaze. They’re easy enough to make for weeknight dinners and fancy enough for company or Thanksgiving side dish!
In the summer we eat from our garden every single day. Payson loves to pick carrots, wash them in the hose (or not) and eat them. One time this summer I even caught him eating the stem of the carrot. He said it was good, I’ll take his word on that one.
My boys used to beg for “soft carrots” so I created a skillet version of maple-glazed carrots. They are so good I think I could eat them for dessert with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I might actually try it sometime. It would be a little like carrot cake with ice cream, right? Whether you eat these for dessert or as a side dish, you will fall in love with them.
INGREDIENTS FOR MAPLE GLAZED CARROTS
- CARROTS – whole carrots cut into carrot sticks or rounds, or baby carrots
- MAPLE SYRUP – real maple syrup is best, but you can use imitation or homemade maple syrup
- BUTTER – use real butter for best results
- SALT – table salt
- BROWN SUGAR – light or dark
- OPTIONAL – black pepper, fresh herbs, chopped walnuts or pecans
OVEN ROASTING OR PRESSURE COOKER CARROTS
To oven roast or cook carrots in Instant Pot instead of in a skillet follow these instructions.
To make maple glaze sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, keep stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens a bit, about 3-5 minutes. Toss over the prepared and roasted carrots using one of the following methods.
Oven Roasted Carrots
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss baby carrots or carrot sticks in just enough olive oil to coat them. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tender. Then toss with prepared maple glaze.
Instant Pot Roasted Carrots
Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add butter to the pot then add carrot sticks or baby carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are roasted. It should only take about 3-5 minutes.
Add about 1/2 a cup of water, replace the lid, close steam valve. Set pressure cooker setting to high pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Toss with prepared maple glaze sauce.
HOW TO MAKE MAPLE GLAZED CARROTS
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat. You want it pretty hot.
- Melt butter and add carrots to the skillet. Sear them to get that pretty roasted color on them.
- Once carrots have a little browning on them, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Add more butter.
- Add some pure maple syrup, salt, and brown sugar.
- Toss until carrots are coated in glaze.
- Cook carrots in the glaze uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often. The glaze will begin to reduce and get thick.
- Remove carrots from skillet. Pour extra glaze over the carrots.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, ground black pepper, or nuts.
WHAT TO SERVE COOKED CARROTS WITH
Here are a few of our favorite easy main dish recipes to serve these carrots with!
- Classic Slow Cooker Roast Beef – with mushroom gravy
- Mississippi Roast Beef – incredibly flavorful
- Easiest Grilled Chicken Recipe – three ingredients
- Slow Cooker Cube Steak in Mushroom Sauce – a classic
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs – with bbq sauce
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs – can be made ahead
- Crock-Pot Brown Sugar Ham – it’s falling apart tender
Other Easy Side Dish Recipes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn – loaded with cheese
- Garlic Green Peas – PLUS bacon
- Oven Roasted Green Beans – so easy and with parmesan
MAPLE SYRUP GLAZED CARROTS RECIPE
This vegetable side dish would be absolutely gorgeous at any Thanksgiving Dinner. They would also be perfect next to your Christmas prime rib! Seriously, if you don’t make anything else this week, you gotta make these! They will change your life for sure!
Maple Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 10 carrots large
- 4 Tbsp butter divided
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- dash black pepper freshly ground
- 1 sprig oregano optional
Instructions
- Wash and slice carrots into sticks, or use about 2 pounds of baby carrots.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat. You want it pretty hot.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and add carrots to the skillet. Sear them to get that pretty roasted color on them. It will take about 3-5 minutes
- Once carrots have a little browning on them, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add more remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add pure maple syrup, salt, and brown sugar. Toss until carrots are coated in glaze.
- Cook carrots in the glaze uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often. The glaze will begin to reduce and get thick.
- Remove carrots from skillet. Pour extra glaze over the carrots. Garnish with fresh herbs, ground black pepper, or nuts. Serve.
Nutrition
Pick a few carrots from the garden, or buy a few from the store. Cut them into sticks. My carrots were pretty fat so I cut mine into quarters.
I garnished with a little sprig of oregano. I used it because it was already in my garden. Besides I can’t get over how beautiful the orange carrots and green oregano look together. I can’t help it. I’m all about color. If you don’t have oregano in your garden you can use any garnish you want.
Or don’t use any garnish at all. I sprinkled with a little freshly ground black pepper too!
Maple Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 10 carrots large
- 4 Tbsp butter divided
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- dash black pepper freshly ground
- 1 sprig oregano optional
Instructions
- Wash and slice carrots into sticks, or use about 2 pounds of baby carrots.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat. You want it pretty hot.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and add carrots to the skillet. Sear them to get that pretty roasted color on them. It will take about 3-5 minutes
- Once carrots have a little browning on them, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add more remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add pure maple syrup, salt, and brown sugar. Toss until carrots are coated in glaze.
- Cook carrots in the glaze uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often. The glaze will begin to reduce and get thick.
- Remove carrots from skillet. Pour extra glaze over the carrots. Garnish with fresh herbs, ground black pepper, or nuts. Serve.
Jeannette Shields says
These are so very very good! Thank you for the recipe. I subscribed to you, so I will get more recipes in my email box. You’ll be getting lots of comments from me!
Amy Engberson says
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here! These carrots are so yummy, they’re like eating dessert for a side dish! Keep the comments coming! I love getting them!
Laurie says
Can these be made the day before?
Amy Engberson says
I’ve never made them the day before. I’m guessing it would work just fine. Maybe don’t quite cook the carrots as long as you normally would, then put carrots and sauce in a baking dish, then bake right before serving. Let me know if you try it!
Lana wikobrado says
Look delicious.making them for Easter l love carrots si I hope they make it to my dinner.
Amy Engberson says
Haha! Carrots are good for you so snack away! I’m sure they will be a hit at your Easter dinner (assuming they make it)!
Margaret says
I was so happy to have discovered your site! I made these carrots today for our Easter celebration-delicious!
Amy Engberson says
Yay! It’s always fun to hear success stories! Glad you enjoyed them! Happy Easter!
SherriKA says
Made these tonight to go with a roast. Delicious! Everyone loved them. I used real maple syrup I got from Vermont, but did not use quite the one-third cup because I don’t think I had enough carrots. I used baby carrots — it was what I had. Next time I will double the amount of baby carrots I use. Thanks for a great recipe.
Amy Engberson says
These carrots are perfect along side a roast! I’m glad your family enjoyed them!
Ginny says
What do you do with the other 2 T of butter?
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for catching that! I add the remaining butter with the salt, syrup, and brown sugar. I fixed the recipe, it should be right now!
Clare says
i made these for thanksgiving and my 13 year old granddaughter requested these for Chistmas eve dinner. They are to die for thanks. Will be one of family favorite veggies.
Amy Engberson says
I’m not surprised your granddaughter loved the carrots! After all, who doesn’t love veggies that taste like dessert? I think they are so pretty on Holiday plates too! Merry Christmas!
Carrie Swenson says
I am so excited to try this recipe. I think I might just make them tomorrow. There is a local restaurant that makes maple glazed cooked carrots and I have never been able to get the recipe quite right. I think this one might be the one.
I am visiting from Strut you stuff Saturday link party.
Thanks for sharing!
Carrie
Amy Engberson says
I hope this is what you have been looking for! My family loved them. You will have to let me know how they turn out for you!
Paula says
These carrots look so good, thanks for joining me at Sat.Dishes! Sharing on my fb page.
Amy Engberson says
These happen to be one of my favorite ways to eat carrots! Thanks for hosting!
Samantha @ Five Heart Home says
These look delicious, Amy, and they’re absolutely beautiful, too! They’d be perfect on the table at Thanksgiving…thanks so much for sharing!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! I love beautiful food, especially when it tastes so good!
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
These look great! They would make the perfect Thanksgiving side dish. Thanks for sharing!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! I’m definitely including them in my Thanksgiving menu! I love the dish, and besides that, I still have about twenty pounds of carrots from my garden!