This Candied Carrots recipe is the sister recipe to Candied Sweet Potatoes. This dish offers an amazing combination of sweet and savory flavors, elevating boring veggies into a delectable side dish that’s sure to please everyone at the table. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort this is the perfect caramelized treat for any occasion.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sweet Flavor: Candied carrots offer a sweet and indulgent twist on a classic vegetable dish. The combination of caramelized sugar, butter, and spices creates a deliciously sweet glaze that enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- Versatility: This recipe can be served as a side dish for a variety of meals, from holiday dinners to weeknight suppers. They pair well with a wide range of main courses, including roasted meats, poultry, and fish.
- Amazing Texture: The caramelized glaze gives the carrots a glossy sheen and a slightly sticky texture, which contrasts beautifully with the tender-crisp texture of the cooked carrots.
- The Beauty: Their vibrant orange color and glossy glaze will add a pop of color and elegance to the dinner table, making them a festive addition to special occasions and holiday meals.
- Kid-Friendly: The sweetness of candied carrots can appeal to children who may be hesitant to eat vegetables. The familiar taste of caramelized sugar can make carrots more enticing for picky eaters and encourage them to eat their veggies.
- Easy to Make: This dish is easy to prepare, requiring just a few simple ingredients and comes together so quickly.
- Make-Ahead Option: This dish can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving. This allows you to spend less time in the kitchen on the day of the event.
What Type of Carrots to Use
You can use standard carrots, also known as mature carrots or full-sized carrots or baby carrots. Standard carrots are typically larger and have a more robust flavor and firmer texture, which holds up well to the candying process. I use these, but baby carrots will also work. Keep these things in mind:
- Freshness: Choose carrots that are firm, smooth-skinned, and free from blemishes or soft spots. The fresher the carrots, the better they will taste once candied.
- Size: While you can use carrots of any size for candying, medium to large-sized carrots are easier to work with and will yield more uniform slices or chunks.
- Color: Carrots come in a variety of colors, including orange, purple, yellow, and white. Choose what you like.
- Thickness: Aim for carrots that are of uniform thickness to ensure even cooking. If the carrots vary in size, consider cutting them into similar-sized pieces for consistent results.
Caramelized Glaze Ingredients
- Brown Sugar/Regular Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps to create the caramelized coating on the sweet potatoes.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the glaze.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor and enhances the overall sweetness of the glaze.
- Cinnamon: Provides warm, aromatic spice that complements the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- Nutmeg: Adds a nutty, warm flavor that pairs well with cinnamon and enhances the overall complexity of the glaze.
- Cloves: Adds a warm, spicy, and slightly floral flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness of the glaze and enhances the other flavors.
These ingredients come together to create a rich, sticky glaze that coats the carrots and caramelizes beautifully as they cook on the stovetop.
How to Make Candied Carrots
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Heat a pan or pot on medium-high heat and add the butter.
- When melted, add white sugar (or sweetener), brown sugar (or sweetener), ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir.
- Once the sugar has melted, add in the vanilla extract and stir.
- Pour in the water and stir until the glaze caramelizes.
- Add in the diced carrots and stir until the carrots are fully coated in the glaze.
- Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the pot.
- Simmer and cook the carrots.
- Combine the flour in a separate bowl and stir until the flour is fully incorporated to create a slurry.
- Open the pot and pour the slurry into the pot and stir. The glaze will thicken.
- Cool before serving.
Cook Time/How Long to Cook
The carrots will need to cook for 8-12 minutes until they are tender.
How to Tell When They Are Done
- Tender Texture: Use a fork to test the carrots for tenderness. They should be soft enough to pierce easily with a fork but still have some firmness to them. The texture should be tender but not mushy.
- Caramelization: The carrots should have a glossy appearance and a caramelized coating from the sugar glaze. Look for a golden-brown color on the edges of the carrots and a slightly sticky texture from the caramelized sugar.
- Thickened Glaze: The sugar glaze should have thickened and coated the carrots evenly. It should have a syrupy consistency that clings to the carrots without being overly runny or watery.
- Sweet Aroma: As the carrots cook, you’ll notice a sweet aroma from the caramelization of the sugar and the carrots. This aroma intensifies as the carrots finish cooking and the glaze thickens.
- Taste Test: Finally, the best way to tell if candied carrots are finished cooking is to taste them. Take a small piece of carrot and sample it to see if it’s cooked to your desired level of tenderness and sweetness. Adjust the seasoning or cooking time if needed.
How to Adjust the Sweetness
If you want a dish that is less sweet, start by reducing the sugar by a tablespoon or two and taste-test the glaze. Continue adjusting until you reach your desired level of sweetness.
If you like a sweet dish add more sugar or sweetener.
What Type of Pan/Pot to Use
You’ll want to use a sturdy and wide-bottomed pot or skillet. A heavy-bottomed saucepan or sauté pan is ideal for even heat distribution and preventing hot spots that could cause the sugar to burn.
Here are some options:
- Cast Iron Skillet: This can be an excellent choice for this dish due to its ability to distribute heat evenly and its durability.
- Saucepan: A medium to large saucepan works well, especially if you’re cooking a smaller batch. Choose one with a heavy bottom to ensure even cooking and to prevent scorching of the sugar syrup.
- Sauté Pan or Skillet: A wide, shallow sauté pan or skillet provides ample surface area for cooking the carrots in a single layer. This allows for better caramelization of the sugar and ensures that the carrots cook evenly.
- Dutch Oven: A Dutch oven is a versatile option, especially if you’re cooking a larger batch or if you want to transfer the dish from stovetop to oven for finishing.
Additional Flavors/Substitutions/Add-ins
- Nuts: For added texture and flavor, you can substitute or add chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or even pumpkin seeds.
- Citrus: Add a burst of freshness with the zest or juice of oranges, lemons, or limes.
- Herbs: Enhance the flavor profile with fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or sage.
- Diced apples
- Cranberries
- Marshmallows
Can You Make it Ahead
For freshly cooked candied carrots, you can prepare some elements ahead of time to streamline the process. You can peel and slice the carrots in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to cook. You can also prepare the candied glaze (butter, sugar, spices) ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. Then, when you’re ready to cook, simply combine the prepared carrots and glaze in a skillet and cook according to your recipe.
In general, the fully cooked dish will need to be transfered to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the carrots in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
How to Reheat
- Microwave: Cover the dish loosely with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap to help retain moisture. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the carrots are heated through.
- Stovetop: For larger quantities, or if you prefer to reheat them on the stovetop, transfer them to a skillet or saucepan. Add a splash of water or broth to the skillet to help prevent sticking and to create steam. Heat the carrots over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are heated through.
- Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and transfer the carrots to an oven-safe dish and cover it with aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out. Place the dish in the preheated oven and heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are heated through.
Freezer Tips
Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Label the container with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw the carrots overnight in the refrigerator.
More Candied Recipes and Carrots
Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes Yams
Candied Sweet Potatoes Yams with Marshmallows
Slow Cooker Crockpot Candied Sweet Potatoes
Slow Cooker Crockpot Glazed Carrots
Pair With These Recipes
Traeger Smoked Glazed Ham
Southern Baked Ham with Pineapple
Baked Turkey Wings
Fried Corn Recipe
Baked Turkey Legs
Baked Crab Legs
Candied Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots Peeled, and sliced into 1/2-1 inch pieces.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or sweetener
- 1/2 cup white sugar or sweetener
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water
Glaze Thickener
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Heat a pan or pot on medium-high heat and add the butter.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- When melted, add the white sugar (or sweetener), brown sugar (or sweetener), ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir. You want to ensure the sugar melts down, but don't overcook the glaze.1/2 cup brown sugar or sweetener, 1/2 cup white sugar or sweetener, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Once the sugar has melted, add in the vanilla extract and stir. The glaze will thicken.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour in the water and stir until the glaze caramelizes.1/4 cup water
- Add in the diced carrots and stir until the carrots are fully coated in the glaze.2 pounds carrots
- Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the pot.
- Simmer and cook the carrots for 8-12 until the carrots are tender. Cook time will vary based on the size of your carrots.
- Combine the flour in a separate bowl and stir until the flour is fully incorporated to create a slurry. Add 2 tablespoons of the glaze from the pot to the bowl with the flour slurry. Stir to fully combine. This is important. If you don't fully incorporate the mixture, you will end up with clumps of flour in your glaze.1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon water
- Open the pot and pour the slurry into the pot and stir. The glaze will thicken.
- Cool before serving. The glaze will thicken even more upon standing.
Notes
- We love the glaze. It’s the best part of making this dish. It’s served Southern style which includes a good hefty amount of glaze, if it’s too much for you consider using half of the servings noted for the glaze ingredients.
- If making candied carrots for the first time, you may want to test out your desired level of sweetness. You can start with half of the recommended servings above. From there, continue to build and taste repeatedly until the dish suits your needs.
- You can omit any of the spices in this recipe, make it suit your taste.
- Watch your carrots closely. The dish will cook at varying speeds based on the size potatoes you use. You may need more or less time.
- You can use cornstarch instead of flour if you wish. I have better results using flour here.
- If your glaze has clumps of flour, you used flour that is not fresh/expired or you didn’t fully incorporate it with liquid prior to adding it to the pot.