Elevate the humble carrot with this simple Honey Roasted Carrots recipe. I slice the carrots before coating them in a delicious glaze of melted butter, honey, and brown sugar. Once you’ve tried these candied carrots, you won’t return to plain old boiled ones!
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With this honey glazed carrots recipe, hands on prep time is minimal. Once coated in the buttery, honey mixture the oven does all the hard work, leaving you to get on with preparing the rest of the meal.
Roasting vegetables give them a wonderful flavor and these easy roasted carrots taste so much better regular boiled carrots. Roasting caramelizes the carrots a little, bringing out the natural sugars in this humble root vegetable.
Try some of my favorite vegetable side dish recipes, my Marinated Air Fryer Vegetables, Air Fryer Roasted Carrots, Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes, and my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make these easy honey roasted carrots:
- Carrots – I scrubbed the carrots and left the skin on.
- Unsalted butter – if using salted butter, cut back on the salt.
- Honey – I find runny honey works best.
- Light brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
How to make honey roasted carrots
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper and set aside.
Add the carrots, melted butter, honey, light brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss everything together until the carrots are well-coated with the mixture.
Spread the coated carrots in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Roast the carrots in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through the cooking time to ensure even roasting.
Serve and enjoy.
Expert Tips
These tips will help you make the best honey roasted carrots you’ve ever tried.
- Cut the carrots into even sized slices, that way they cook evenly.
- Feel free to peel or not peel the carrots. I leave them unpeeled for this method.
- For firmer carrots, cook the carrots for less time.
Flavor variations!
- You can use baby carrots, but keep in mind that the cooking time will vary, as well as the flavor.
- Serving to vegan diners, swap the honey for maple syrup and the butter for a dairy-free alternative.
- Add a touch of spice like cumin seeds, ground cumin, cinnamon, or nutmeg to the honey butter glaze.
- Finish the carrots with a garnish of freshly chopped parsley, thyme, or chives just before serving.
- This method would work equally well with parsnips, beets, pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes. All you need to do is adjust the cooking times depending on the cooked vegetable.
How to serve honey roasted carrots
Candied carrots are a delicious and versatile side dish that can be served at any time of the year with a variety of meat, fish, seafood, and vegetable based main dishes. I like to serve them with my Air Fried Spatchcock Chicken, Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter, Sous Vide Pork Chops, Air Fryer Meatloaf, Roasted Air Fryer Turkey Breast, or my Air Fryer Whole Fish.
How to store
Make ahead: You can get ahead and coat the carrots in the honey mixture hours before serving. Then, all you need to do is place them in the oven to roast when ready to eat. This makes them the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other holiday table.
To refrigerate: Store leftover carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a small pan on the stovetop or microwave.
To freeze: Honey-roasted carrots can be cooked, cooled, and placed in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
No, you can leave the carrots with the skin on as I have done here, or peel it off. It is entirely down to personal preference.
As I slice the carrots before roasting, there is no need to parboil them first. The honey butter glaze ensures the carrots don’t dry out in the hot oven.
If you have tried this honey-roasted carrot recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Honey Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots rinsed, scrubbed and sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the carrots, melted butter, honey, light brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until the carrots are well-coated with the mixture.
- Spread the coated carrots in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Roast the carrots in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through the cooking time to ensure even roasting.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- For firmer carrots, cook carrots for less time.
- Feel free to peel or not peel the carrots. I leave them unpeeled for this method.
- You can use baby carrots, but keep in mind that the cooking time will vary, as well as the flavor.
Patricia Blacquiere
Saturday 28th of October 2023
Can you do these honey roasted carrots in your air fryer using baby carrots?
Tanya
Monday 30th of October 2023
Hi Patricia, yes you can. Baby carrots will take a little longer to soften, depending on the size. Here's my air fryer carrot recipe that gives instructions for carrots in the air fryer. Air Fryer Carrots (Sweet or Savory)