Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots

Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: Simply prep the carrots, make the glaze and roast! It's as easy as 1-2-3.
• Perfectly balanced: With two types of sugar, these roasted carrots are definitely on the sweeter side. However, thanks to fresh herbs, olive oil and a splash of apple cider vinegar for acidity, these carrots have a well balanced flavor profile!
• Caramelized and perfectly roasted: The sugar creates a caramelized coating on these carrots that's absolutely addictive! They have a nice crust on the outside, but they're perfectly soft on the inside.
• Dairy and gluten free: These roasted carrots are naturally free from dairy, gluten, nuts and soy, so they're a great option for those with food allergies. You can also make them fully vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these brown sugar honey glazed carrots:

Ingredient Notes

• Carrots: Try to use large, evenly-sized carrots to ensure even cooking. If your carrots are very oversized, cut them in half crosswise, which will help them cook more evenly and cut down on cooking time a bit.
• Honey: Be sure to use a honey that isn't overly viscous, or it may be hard to evenly coat your carrots. Honeys that are sold in squeeze bottles will typically be the best for coating your carrots. Note that honey isn't vegan, so if you're a vegan looking to make this recipe, just sub out the honey 1:1 with maple syrup.
• Brown sugar: We used a light brown sugar, which is super sticky and will adhere to carrots easily, and melt into a wonderful glaze. We wouldn't recommend using drier, grainer varieties like turbinado or Demerara sugar. You can, however, use dark brown sugar for an extra rich, molasses flavor.
• Thyme and parsley: We used fresh thyme and parsley in this recipe. You can opt for dried herbs instead, just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dry.
• Apple cider vinegar: These carrots really benefit from acidity with all of the sweetness, so be sure not to leave this out! If you don't have any ACV on hand or you don't like the flavor, you could use lemon juice or white vinegar instead.
• Olive oil: Just use a regular olive oil here, as there's no need to use anything special or expensive. If you're on an oil-free diet, you can probably get away leaving this out, but you'll need to stir your carrots a bit more to evenly coat them thoroughly.
• Cinnamon: Technically optional, but we love the slightly sweet, warm flavor that it adds to these carrots.

Instructions

(PREP) Preheat the oven to 400˚F / 205˚C. Wash, peel, and trim the carrots and cut in half lengthwise.

(1) Whisk together the olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, cinnamon, thyme and parsley.

(2) Pour the glaze over the carrots and toss well to coat. Transfer the carrots to a large baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.

(3) After 20 minutes, remove the carrots from the oven and sprinkle with the 3 tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir to coat. Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes until carrots are fork tender.

Serve topped with fresh pomegranate seeds and/or chopped walnuts or pecans.

Tips and FAQs

• Make ahead: You can prep the carrots and make the glaze up to several days before making this recipe. When it's time to make the carrots, simply toss in the glaze and bake.
• If your honey is too thick to coat the carrots, pop it in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals until it's easier to drizzle.
• Pack your sugar tightly into the measuring cup: This helps to ensure an even measurement, so be sure to press your sugar into your measuring cup.
• Select evenly sized carrots to make sure they cook evenly.
• Stir your carrots once or twice during each cooking segment. This will help foster even cooking, prevent burning, and promote more caramelization.
• To make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey.
• Add parsnips: Feel free to sub half of the carrots with equally-sized parsnips. They cook at the same rate and they're delicious with this glaze!
• If you're using dried herbs in lieu of fresh, remember that 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dry.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

More Carrot Recipes to Enjoy

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