Maple Glazed Carrots are a simple and delicious vegetable side, equally worthy of a weeknight dinner or holiday meal!

These carrots are an Easter tradition.

Maple Glazed Carrots - Shown here Cooked in a Nonstick Skillet with Crunchy Sliced Almonds Sprinkled on Top

Usually I try to reserve certain recipes solely for the holidays so that they feel special.

For example, I only make Beef Wellington for Christmas dinner. And I only make these Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas morning.

But these carrots are too good and too quick and easy to just have as a holiday meal. So I make them for weeknight dinners here and there, especially in the fall when I want extra maple in my life.

With only 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes of cook time, it’s a great recipe to keep in your regular rotation.

Look how the carrots get beautifully blistered and sticky sweet:

Glazed Carrots - With Maple Syrup and Candied Sliced Almonds on White Platter

They are the best!

How to Make Maple Glazed Carrots:

Just like in my Roasted Carrots recipe, I strongly recommend buying the bunched carrots that come with the tops on. 

Trimming Carrot Tops from the Carrot - Prep Work for Glazing

These carrots have the best flavor, and also tend to be a bit smaller, which is best for this recipe. Fortunately they’re only $1.50 per bunch at my grocery store, so even on a budget, they’re very affordable.

Using kitchen shears (affiliate) or a sharp knife, trim the tops, leaving an inch or two of green at the top if you like the look of it. 

Trimmed Carrots and Carrot Tops with Scissors

Rinse the carrots well, and note that I do not peel the carrots.

I talk in-depth in my Roasted Carrots post about why leaving the skin on is so great, but in short, the texture is better, it’s more flavorful, more nutritious, and it saves time and hassle.

Melt some ghee or butter in a nonstick skillet, and add the carrots in a single layer:

Trimmed Carrots in Nonstick Skillet Ready to Cook Until Tender

(Side note: If you’re using butter, feel free to let it brown first for extra flavor. This is how I used to make the dish, before having to limit my dairy intake).

It’s important to not overcrowd the pan and have the carrots piled up on each other.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium for about 5 minutes, giving things a toss partway through.

Cover with a Lid to Help Cook Faster, as shown here with carrots enclosed

You’re ready to move to the next step once the carrots are a bit browned on the edges and are almost fully tender.

That’s your cue to add pure maple syrup:

Maple Syrup Carrots - Pour the Syrup Over Once Carrots are Browned

You can see that the maple syrup will bubble. Toss the carrots in it for a minute, then add sliced almonds and sea salt:

Trimmed Carrots with Almonds and Sea Salt Sprinkled on Top - Carrot Recipes for Easter

I do not pre-toast the almonds, as I find they toast during the continued cooking.

Keep cooking the carrots for another 3-5 minutes, until the maple syrup has mostly stuck to the carrots and the almonds are golden.

Maple Syrup Glazed Carrots - Cooked Until Tender in 15 minutes

I find the carrots to be pretty served right in the skillet, but transfer to a dish if you prefer.

Glazed Carrots with Maple Candied Almonds in Black Nonstick Skillet - Carrot Recipes

Carrot Coconut Soup, Carrot Ginger Dressing, and Carrot Raisin Salad are a few of my other favorite carrot recipes on the blog. Enjoy!

Maple Glazed Carrots - Shown here Cooked in a Nonstick Skillet with Crunchy Sliced Almonds Sprinkled on Top

Maple Glazed Carrots

Servings: 2 -3
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Carrots with a sweet maple glaze and crunchy almonds
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb organic carrots with tops on*
  • 2 tbsp ghee (or use butter if you tolerate dairy)
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions 

  • Prepare the carrots: Trim the carrot tops from the carrots, either leaving an inch or two on top for decorative purposes or trimming the tops off entirely. Wash the carrots well, but do not peel.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and melt the ghee. Add the carrots in a single layer to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, with a lid on, tossing the carrots halfway through to cook more evenly. You want to cook the carrots until they are mostly tender. A good sign to watch for is if you're tossing them with tongs and they start to cut into the carrots too much (and that's an indicator it's time to switch to a spatula). Also, cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the carrots you purchase, so cook for a few minutes more if necessary.
  • Add the maple syrup to the pan (it should sizzle and bubble up), and toss the carrots for a minute. Then add the almonds and salt. Cook the carrots for another 3-5 minutes until the carrots are glazed and sticky, and they are fork tender. Enjoy!

Notes

*This is 1 lb of carrots weighed without the greens, and equivalent to 2 bunches.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 252mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 20g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug

Post updated in April 2020. Originally published March 2013.