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These easy Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are tender, buttery, and lightly sweet. Made with simple ingredients, they’re a delicious vegetable side that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
Glazed carrots are a classic side dish with a sweet and savory flavor that pairs well with many main courses. Brown sugar and butter bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots, and cinnamon can be added for a warm spiced flavor. Serve them with chicken, steak, turkey, pork, or other savory mains.
If you’re looking for more easy sides to add to your menu, try my Oven Baked Brussels Sprouts or Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes next.
What Makes This Recipe A Winner
- Kid-friendly. The sweet brown sugar glaze makes these carrots an easy way to serve more veggies to kids.
- Quick to prepare. The carrots parboil for 5 minutes and bake for 15 minutes. They’re a practical side dish for busy weeknights.
- Perfect for holidays. These glazed carrots are a great side for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter and pair well with turkey, roasted meats, chicken, or meatloaf.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Ingredients
- Carrots: I prefer large carrots, but baby carrots also work. Choose carrots that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots and creates the glaze. Maple syrup can also be used as a substitute.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and combines with the brown sugar to coat the carrots.
- Cinnamon: This is optional, but you can add it for a hint of warm spice.
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots In the Oven
Step 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2: Prepare the carrots. Peel and slice the carrots into similar-sized pieces, about 1 inch long.
Step 3: Parboil the carrots. Parboil the carrots for 5 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the carrots with cold water.
Step 4: Coat the carrots. Place the carrots in a shallow bowl and pour the melted butter, oil, and brown sugar over them. Mix until well coated, then transfer to a cooking dish.
Step 5: Bake the carrots. Bake in the preheated 400 degrees F oven for 10 minutes, then toss the carrots. Continue baking for another 5 minutes, until the carrots are tender, cooked through, and golden and glazed.
Step 6: Cool and transfer. Remove the cooked carrots from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a serving dish.
Step 7: Garnish and serve. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Tips for Best Results
- Cut the carrots to a similar size. Keep the pieces about 1 inch long to help them cook at the same rate.
- Watch the carrots while parboiling. Carrots can go from tender to mushy quickly. Parboil them for 5 minutes, until they start to soften but are still firm enough to finish cooking in the oven.
- Drain the carrots completely before coating to prevent watery glaze.
- Coat the carrots thoroughly. Toss them well with the melted butter, brown sugar, and oil to evenly distribute the glaze.
Delicious Pairing Options
- Chicken: Serve these glazed carrots with Baked Whole Roast Chicken for an easy dinner.
- Turkey: Pair them with Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast for a classic combination.
- Lamb: Serve them alongside Boneless Leg Of Lamb Recipe for a filling meal.
Common Questions
Aim to pull out the carrots right when they get al dente when you par cook them and do not leave them to over cook. Also uniformly slice the carrots so that they are all the same size and nothing cooked faster than the other.
Yes, you can. Follow the same steps but adjust cooking time accordingly.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe because the texture of the carrots will change.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover glazed carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm the carrots in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through.
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes
- Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mushrooms
- Oven Roasted Parmesan Herbed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rate the recipe! Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on Facebook |Instagram |Pinterest for all of my latest social posts and recipes.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and uniformly sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar, dark or light, packed
- 3 tbsps. butter, unsalted, melted
- 1 tsp. olive oil, light tasting
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel and slice the carrots into similar-sized pieces, about 1 inch long.
- Parboil the carrots for 5 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the carrots with cold water.
- Place the carrots in a shallow bowl and pour the melted butter, oil, and brown sugar over them. Mix until well coated, then transfer to a cooking dish.
- Bake in the preheated 400 degrees F oven for 10 minutes, then toss the carrots. Continue baking for another 5 minutes, until the carrots are tender, cooked through, and golden and glazed.
- Remove the cooked carrots from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a serving dish.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes and Recipe Tips
- Cut the carrots into similar-sized pieces to help them cook evenly.
- Parboil the carrots for only 5 minutes to keep them from becoming mushy in the oven.
- Coat the carrots well with the butter, brown sugar, and oil for an even glaze.
- Toss the carrots halfway through baking to redistribute the glaze.
Is this recipe still gluten free with all of the substitute suggestions?
The ingredients are basic and don’t have gluten. I am a bit confused.
Where is the salt and cinnamon to come in?? I did not see it in cooking direc??
When you add the sugar.
Easy and awesome!!
Loved it! I made it without cinnamon or salt.
I adapted it a little but am looking forward to tasting it. I added a little freshly ground nutmeg, white pepper, the cinnamon, and finely chopped pecans. So hopefully it is not too sweet.
Hi Jo,
Glad you adapted it to your liking. Thanks for leaving a review.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! I made it on the stove top because I completely forgot I was making them for dinner but they came out perfectly and my kids LOVED it. I’m always looking for new ways to introduce more veggies in a fun way and this will definitely be in rotation.
Happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review.
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
I used light brown.