Honey Glazed Baby Carrots

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 12/13/19
Simple honey glazed baby carrots

The Spruce

 
  • Total: 30 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yield: 8 Servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
139 Calories
6g Fat
22g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 Servings
Amount per serving
Calories 139
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 555mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 1g
Calcium 43mg 3%
*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.)

Honey, butter, and brown sugar bring out the natural sweetness in these cooked baby carrots, and lemon juice adds a tang to balance the flavors to perfection. Use sliced big regular carrots instead, but be mindful they have to be cut in similarly sized pieces, so the cooking time is the same – 2-inch by half of an inch in size is perfect.

Quick and easy to prepare, these carrots make a great side dish for a beef roast, whole chicken, or even poached fish. Don't overcook the carrots, as a little bit of crunch is also part of their success; if by any chance your carrots get too soft, process them in a food processor with a tablespoon of butter, and serve as carrot mash.

If making these carrots for vegan guests, use vegan margarine and maple syrup, or sorghum syrup instead of honey.

1:10

Click Play to See This Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds baby carrots
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • Kosher salt, to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Garnish: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or chives, chopped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for honey glazed baby carrots
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  2. Rinse the baby carrots under cold water and put them in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil.

    Rinse baby carrots
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  3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, or until tender but firm. Check after 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

    Reduce heat to medium low and drain
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  4. In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add honey and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

    Melt butter over medium heat
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  5. Add the lemon juice and gently stir in the cooked carrots, coating well.

    Add lemon juice
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  6. Continue heating, gently stirring, until carrots are hot and glazed with the honey mixture.

    Heating carrots
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  7. Add Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with chopped parsley.

    Glazed carrots
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  8. Enjoy!

Oven-Glazed Carrots

If you don't have time to be near the stove, follow these steps to finish your carrots in the oven:

  • 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.

Additional Toppings

Add one or more of our suggested toppings before serving the carrots:

  • Add 2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds or chopped cashews.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of pepitas or sunflower seeds.
  • Add 1/4 cup of Parmesan shavings.

Make your glazed carrots a salad:

  • Mix the carrots with 4 cups of baby kale, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, and 1/2 of crumbled feta. Toss with 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil, and check salt and pepper before serving.