Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2024)

By

Diana Rattray

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (1)

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 02/9/23

Tested by

Young Sun Huh

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2)

Tested byYoung Sun Huh

Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 8 servings

101 ratings

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Beautiful baby carrots make an elegant side dish that's a great accompaniment for meats like ham, pork, chicken, or veal. These flavorful carrots have the perfect balance of sweet and tangy thanks to the addition of honey and lemon juice. You don't need too many ingredients to bring out the best in fresh carrots, but you might need to double the amounts as your family will be asking for seconds. What's more, they're vegetarian, with a simple swap to make them vegan.

Commonly mislabeled, true baby carrots are young carrots that are harvested before reaching their mature state. As such, they have the appearance of miniature carrots, with ridges, wrinkles and all, plus bright green tops. What is usually found in stores is baby-cut carrots, or mature big carrots that are cut into baby carrot shapes and sizes to imitate the real product. If possible, try finding baby carrots, as their flavor is incomparable. In a pinch, use baby-cut carrots or larger carrots cut in 2-inch chunks.

Quick and easy to prepare, these carrots are best when cooked al dente, just enough so they still have a bite; the crunch is part of their appeal. Use these carrots as part of a salad, adding them to kale, pine nuts, and crumbled feta. Or make them into a puree by adding an extra pat of butter and processing right before serving. With great amounts of vitamins A and C, carrots should be a staple in your kitchen. They're high in fiber and low in calories, with only 38 calories in a 100-gram serving.

If using true baby carrots, trim the tops if preferred, or leave them on for a beautiful presentation.

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (4)

“These glazed carrots were delicious and easy to make. The glaze is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of lemon juice to offset the honey and brown sugar. I used 1 1/2 pounds of carrots, but there's definitely enough glaze for 2 pounds." —Young Sun Huh

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (5)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds baby carrots

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 4 tablespoonshoney

  • 3 tablespoons packedbrown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, or chives, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (6)

  2. Place the baby carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with water and add the salt. Bring to a boil.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (7)

  3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes (begin checking for doneness after 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (8)

  4. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey and brown sugar and cook, stirring continuously, until the sugar is dissolved.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (9)

  5. Stir in the lemon juice. Increase the heat to medium-high. Return the reserved carrots to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the glaze thickens slightly and coats the carrots.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (10)

  6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with the parsley.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (11)

    Oven-Glazed Carrots Variation

    If you don't have time to be near the stove, follow these steps:

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
    • Blanch the carrots in boiling water with salt for 5 minutes.
    • In a bowl, mix melted butter, honey, sugar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
    • Add the carrots to the butter and mix well. Transfer to a baking dish.
    • Bake, covered, for 15 minutes and uncovered for an extra 10.
    • Garnish with parsley and serve.

    Crunchy and Tangy Toppings

    Crunchy ingredients can bring a whole different experience to these tasty carrots. Chose one addition and add 2 tablespoons of it:

    • Sesame seeds, black or white
    • Sliced almonds or chopped cashews
    • Pepitas or sunflower seeds—great for nut-free diets.

    The addition of cheese can also give an extraordinary tang to the dish. Simply mix in 1/4 cup of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

    Can I Make These Carrots Vegan?

    Yes, and it's very simple. Vegan and plant-based diets stay away from animal products, including honey. For this recipe, you simply need to swap the butter for margarine or vegan butter—even olive oil can do the trick—and the honey for maple syrup, agave syrup, date syrup, or molasses. Both changes can be done at a 1:1 ratio.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
139Calories
6g Fat
22g Carbs
1g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories139
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 328mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
Dietary Fiber 3g12%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 5mg24%
Calcium 44mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 291mg6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Article Sources

The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Carrots. FoodData Central. United Stated Department of Agriculture.

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Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for baby carrots to soften when boiling? ›

Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the stove and drain carrots in a strainer. Return the pot to the stove, add butter, and reduce the heat to medium-low.

What to eat with glazed carrots? ›

Glazed carrots coated in a mixture of brown sugar and butter are a versatile side dish you can serve alongside a weeknight meatloaf, a Sunday ham, or your Thanksgiving turkey. These caramelized carrots are a definite kid-pleaser but they're elegant enough to impress the adults as well!

What do they do to make baby carrots? ›

Once full sized carrots are harvested from the fields, they are immediately put in trucks and taken to a facility where they are washed and sorted by size, cut, peeled and polished into 2-inch pieces.

Is it better to boil or steam baby carrots? ›

No matter which way you cook them, carrots are a healthy choice. Steaming is a slightly better pick since the carrots don't lose as many of their nutrients to the water. (Steaming is also more environmentally friendly since it uses less water.)

Should carrots be started in cold or boiling water? ›

According to the Farmer's Almanac, the rule of thumb is as follows: Vegetables that grow above ground (beans, peas, corn) – add to boiling water. Vegetables that grow below ground (root vegetables, potatoes) – start off in cold water.

How long do glazed carrots last in the fridge? ›

Make ahead: The carrots can be peeled and sliced up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

What can I use instead of honey for carrots? ›

But if you're looking for an easy swap, these are generally a 1:1 replacement and offer a similar sweetness:
  1. maple syrup.
  2. molasses.
  3. agave syrup.
  4. corn syrup.
  5. golden syrup.
  6. rice malt syrup.
Jan 28, 2022

How do you store carrots so they stay crispy? ›

To keep carrots their freshest and crunchiest, you only need to rethink how you store them. Keep them in an airtight container submerged in water, and you'll be a happy snacker.

What makes carrots more tasty? ›

For a simple and versatile seasoning, stick with salt, pepper, and garlic. For an herbier taste, add rosemary, parsley, cumin, or coriander. Or, to bring out their fresh, woody flavor, add some anise. If you're roasting your carrots, toss them in olive oil first.

How can I enhance the flavor of carrots? ›

Classic Spices and Herbs That Pair Well with Carrots
  1. Garlic (minced, powder or granules)
  2. Onion powder or granules.
  3. Black malabar pepper.
  4. Cinnamon (Cassia for sweeter, Ceylon for sweetness with some more complex savory and vanilla flavors)
  5. Nutmeg powder.
  6. Cayenne pepper powder.
  7. Ginger powder.
  8. Aleppo chili.
Mar 28, 2021

What Flavours compliment carrots? ›

Although, carrots flavor profiles can change slightly depending on its size, color, and how it was grown. Typically though, if you want to enhance a carrot's flavor, they normally pair well with things such as ginger, garlic, honey, sugar, maple, and citrus fruits like lemon and orange.

Are you supposed to wash baby carrots? ›

It makes them safer. I wouldn't think twice about eating a lil' slimy boy. If it bothers you aesthetically, rinse them off under cool water, which should wash away the slime. If the slime does not wash away, you could always disinfect them yourself... or just throw them away.

What is done with the waste from baby carrots? ›

As soon as they arrive at the baby-carrot processing plant, the carrots are sorted. Any that are too fat or not straight enough are deemed unworthy and discarded to become juice or animal fodder.

What do they soak baby carrots in? ›

The sources all agree that carrots labeled as “baby cut” are small, shaped pieces of adult carrots, and that a step in their processing is an antimicrobial rinse in water containing chlorine at levels similar to the amount in U.S. tap water, which are not considered harmful.

How to soften baby carrots quickly? ›

Directions
  1. Place baby carrots in a microwave-safe dish and cover with water. Cook at high (100%) power for 3 minutes. To make 1 (16-oz.) package, extend the cooking time 5 minutes.
  2. Keep dish covered and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Why are my carrots still hard after boiling? ›

Luckily, the solution is simple if you've been cooking your carrots for too long or not long enough: learn the proper cooking times for different methods of cooking carrots. If you're boiling carrots, quarter-inch rounds take 7 to 9 minutes, strips take 4 to 6 minutes, and baby carrots take 8 to 10 minutes.

What takes longer to cook baby carrots or potatoes? ›

Typically potatoes take longer to cook than carrots. To make sure the vegetables are finished at the same time, cut the potatoes smaller to speed their roasting along.

Why do baby carrots get mushy? ›

It's soft and mushy carrots that you want to be on the look-out for—these carrots are spoiled and not safe to eat. Baby carrots sometimes get rubbery when they aren't sealed and stored properly, but they aren't dangerous to eat.

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