Maple Roasted Carrots are so easy to make and they are absolutely delicious! Caramelized in a sweet and buttery maple syrup glaze, they are the perfect side dish for your Holiday dinners, but simple enough for weeknight meals.
Roasted carrots pair perfectly with almost any main course which is why they are the most popular side dish for Holiday crowds. They go great with rich holiday mains like our Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Glazed Ham or Roast Chicken, but also quick to prepare for weeknight dinners.
I make carrots about twice a week because one, we love them, and two, they are so unbelievably easy to make. Throw a handful of simple ingredients together, roast, sprinkle with some parsley, and serve.
HOW TO ROAST CARROTS
Ready in around 35 minutes or so, these Maple Roasted Carrots are prepared with just 5 ingredients, but they can be customized to use whatever you have on hand. It’s just whole carrots tossed in maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter, and then roasted until sweet and tender.
- Wash and scrub the carrots to remove dirt. You do not have to peel them, but that’s totally up to you.
- Then, you can either leave the carrots whole, or cut them in half, longwise. They will cook faster if you cut them in half.
- Next, transfer carrots to a foil lined rimmed baking sheet in one single layer. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Dot carrots with pats of butter and pour over a mixture of maple syrup with brown sugar. You can definitely leave out the brown sugar, but it does add a ton of flavor to the overall taste.
- Season with salt and pepper and toss around to combine.
- Roast at 400˚F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Cooking time will depend on the size of the carrots. To test for doneness, start checking at the 25 minute mark by piercing the thickest part of the carrot with a fork. If it goes through easily, the carrots are done.
- Remove from oven; sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Regarding those sweet and salty flavors, know that your entire family will be begging for these carrots over and over again. Be ready to share the recipe with dinner guests, too.
HOW TO MAKE AHEAD
- Wash, scrub, and coat the carrots with the maple syrup mixture 4 to 5 hours before roasting. Keep covered, but you don’t have to refrigerate.
HOW TO STORE COOKED CARROTS
- Carrots should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You can also freeze roasted carrots; transfer completely cooled carrots to freezer bags and seal. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
MORE ROASTED CARROTS RECIPES
ENJOY!
TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Maple Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh carrots, washed and scrubbed, ends trimmed (you can cut the carrots longwise for faster cooking)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, (you can also use sugar-free Maple Syrup)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, (optional but highly recommended)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Transfer prepared carrots to baking sheet and spread out in one single layer. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk to combine maple syrup and brown sugar.
- Dot butter pieces over the carrots in several different places.
- Pour the maple mixture over the carrots.
- Season with salt and pepper; toss around to combine.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing at least once during cooking, until tender. To test for doneness, start checking at the 25 minute mark by piercing the thickest part of the carrot with a fork. If it goes through easily, the carrots are done.
- Remove from oven.
- Taste for seasonings, mostly salt, and adjust accordingly.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 9
- For a lighter version, use sugar-free maple syrup and skip the brown sugar.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can you use baby carrots?
You can, but they won’t need to cook for as long as the bigger carrots. I suggest checking on the baby carrots after about 10 minutes in the oven and pulling them out of the oven when they are fork-tender.
This is also good with an added 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne.
Love this recipe, delicious
Thank YOU! I hope you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
Made for a dinner party and they were a big hit and perfect with baked ham and scalloped potatoes. I’ve made them a few times since just for me and spouse, and I love having the leftovers for lunch. Thanks for a terrific recipe!
That’s wonderful! I am very glad everyone enjoyed these! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Yumm, we really enjoyed the carrots prepared this way. The recipe was quick and easy to make with delicious results. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe that we will enjoy often. BK
5 stars all the way… all day.
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Very good! I made it a few nights ago and came out very nice. I melted the butter and mixed it with the maple syrup and brown sugar then tossed in the carrots. It saved the hassle of dotting it with the butter, and I figured that since it was going in a 400 degree oven it would melt right away anyway. I plan to make it again and try adding beets to it as well.
I am mouthwatering! These are the best roasted carrots ever!
Maple Roasted Carrots are on my must-make list!
This addition of the maple flavoring makes these carrots extra amazing. They are the perfect side!
This is seriously the BEST way to do carrots!
These carrots have the best flavor! That glaze on them is just so delicious!
Beautiful! Roasted is my favorite way to eat carrots and when they’re smothered in sweet maple syrup, even better!
I will be making these all year long!! They were so good, my kids loved them! I loved the brown sugar with the maple syrup!
This is by far my favorite side dish with any meal!!
My favorite way to enjoy carrots! I can’t wait to serve these on Thanksgiving; delish!
I’m a huge fan of roasted carrots but the maple on these were amazing! Great recipe!
Roasted carrots are the most perfect side dish for almost any meal! Need to try your recipe!
What a great recipe and perfect for Thanksgiving! Looking forward to enjoying these over the next few weeks! Delish!