Easy slow cooker glazed carrots recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with baby carrots, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and garnished with pecans. A classic Thanksgiving side dish!
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This is one of the easiest side dishes ever, especially for Thanksgiving. Take some work off your plate and add these along with my Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes to your holiday menu. This dish goes by many names such as "caramelized carrots," brown sugar carrots, and "sweet carrots." Whatever you call them, they're delicious and pair well with numerous main dishes.
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Key ingredients
- Baby carrots- These should be fresh and not canned or frozen.
- Butter- Make sure it is unsalted to keep the final dish from becoming too salty.
- Spices- This includes salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon.
- Sugar- The best caramelized flavor comes from the use of brown sugar.
- Nuts- These should be roughly chopped and add a nice crunch. Use as a topping.
How to make easy slow cooker glazed carrots recipe from scratch?
1. Add butter- This should be melted and unsalted.
2. Add sweetener and spices- I used salt, pepper, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon.
3. Mix- Until combined
4. Cover and cook- Until carrots are fork tender.
5. Mix- To coat the carrots evenly at the half point and at the end again.
6. Garnish- With additional brown sugar and chopped nuts.
Variations
- Topping options - Mini marshmallows, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, fresh herbs, raisins, dried cranberries, etc.
- Add alcohol - Such as bourbon, spiced rum, whiskey, or other similar options to make them slightly boozy.
- Other sweetener options - Try granulated sugar, brown sugar, date paste, stevia, honey, agave, powdered sugar, maple syrup, molasses. The overall taste will vary, based on your sweetener choice.
- Use zests- Lemon, orange, and lime are great options for added flavor.
- Add dried fruit - Add in dried cranberries, raisins, dried mangoes before cooking or use them as a topping.
- Make it vegan - Use vegan butter in place of normal butter.
- Add garlic or onions - This will give them even more flavor and pair well with the sweet flavors.
- Use balsamic sauce- A small amount goes a long way and adds a subtle sweetness and tanginess.
What to serve with caramelized baby carrots?
Serve it with grilled or baked chicken, Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Slow Cooker Ham, pork chops, steak. It also pairs well with Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast and Slow Cooker Roast Beef.
Tips and techniques
- Garnish just before serving - Don't add your extra toppings until you're ready to serve these carrots because that will cause the nuts to lose their crunch.
- Can I use large carrots instead of baby carrots? - You can definitely use larger carrots. You'll just have to peel and chop them to be smaller in size. This may cause the cook time to be adjusted.
- Thicken sauce - Leave the lid off the crockpot and let some of the liquid cook off, if desired. You can also cook over stovetop and reduce excess liquid.
- Leave out the nuts - You don't have to include the nuts in this recipe as they're not a "make or break" ingredient.
- Adjust amount of seasoning- Add more or less, per your preference.
- Butter substitute- Coconut oil is a great alternative although it adds a subtle coconut flavor.
- Fresh carrots vs. Canned carrots- You must use fresh carrots (preferably baby carrots) since canned carrots are already cooked and too soft and will not yield good results.
- Remember to stir everything halfway through- This is important because it allows even cooking.
Storage
- Refrigerate - In an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freeze - I don't recommend freezing these carrots since they don't thaw well and become too soft.
- Room temperature- These can stay out for 3-4 hours.
- Make ahead- This can be made 1 day in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Reheat- In microwave or nonstick pan over stovetop.
Recipe FAQs
No. Only fresh carrots can be used in this recipe. The other two options will make them too soft and "mushy."
Herbs are one option. They can be fresh or dried. Try spearmint, sage, thyme, bay leaf, ginger, parsley, dill, Italian herb blend. You can also mix in spices such ad red chili flakes, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg. Consider adding some form of sweetener such as honey, maple syrup or brown sugar.
Too much sweetener such as brown sugar was added.
More slow cooker side dishes
Recipe
Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds Baby carrots
- ⅓ cup Butter Unsalted, Melted
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar Can use a combination of 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 3 tablespoon brown sugar OR use ¼ cup maple syrup only
- ⅓ cup Nuts Such as pecans or walnuts, Roughly chopped, For garnish
Instructions
- Add baby carrots in a crockpot (6 quart or larger).
- Pour melted butter.
- Add salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon powder, brown sugar and mix until combined.
- Cover and cook on Low heat for 5-6 hours or on High heat for 3-4 hours until carrots are tender.
- Mix everything halfway through.
- Garnish with additional brown sugar and nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Try other herbs and spices, based on your preference.
- Consider other sweeteners such as honey or coconut sugar or maple syrup.
- Toast your nuts before using them as a topping for additional flavor and crunch.
- Canned and frozen carrots cannot be used.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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