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Glazed Carrots: Sweet, Buttered, and Caramelized to Perfection Recipe

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4 from 50 reviews

These glazed carrots are a deliciously sweet and buttery side dish featuring caramelized carrots tossed in a shiny glaze made with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup. Perfectly tender with a hint of warmth from cinnamon and brightness from optional additions like orange juice and balsamic vinegar, this recipe is quick and easy, ideal for weeknight dinners or festive holiday meals.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Carrots

  • 2 pounds carrots (baby, rainbow, or sliced regular carrots)

Glaze

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
  • 3 tablespoons honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup (choose your preferred sweetener)
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or whiskey (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Prepare Carrots: Peel the carrots and cut them into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking, whether using baby carrots, rainbow carrots, or sliced regular carrots.
  2. Cook Carrots: Cook the carrots until tender-crisp by your preferred method. This can be done on the stovetop in a large skillet with a lid by steaming or sautéing, roasting in the oven on a baking sheet, or air frying in an air fryer basket until just tender.
  3. Make the Glaze: In a pan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat and then stir in your chosen sweetener—honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup. Add salt, and if desired, black pepper, cinnamon, minced garlic, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar or whiskey. Heat the mixture until it forms a shiny, syrupy glaze.
  4. Toss Carrots in Glaze: Add the cooked carrots to the pan with the glaze and toss with a flexible spatula until every piece is evenly coated and glossy with the caramelized glaze.
  5. Garnish and Serve: Transfer the glazed carrots to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley for a touch of color and freshness. Serve warm as a flavorful side dish.

Notes

  • You can customize the glaze by selecting your favorite sweetener—honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup all work beautifully.
  • Optional ingredients like cinnamon, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, whiskey, and garlic add layers of flavor and can be adjusted based on preference.
  • The carrots can be cooked via stovetop, roasting, or air frying depending on the equipment and texture you prefer.
  • Ensure carrots are cut evenly to cook uniformly.
  • This dish pairs well with roasted meats, poultry, or as part of a holiday dinner spread.
  • Author: ELLA
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Find it online: https://ellarecipe.com/glazed-carrots-sweet-buttered-and-caramelized-to-perfection-recipe/