Brown Sugar Carrots: Sweet & Flavorful Roasted Side Dish
Brown sugar carrots are the perfect blend of sweet and savory, making them an easy side that everyone will love!
If you’re looking for more delicious ideas to round out your meal, check out these easy carrot recipes for even more inspiration.
Carrots caramelized with butter and brown sugar turn into a rich, glossy dish that pairs beautifully with just about any dinner.
Whether you’re making a holiday feast or a simple weeknight meal, this recipe is quick to whip up and packed with flavor.
The natural sweetness of the carrots gets a boost from the brown sugar, while a touch of butter adds that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
How to Slice Carrots for Roasting:
- Ensure all pieces are similar in size to guarantee even roasting.
- Peel and trim the ends of the carrots.
- For even cooking, aim for uniform thickness.
- For thin carrots, roast them whole or cut them in half.
- For larger carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices for a stylish look.
- Alternatively, cut carrots into thick sticks or chunks based on your preference.
How do you make brown sugar baked carrots?
To make these baked carrots, start by preheating your oven to 400°F. Peel and cut about 1 pound of carrots—this high temperature will really help them caramelize perfectly.
In a bowl, melt some butter and mix in brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Toss the carrots in the glaze until they’re well coated. Then, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
For extra flavor, feel free to sprinkle in a little cinnamon or nutmeg, or even top them with fresh thyme or parsley.
Roast the carrots for about 25-30 minutes. Remember to give them a stir halfway through so they cook evenly and get that perfect caramelization.
If you’re in a time crunch, you can prep the carrots and glaze them the day before. Just pop them in the fridge and bake when you’re ready!
How to Serve Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
These carrots are the perfect side dish recipe for almost any meal, and they’re especially great for special occasions.
You can serve them with roasted turkey or ham, and they’ll be a hit at your holiday table. The sweetness pairs so well with savory dishes, making them a must-have for your Thanksgiving side dish recipes or Easter carrot recipes.
These roasted carrots are versatile, delicious, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next big dinner!
Look for firm, bright orange carrots with smooth, unblemished skin. Choose medium-sized carrots for even cooking, and avoid any that are wilted, soft, or cracked. If you can, opt for organic carrots as they tend to be sweeter and have fewer chemicals. Baby carrots can work too, but keep in mind they cook faster, so be mindful of the timing!
If your carrots aren’t softening, they may be too thick, not roasting long enough, or your oven temperature may be too low. Try cutting them into smaller pieces, roasting at a higher temperature, or covering them with foil for the first half of the cooking time to trap steam and help them soften.
Carrots pair well with butter, brown sugar, honey, garlic, fresh herbs (like thyme or rosemary), and warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic vinegar can also brighten their natural sweetness.
Yes! Brown sugar adds a delicious caramelized sweetness to roasted carrots. Toss the carrots with a little melted butter and brown sugar before roasting for the best results.
Carrots typically take 25-40 minutes to bake, depending on their size and the oven temperature. When roasting at 400°F, smaller pieces usually take 20-25 minutes, while whole or thicker carrots may take up to 35 minutes. To ensure even cooking, toss the carrots halfway through and check for tenderness by piercing them with a fork.
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Looking for more ideas? These recipes would work well with the sweet and savory flavors of your carrots!
- Whether you’re roasting, sautéing, or glazing, these carrot cooking methods bring out the best in this versatile veggie—perfect for pairing with any meal.
- Try these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon for a savory side dish that’s crispy, smoky, and perfect for any meal!
- If you’re craving a crunchy and tender side, these Crispy Roasted Potatoes are a must-try—golden and delicious with just the right amount of seasoning.
- Want to enhance your dishes? Check out our guide on how to use herbs in cooking to add fresh, vibrant flavors to your meals.
- These Roasted Vegetable Recipes are a simple, flavorful way to prepare seasonal veggies that pair perfectly with almost any main dish!
Brown Sugar Baked Carrots
Ingredients
- 10-12 Carrots peeled and then cut in half OR 2 dozen baby carrots.
- salt & pepper
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp butter diced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Wash and peel the carrots, removing any dirt or blemishes. Trim off the tops and cut them into evenly sized pieces, such as diagonal slices or sticks.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Add the sliced carrots to the bowl and toss them with the brown sugar mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Place carrots to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer.
- Roast the carrots in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are tender and caramelized, flipping them once halfway through the cooking time.
- Keep an eye on the carrots during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent them from burning. The brown sugar will melt and caramelize, creating a glossy glaze on the carrots.
- Once the carrots are roasted to your desired tenderness and have a golden brown color, remove them from the oven.
- Garnish the roasted carrots with chopped fresh herbs, if desired, to add an extra burst of flavor and freshness.
Gorgeous! I think carrots are so pretty when cooked well like yours are! A gorgeous addition to any meal!
It’s amazing how they go from so blah looking to sweet and shiny!
I make carrots like this all the time. They are Always a big hit with my family
Carrots are one of the few veggies my daughter loves to eat. I have done them in honey before, but this looks like an awesome recipe that I need to try
Baked carrots with brown sugar sounds amazing. Cheers to all the carrots we will all consume in the coming weeks!
One of my favorite vegetables. I can’t wait to try your recipe. I just got a recipe for a roasted carrot carrot cake. Doesn’t that sound amazing??
I have only ever done these on the stove, but I love the idea of baking them, it would be so much easier!! Totally grabbing carrots not stop at the farmers market!
I adore carrots! And it’s such an easy vegetable to prepare. It looks good when plated and when I make them I always get compliments. I haven’t tried this version yet so it’s definitely next on my list. What did you sprinkle over them? Is it oregano?
This type of carrot is my favorite! I love the brown sugar flavor with carrots, so delicious!
They almost look like yams! Never had brown sugar carrots this is so interesting!
I’ve never made a carrot cake but this recipe sounds simple enough and so good. I want to try it. I’m sure it’ll be a hit at any Easter party.
Oh no! I saw the picture of that carrot cake and now I’m craving for this and want to eat some. I love carrots in any dish.
Those carrots looks amazing! I love that it’s baked and not fried. It looks really tasty and I’m sure it’s the perfect side to any kind of main course. I would love to keep the recipe.
I hated carrots when I was growing up, but now I love them. Brown sugar makes anything taste better. Looking forward to giving these a try. The carrot cake looks delish!
My husband and I both love carrots but I’ve always used maple syrup! Adding brown sugar is a perfect, thanks for the tip! I love cast iron too girl, keep up the great work!
These are my dads absolute favorite!! My mom always makes them for him except he is on a diet now that is a lil more strict. I like my carrots raw (: but I tend to sneak a little bite in. Thanks for sharing
My mom used to make brown sugar carrots! They were always my favorite. I have a picky eater right now but she might LOVE these. Thanks for the reminder and the great recipes!
These look wonderful and will certainly make an appearance on our Easter table!
Omg can we say yum?!!! These carrots look absolutely delicious! I must give your recipe a try! Yummy!
Looks great! What is the garnish that is on the baked carrots?
Was wondering the same myself!
Parsley! The universal garnish LOL!
Parsley!
What type of carrots are these?
Pictured are baby carrots I found at a local farmer’s market, however you can use any carrot you’d like.
My kids would be all over this recipe…who could resist the brown sugar caramelizing on those carrots?
I make plain roasted carrots all the time, but this recipe takes it to another level! Excellent side dish for spring or Easter.
They really look beautiful for a side dish. I love the color and how they look carmelized.
Yum!!!! This recipe has so much flavor! I’ll be making these again for sure!
This is a way to make boring carrots into some extra good!
Can you cook them in a cast iron skillet?
YES! Originally in my photos you will notice they are in a skillet!
my carrots after 30 minutes in the oven were still hard. What did I do wrong?
I haven’t a clue! I have never had this issue!
@nancy wright, if they are baby carrots need to cook for an hour
I love carrots cooked whole like this, and love that sauce too!
My kids absolutely loved this carrot recipe!!
What a fun new side dish idea! Thank you!
Lovely recipe. Can you make these ahead of time? If so, do they hold for the next day?
I would think so, although maybe just not baked them. I would prepare the dish, refrigerate and then bake when you are ready.
I’m making these for a wedding and I want to make about 30 servings. I know I have to double up on the brown sugar and the butter, but what about the cook time? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I’m not great at cooking and I don’t want to mess it up since this is for a wedding.
Thanks.
Wow. That is a lot! I am not really sure. I would think the cook time would be the same since. Just lay them flat so they cook evenly and when a fork can pierce them, they are done.
I made these tonight and they weren’t done in 25 nor 30 mins..I had to add another 30 mins before they we’re tender. These we’re baby peeled eat carrots.so Idk if that was the problem or not. Had a good taste tho. Idk if I’ll maké these again or not. ????
An hour seems like an awfully long time. Maybe it’s your oven, never had this kind of issue as I use baby carrots all the time.
I had the same problem.
I am sorry to hear this. Maybe different oven types. I would try to turn the temperature up next time.
@momma lew, I also had the same problem.
I have updated the recipe to reflect the longer cooking time on the baby carrots.
@momma lew, I wish you gave the amount of carrots by the pound and not counting individual baby carrots. Making it tonight.
About a pound of carrots will do.
@momma lew, Thanks! They are great!! Making them for easter. I love a vegetable side dish the is SO easy and good!!
Love hearing this!!!!
@Trudy, I par boil my carrots before roasting for about 4 minutes
What a great recipe!!! Used a bag of baby carrots and read the reviews. Upped the heat to 375 for 45 minutes. Perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Love to hear this!! Thank you!
These look delicious! I usually put chopped carrots in soup or chili, but haven’t made any like this in years! I need to put this on the menu this week.
These will be perfect for Thanksgiving Dinner thanks for sharing.
These carrots sound amazing. I am going to add them to my menu.
I haven’t made this yet! but have been wanting to ,I’m going to give this one a try because I love eating carrots and adding a little brown sugar sounds delicious!!
@tisonlyme143
Did anyone actually make this dish?
Good morning Susan, actually if you scroll down to the recipe card, there is over 520 reviews and more than that on my Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/mommalewsblog. All with rave reviews!
this is how I make my carrots,and they are so good
I’m gonna make these for Thanksgiving; yum!
They remind me of a side at my favorite restaurant.
Hello! I’m so excited to make this dish for thanksgiving! I’m just wondering, did you melt the butter before putting it in with the carrots?
Yes, I did. I hope you enjoy!
Have you ever tried making these in a slow cooker?
I haven’t but I bet they would be delicious! Let us know if you try!
I want to make these for Christmas but my oven will be full of prime rib all morning. How could these be made ahead or cooked in something else?
I will be roasting my carrots while my prime rib is resting.
Wow. Made these tonight and they will be a staple for holidays. So delicious!
So glad to here this!
It states I like to use larger carrots, but the pictures show bagged baby carrots. Cooking times will not be the same, so which is it, a cooking time for large or bagged baby carrots?
You can use either. Just monitor your carrots to see if they need more time.
Delicious, will make this again. Our guests liked it as well
Could I prep these the day before and just throw them in the oven Easter Day?
Yes you can!
Made this with baby carrots from the produce dept of the supermarket. As instructed in the recipe, they will need an hour to bake/roast as opposed to the regular full length carrots. Love, love, love this recipe!
I made glazed carrots last night with butter and some olive oil and garlic. After mixing I sprinkled cinnamon and brown sugar all over them. The recipe called for a 425° oven for 30 minutes. I kept them in another 15 minutes and they were still not tender. I can only eat soft vegetables. Now I see that you call for 350° oven for 45 min to an hour. Which is the correct oven temperature to use? They tasted really good but they were not soft.
Hi, I use a 425 degree oven. I was simply giving directions if someone wanted to do 350.
Thanks you for the carrots I just love the style of cooking Ingredients
Hello, I am thinking/wondering if this could adapt to add ins like Brussels, baby onions, squash slices…?
Have you tried this syrup with other veggies?
I think these veggies would work awesome! Also, maybe sweet potatoes?
Hey Reesa! Love this carrot recipe! Thanks for sharing. I linked to it as a great side dish for my smoked beef tenderloin recipe. Thanks again!
Awesome!
I a little bit confused on your notes it says If using baby carrots, you will need to adjust your time to 45-60 minutes, But for the regular size the Baking time says 25-30 minutes. Why do the Baby Carrots need more time?
Baby carrots are a lot firmer than regular carrots and take a longer time to cook.
Had 2 lbs. of whole carrots and made them per your recipe; I love carrots but OMG these are fantastic. I had to stop myself from eating the entire batch. Thank you!👍😊
Can I cook them in a crockpot? I can’t wait to try these…yumm
I never tried before, but I don’t see why not!
Hello, I would love to try these carrots in my air fryer that has a bake option. Do you think the temperature would be the same?
I believe it would!
I use dill weed in place of cinnamon, tastes incredible.
Compliments turnips as well.
Delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. I also added a good dash of powdered ginger which was perfect.
I take high school kids and we prepare lunch at a residental homeless mission once a month. This recipe is perfect. Easy for the kids to cook. Easy to expand to feed 85+. Easy on the wallet……and really tasty.
That is so wonderful and I LOVE that you are using my recipe to do this!
The recipe states to use 2 dozen baby carrots and that it yields 8. Is that 8 servings? That equates to just three baby carrots per serving. Is this correct? This looks delicious, but it seems like one of the numbers is off.
You are correct – I updated it to 4 servings.
Can’t wait to make this recipe!