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Tender and tasty Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are a perfect go-to side dish. Best of all, they only require 4 ingredients!!
These glazed carrots pair perfectly with our favorite Mashed Potatoes and most-loved Dinner Rolls.
OUR favorite side dish
Glazed Carrots happen to be one of our all-time favorite side dishes ever!!
They’re amazing because:
- They pair well with every dinner! This is the perfect side dish for any dinner recipe, especially for holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Quick and Easy. Made with just a few ingredients and in 20 minutes.
- Many ways to Make. They can be made on the stove, in the oven, the slow cooker, or instant pot!
The butter and brown sugar really bring out the flavor, and the carrots become so tender after cooking them – like MELT in your MOUTH tender!
Are these the same as caramelized carrots or candied carrots? Yes! The brown sugar is what makes them “candied” or caramelized. If you want more of the sweetness, just add some more brown sugar!
Ingredients
- Baby Carrots – You can also use larger carrots – peel and cut into coins or chunks. Just make sure the slices are all equal in size.
- Water – This will help cook the carrots and make them tender.
- Brown Sugar – It adds the perfect amount of sweetness, but can be substituted with honey or maple syrup. Reduce brown sugar for less sweet carrots.
- Butter – We use unsalted butter but salted butter can be used as well – just lessen the amount of salt added at the end.
- Salt and Black Pepper – And you can top with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme. You can also squeeze an orange or lemon juice over the top for a bright twist.
How to cook Carrots
- BOIL. Bring carrots, water, butter, and brown sugar to a boil in a pan or large skillet over medium-high heat.
- SIMMER. Turn to low, simmer for approximately 6 minutes.
- EVAPORATE WATER. Turn back to high and cook until all the water is evaporated, and carrots are fork tender. It took me another 5-8 minutes.
- SEASON & SERVE. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Tip: For extra flavor and texture: add 1/3 cup pine nuts, walnuts or pecans (chopped and toasted) after simmering for 6 minutes.
Other Cooking Methods
- IN THE SLOW COOKER. Place the carrots in a greased crock pot. Combine melted butter, salt, pepper, brown sugar and water. Drizzle over carrots, mix until carrots are coated. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until carrots are tender.
- IN THE OVEN. Place your baby carrots in a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and drizzle on 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.
- IN THE INSTANT POT. To cook in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, place all ingredients in the pot, cover, and secure the vent. Set the pot to “sealing”, press “pressure cook” or “manual” button”. Set the timer for 3 minutes. Once done, manually release the pressure by switching the vent to “venting”.
Serving and Storing Tips
While brown sugar glazed carrots pair perfectly with pretty much ANYTHING, here are a few tasty suggestions!
Storing info
- Make ahead of time. We suggest making them fresh, but if needed, you can make them a day ahead. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- To reheat, throw them back into a buttered pan, and cook until carrots are heated through.
- STORE. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stove.
For more sides:
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) bag baby carrots
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine carrots, water, butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce the heat to cook on low for approximately 6 minutes.
- Keeping covered, turn the heat back to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the water is evaporated and carrots are tender, another 5–6 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This has become a staple at our dinner table every Thanksgiving! It even has replaced my mom’s sweet potato casserole with marshmallows recipe because everyone loves this 1000 times more!
Excellent side for Thanksgiving!
Made as directed, but did remove the pan cover for the last 5 minutes. Helped reduce and left a nice glaze.
These are the absolute best and easiest candied carrots ever! My mom used to make candied carrots but I couldn’t remember how so I came up with what I “thought” was close. I was making it way too hard! These are so easy and perfect every time. Sometimes I peel and slice whole carrots. I always use healthy sweetener in place of brown sugar (I have to watch my sugar intake and carrots are already high). Perfect. Every. Time.
THANK YOU for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoy the reicpe!
Finally! My son will only eat these carrots. I am so happy I found this recipe!
These are so good! We make them all the time for dinner and my kids love them.
This such a tender and tasty side dish. Just 4 ingredients! Perfect with Mashed Potatoes and Dinner Rolls. Simple, delicious addition to any meal.
Delicious!!! Added more sugar and butter but perfect for Thanksgiving
we love candied carrots. Often times I will add craisins, and chopped nuts the last five minutes of cooking time..
I love baby carrot’s. I have fixed them and none is left.
super easy and delicious! My friends commented on how delicious they were!
I will make these again for sure.
I am tired of runny carrots. How do I make a thick glaze with honey and brown sugar for my carrots?
This recipe calls for just brown sugar, but you could either add or substitute for honey. You may need to just let the water evaporate a bit until there is less water/less runny.
i also don’t like the thin glaze. i boil the carrots until they are crisp/tender then completely drain them and put them back over the burner turned low. i add in a couple heaping tablespoons of dark brown sugar (more may make it thicker) and sprinkle in a little cinnamon. my family loves them this way and i fix them quite often to serve with pork chops and stove top dressing prepared in another pan, i find the butter, salt and pepper unnecessary. they are ready to serve when you stir it all together good. if you want a thicker sauce i suppose you could add in a cornstarch slurry. there’s not much of a sauce in this, it’s just what stays on the carrots as you stir them so serve from the bottom of the pan. most important to me is not over cooking the carrots.