These brown sugar glazed carrots are easily one of the most loved side dishes for all occasions. With just 4 ingredients, you’ll have delicately crisp yet ultra-tender carrots simmered in a sweet glaze in around 20 minutes total!
Why this recipe works
Glazed carrots are a popular side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner, however, they pair well with all sorts of main courses year-round. Making them is super easy with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
You might know them as candied carrots or brown sugar-glazed carrots as well. They’re tender, crisp, and perfectly caramelized after being simmered in brown sugar and butter. Out of all the ways we’ve roasted carrots, wrapped them in bacon, and made them in the slow cooker – classic glazed carrots seem to be everyone’s favorite little sweet (yet semi-healthy) treat to go with dinner.
Related Recipe – Brown Sugar Substitute
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CARROTS – We peeled and sliced 2 lbs of carrots on a diagonal, but if you want a bit less prep, feel free to use baby carrots instead. The cut of your carrots doesn’t matter, as long as you’re careful to make them uniform in size which will help them cook evenly. If you cut your carrots larger than the recipes states, simply simmer them in water for a bit longer keeping an eye on when they begin to soften. You may need to add a little more water if you simmer for longer.
BROWN SUGAR – You can substitute the brown sugar with equal parts honey or maple syrup if preferred.
How to Make Glazed Carrots
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Place carrots and water into a large skillet and heat over medium high until water comes to a boil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until water has evaporated completely and the carrots are beginning to soften.
- Add butter and brown sugar, stirring and cooking until the brown sugar dissolves into the butter.
- Cook approximately 5 minutes longer – the carrots should be fork tender and evenly coated in the sauce. The sauce will have reduced to a thick glaze.
- Remove from heat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftover glazed carrots in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
The easiest way to reheat glazed carrots is to microwave them in 30-second intervals until thoroughly heated through. You can also saute them in a skillet to reheat. If needed, you can always add a small amount of butter to the pan. If you feel they’ve lost some of their sweetness or are a little dry, add a dash of honey to the skillet.
Serving Suggestions
Glazed carrots pair really well with pork, chicken, and beef. It’s always a welcome addition at our dinner table to have a little bit of sweetness with our savory dishes whether that be on a typical weeknight or during holiday get-togethers.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs carrots peeled and sliced diagonally to 1⁄4”-1⁄2” thickness
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- salt and pepper to taste
- finely chopped parsley optional as garnish
Things You’ll Need
- Large skillet
Before You Begin
- I used about 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt while cooking the carrots and then garnished with another sprinkle of each. Be careful not to add too much salt, particularly if you use salted butter instead of the unsalted butter.
- We like our carrots tender crisp. If you wish to make very soft carrots, add more water to the skillet while simmering and cook until desired softness is achieved. Drain any excess water before adding butter and brown sugar to make the glaze.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Instructions
- Place carrots and water into a large skillet and heat over medium high until water comes to a boil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until water has evaporated completely and the carrots are beginning to soften.
- Add butter and brown sugar, stirring and cooking until the brown sugar dissolves into the butter.
- Cook approximately 5 minutes longer – the carrots should be fork tender and evenly coated in the sauce. The sauce will have reduced to a thick glaze.
- Remove from heat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.
