Roasted and caramelized in a maple herb glaze, these carrots are an easy side dish that’s perfect for a holiday meal, or a simple family dinner!
This is one of my Side Dish recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Holiday season will definitely be here before you know it, and I don’t know about you, but I’m shifting into menu planning time!
Will you be roasting a turkey breast, or maybe a homemade honey baked ham? While the main course is obviously the star, my favorite part, is the sides!
We love the classics, like sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole, but these maple roasted carrots are a great addition to the menu.
The sweetness plays really nicely with the garlic and herb flavor, and of course the amazing golden brown caramelization really ties it all together!
How to make maple roasted carrots?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Make glaze/sauce. I like to do this in a mixing bowl big enough to hold the sauce, and the carrots, so you only have to wash one bowl.
- Coat carrots. The best way to distribute the glaze among the carrots is to use your hands.
- Roast. Make sure the oven is preheated before cooking the carrots.
- Serve. After roasting, top the carrots with almonds and cranberries.
Helpful Tip!
I’ve shared the cooking time that my oven takes to cook carrots of the size shown in the photos. However, all ovens cook a little differently, and larger carrots will take longer to cook (and smaller ones will take less time to cook). So please use the cooking time as an approximation, and keep an eye on your carrots. You’re looking for a golden brown color and that they’re fork tender.
Variations of this recipe
- Carrots – I love the look of whole baby carrots, so I found some in my local grocery store that were great looking! But if you can’t find the whole young/baby carrots, you can use regular carrots, peel them, and cut them down to a smaller size. Alternately, you can also use bagged baby carrots.
- Garlic – sometimes I like to pick up a tube of garlic paste (made by Gourmet Garden) for this recipe and use about 2 Tbsp, or you could use about 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
- Thyme – feel free to use minced fresh thyme leaves if you’d like. You’ll want to use about 1 – 1.5 Tbsp.
- Other herbs – for a twist on the flavor, try using some rosemary and a little sage.
- Orange zest – if you aren’t a fan of the orange flavor, or don’t have an orange on hand to zest, feel free to omit it completely.
FAQ’s
Yes, you can absolutely save yourself a little time and pick up a bag of pre-peeled baby carrots. They may take a little less time to cook, so I would start checking them for fork tenderness and a golden brown color around the 15-17 minute mark.
You sure can! I haven’t tested this recipe specifically in my air fryer, but I’m sure it could be done. As a guess, I would try setting your appliance at 380°F and air frying for about 17-23 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Making roasted carrots ahead of time
I find that these carrots taste best when made fresh. However you can eliminate nearly all the prep time by peeling the carrots and combining the glaze in an airtight container.
If you do want to make them completely ahead of time, I recommend reheating them in a 425°F oven for 5-8 minutes.
Storage
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 5 days.
More Holiday Side Dish Recipes:
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. whole baby carrots scrubbed and washed, or peeled
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 orange zested
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
To serve
- sliced almonds
- dried cranberries
- fresh thyme optional, for garnish
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 400°F and get out a 2 quart or larger baking dish. If desired, line with parchment paper.
Make glaze/sauce
- To a large mixing bowl, add maple syrup, olive oil, thyme, garlic, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine well.
Combine
- Add carrots to the mixing bowl with the glaze/sauce, and toss to combine.
Bake
- Transfer carrots to the prepared baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring once, halfway through the baking time.
- Exact baking time will depend on the size and shape of your carrots, so please take the baking time as an approximation and check the carrots for doneness (being golden brown and fork tender), at about 15 minutes and keep an eye on them.
Serve
- Top roasted carrots with almonds, cranberries, and fresh thyme if desired, and serve hot.
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Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated that this recipe will serve 4 people, but as always, the exact serving size will be up to you.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Catalina says
Oh my goodness! These carrots are the perfect side dish for tonight!
Erin says
Looks absolutely fantastic! Can’t wait to try this!
Sandra says
This is just the perfect side dish! So flavorful and I love how easy it is to make!
Erik says
That glaze is fantastic. Really enjoyed this one!