Maple Roasted Carrots Recipe - Foolproof Living (2024)

Ingredient Substitutions and Notes

• Carrots: As far as carrots go – any kind of carrots will work. Go for rainbow carrots (multicolor carrots), whole orange carrots, purple carrots or a bag of baby carrots (no prep work required!). If I am serving this for a holiday dinner, I like the look of maple glazed whole carrots, but as I mentioned, any carrot you have on hand would work.
• Butter: Buttery maple syrup glaze is divine, but you could also use olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil instead. Brown butter would add another level of nutty flavor.
• Maple Syrup: Use pure maple syrup for the best flavor. Any color – light, amber or dark – will do.
• Sugar: Brown sugar is classic, but I love the slightly less sweet and nuanced flavor of coconut sugar, which also allows the natural sweetness of this maple carrots recipe to shine. It also makes it secretly paleo, too!
• Honey: For a fun honey maple spin, use a mix of half honey and half maple syrup. Or if you are out of maple syrup, feel free to use an equal amount of honey instead. Honey maple glazed carrots taste a bit different but are still delicious.
• Spice: Cinnamon adds a pleasant, warming touch. A few other spices you could add are garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, red pepper flakes, or ground cayenne pepper.
• Herbs: Garnish the dish with fresh herbs, like fresh thyme leaves, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley, or those green and frilly carrot tops / leaves. Flaky salt helps balance the sweetness, too.

How to Make Ahead and Store Leftovers?

Make ahead glazed carrots are a cinch to make, and any leftovers can be enjoyed throughout the week. Here’s how I like to do it:

• Make Ahead: Prep and bake maple syrup roasted carrots as instructed, and cool them completely. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
• Reheat: Reheat maple glazed carrots in a 350 degrees F oven, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. If I’m serving these as a side dish for the holidays, I like to pop them in the oven with the rest of my side dishes while the turkey is resting.
• Storage: Leftover roasted maple syrup carrots will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in 30-second intervals in the microwave or as instructed above.

Can I make glazed carrots in advance?

Yes, glazed carrots can be made 1-2 days in advance. Store them in an oven-safe dish, that way all you have to do on the day of serving is reheat them in the oven until warm.

How many calories are in maple glazed carrots?

One serving of maple glazed roasted carrots is about 290 calories.

Should you peel carrots before roasting them?

Peeling carrots before roasting is optional and more about personal preference. I like to give them a good scrub to remove any dirt using a vegetable brush before slicing, but you can definitely peel it if that’s what you prefer.

Do roasted carrots reheat well?

Yes, roasted maple carrots can be stored in the fridge, then reheated in a covered dish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.

5 from 4 votes

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 pounds carrots rainbow, baby carrots, or regular carrots would all work

• Prep equipment: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

• Make the glaze: In a measuring cup, whisk together butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

• Prep carrots: Rinse and peel (or scrub) carrots and cut them into 2-inch pieces. If they are too large, cut them in half lengthwise. Transfer them onto the prepared sheet pan.

• Coat carrots with glaze: Pour the maple syrup glaze mixture over the carrots. Toss to make sure that carrots are fully coated with the glaze. Spread them so that they are in a single layer.

• Bake: Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, making sure to give them a toss halfway through the baking process until they are fork-tender. To test doneness, insert a paring knife into one of the larger carrots. If it comes in and out easily, it should be ready.

• Cool and serve: Let them cool for 5-10 minutes, transfer them to a platter, and serve.

• Melt the butter. Rather than softened butter, melted butter coats the carrots much more evenly. I like to pop it in the microwave for a few seconds or melt it in a small saucepan on the stove.
• Try to cut the carrots roughly the same size. As you know, with any roasted vegetable, the more even in size, the more even they will cook.
• Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Otherwise, the maple roasted carrots will become mushy and stick to the pan. It makes for easy cleanup, too.
• Spread the carrots into one single layer. And make sure there is enough room between each piece so that the carrots will caramelize rather than steam.
• A hot oven is key. The higher temperature is key for these brown sugar glazed carrots. It will also promote browning and create a glistening sheen.
• Toss halfway through. This will promote even color and prevent sticking.
• Cooking time will vary based on the size of the carrots. Check for doneness around the 25-minute mark, and keep roasting until carrots are tender and you can easily pierce the carrots with a paring knife.
• To make ahead: Prep and bake carrots as instructed, and cool them completely. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
• Reheat: Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. If I’m serving these as a side dish for the holidays, I like to pop them in the oven with the rest of my side dishes while the turkey is resting.
• Storage: Leftover roasted maple syrup carrots will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in 30-second intervals in the microwave or as instructed above.