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Honey glazed carrots cook in less than 10 minutes for a side dish that is easy enough to make on a weeknight but delicious enough to add to your holiday table. You only need a few ingredients to make these sweet, buttery carrots!
One of my absolute favorite dishes on our Thanksgiving buffet line are honey glazed carrots. My cousin’s girlfriend, Lorrie, brings them every single year and they are always one of the most popular side dishes.
This simple honey glazed carrot recipe is perfect for a weeknight side dish or adding to your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even Easter dinner menu alongside the roast turkey or ham. You can make them in 15 minutes from start to finish and you only need 5 ingredients (that includes salt and pepper!).
If you have a hard time getting your kids to eat their veggies, give these carrots a try. The buttery sweetness is enough to convince even the most staunch veggie hater to take a bite!
Ingredient notes
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
You’ll only need 5 ingredients to make my honey glazed carrots, and that includes salt and pepper! You’ll need:
- Baby carrots: These are much faster and easier to prep than whole carrots. But if you want to use whole carrots, you can! Just make sure to peel them and cut them into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted both work fine. Use a good quality butter for the best flavor.
- Honey: Use a good local honey if you can find it!
- Salt and pepper
How to make this honey glazed carrot recipe
Start by cutting the carrots in half on an angle. The angle isn’t really required, but it makes the carrots look so much prettier in the serving dish!
Grab a small dutch oven. Make sure the pot is big enough that the carrots only come about halfway up the sides.
Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, honey, salt and several grinds of black pepper. Stir, cover, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
After the 5 minutes are up, remove the lid and give the carrots a stir. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 more minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Cook until the carrots are fork tender and the butter and honey have reduced into a lovely glaze. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Make ahead and holiday prep tips
If you’re making these carrots as a holiday side dish, I have a couple of tips for you.
Prep the carrots by cutting them in half in the morning or even the night before the big meal. Pop them into a zip-top bag or an airtight container and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.
Since the carrots cook so quickly, you’ll be able to toss them on the stove just before you sit down to eat, but won’t have to worry about cutting the carrots while you finish the rest of the meal.
This recipe also scales really well if you’re feeding a crowd. Just make sure you choose a pot large enough so the carrots aren’t overcrowded.
Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
Video
Instructions
- Cut carrots in half on an angle.1 pound baby carrots
- Melt butter in a small dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat. Make sure the pot is big enough that the carrots only come about halfway up the sides.3 tablespoons butter
- Once the butter is melted, add the carrots, honey, a teaspoon of salt and several generous grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine, cover and cook on high for 5 minutes.3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, Black pepper to taste
- Remove the lid and stir; reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are fork tender and the melted butter and honey have reduced into a glaze. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
Ingredients
- If you do not have baby carrots, peel 1 pound of large carrots and cut into 1 to 1 ½-inch pieces.
- Because there are just a handful of ingredients in this recipe, make sure to use a good quality honey.
Scaling
- This recipe scales up well to serve a larger group; just be sure to use a large enough pot so the carrots are not over-crowded.
Storage
- Best served immediately, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations
- Use maple syrup in place of honey for slightly different flavor profile.
- For a vegan version, use your favorite plant-based butter substitute and maple syrup.
- Add fresh thyme leaves for an herbaceous note.
- Use hot honey for a slightly spicy version.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe variations
- To make these carrots vegan, use your preferred vegan butter and swap the honey for maple syrup. Maple syrup can also be used with butter for a slightly different flavor profile.
- For a spicy twist, use hot honey in place of regular honey.
- Add fresh herbs, such as thyme, for an herby flavor.
- Use a mix of orange, purple, yellow, and/or white carrots for a pretty pop of color.
Serving suggestions
If you’ve been keeping track, these carrots cook in less than 10 minutes! That makes them perfect for serving alongside Ritz Cracker Chicken, Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast, or One-Pot Beef Stroganoff on a weeknight.
But don’t sleep on these carrots as an easy holiday side dish either! They would be a great addition to your holiday table with Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, or Sweet Potato Casserole.
With so much versatility, I bet these simple glazed carrots will be a regular in your dinner rotation!
This recipe was as quick and easy as promised. It was well received by the family. I will definitely make it again.