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Transform the everyday humble carrot into a spectacular side with this easy, make-ahead Honey Maple Roasted Carrots recipe!
No matter what you serve these delicious Honey Maple Roasted Carrots with, I promise they will be a major hit! You'll understand what I mean when you read just a few of the many emails I've received regarding this recipe:
Chris, I took these to a potluck a few weeks ago. What a hit they were! One fellow (75 years old) said he never liked carrots before this. I was surprised he even tried them, but he said if he had carrots like this before he would have eaten them all the time. That’s a lot of years to not like carrots only to suddenly change your mind. I would say to be sure to make enough. They seem to disappear *very* quickly!
I’ve had and made glazed carrots before, but none even close to as good as this recipe!
Just made these to reheat for Thanksgiving tomorrow. They are so good that I cooked a second bag.
I would like to thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it a part of my Thanksgiving menu for the past two years (and about to be three). The pomegranate arils really just add something unique and are very pretty on the plate and the table. This year I just might have to make a double batch!
I made these last year, and they were a hit with EVERYONE. Not one carrot slice was leftover. I made them the night before and heated them in the oven right before our meal. They tasted so good, and I think the second time heating them up really helped to caramelize them. You have to make them!!!
And on and on it goes...
Make-ahead side dish
These Honey Maple Roasted Carrots are an easy veggie dish that can be thrown together hours, or even a day in advance. Pop them in a hot oven about 20-30 minutes before dinner. This recipe is always a beautiful crowd pleaser, so make sure to prepare plenty. Like a delicious bowl of candy, you'll find the carrot platter empty at the end of the meal!
Everyday carrots, transformed into a sweet, sticky, scrumptious side (healthy too!)
What's the process? Easy! The carrots are sliced diagonally, giving them lots of surfaces to caramelize, and tossed with olive oil, maple syrup, honey, coriander, sea salt and fresh pepper. Then just spread them out on a sheet pan (you can do all of this ahead of time) and pop the little guys in a piping hot oven.
25 minutes later they're glistening and so beautifully caramelized, it's almost impossible to resist sneaking one or two before they hit the serving bowl. Add a beautiful garnish of sesame seeds, pomegranate arils and sprinkle of chopped, fresh herbs just before serving. This simple dish will be sure to bring oohs and aahs when you proudly present it at the dinner table.
Sound too good and too easy to be true? Check out our video and you'll be a believer!
See what I mean? So easy, so... good!
Although these Honey Maple Roasted Carrots are pretty enough for a holiday celebration, they're so simple to put together that they're also great for weeknight dinners.
Just peel and slice the carrots early in the day and they'll be ready to be served for dinner with minimal effort. Oh, and like I said before, make plenty. Two pounds sounds like a lot of carrots but, I promise, they'll be gone in a flash!
Intimidated by pomegranates?
If you're a bit intimidated by pomegranates, I got you covered. Here's a tutorial on The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds. I've gotten tons of emails from people who have tried this easy technique and couldn't believe how well it works. Here's just one of the many:
I can’t believe that I was scared of pomegranates all these years also. I’m a 57 year old building inspector who just learned something amazingly simple that will enrich his family’s life with the gift of seasonal pomegranates. I’m not one to respond to this type of stuff, especially a cooking blog, but I just had to. Thanks again!
So many of our readers are now pomegranate aficionados! You can be too, but if you're just not a pomegranate fan, these carrots are still quite scrumptious without them.
Café Tips for making these Honey Maple Roasted Carrots
- Feel free to change up the garnish. The recipe calls for thyme and chives. You could use just one of those or substitute chopped fresh rosemary or oregano.
- For best results in this recipe, look for medium-size carrots with a deep orange coloring. Bypass really thin or tiny carrots as they will cook too fast and won't have time to nicely caramelize. Also, pass up very large carrots. Although they're sweet, they tend to have woody cores.
- Prep the carrots early in the day or even a day in advance. That will make things easy peasy right before dinner when there are so many other things to attend to.
- Coriander, along with salt and pepper is used as a seasoning in this Honey Maple Roasted Carrots recipe. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. Even if you don't care for cilantro, don't skip the coriander! It tastes nothing like the plant. Coriander seed has a bright citrusy flavor and pairs perfectly with the sweet carrots. The recipe calls for ground coriander but if you have the whole coriander seeds, just crush them with a mortar and pestle. The aroma of freshly crushed coriander seed is amazing and it's more flavorful than ground coriander. No mortar and pestle? No worries, just put the seeds a ziplock bag and use a heavy sauté pan to crush them.
- Best way to peel carrots? I love this Oxo veggie peeler. It's inexpensive, has a good feel in my hand, has two swiveling blades for easy peel and, it never seems to wear out!
Oh, and if you're looking for delicious sides that aren't the same-old, same-old, I've got another fabulous idea for you. You can use your new-found pomegranate skills with this one too! Our Honey Ginger Charred Carrots recipe, it's another winner!
This Honey Maple Roasted Carrot Recipe was originally published back in 2017. We thought it was way too good to get buried in the deep Café archives of over 1200 recipes, so we spiffed up the post and pictures and added a video to show just how easy it is. Bon Appétit!
These are like candy; everyone always wants second helpings! This recipe definitely transforms everyday lowly carrot into something spectacular!
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced on a long angle into pieces approximately 3 inches long
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
- ½ cup pomegranate arils or seeds
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Preheat oven to 450˚F. Lightly oil a sheet pan.
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Place carrots on prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and honey. Sprinkle with coriander, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat (I like to use my hands for this to get them well coated, but a spatula will work too). Spread carrots out on the pan in a single layer.
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Roast for 10 minutes, then stir to redistribute. Return to oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Carrots are finished when they are tender and some of the edges are caramelized.
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Sprinkle sesame seeds and herbs over carrots and stir. Taste and season with a bit more sea salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter with the pomegranate arils. Serve hot.
Anna says
I had the same issue when I used a litte more maple syrup and honey than what the recipe called for. I think if you have too much excess sugar on the pan, I think that's when you might encounter the blackened pan. Try using slightly less maple syrup and honey next time and see if that helps. I have made this recipe multiple times now and haven't had the issue since re-adjusting the amount of sugars in mine - either by following the recipe measurements or adjusting based on the amount of carrots. Love love love this recipe and I share it with everyone I know!!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks so much, Anna!
Donna Gwynn says
These were wonderful! I used baby multicolored carrots , and they were beautiful and delicious! Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thanks, Donna!
Ellen Klavan says
Hi Chris, just wondering when you say you can "prep" these carrots in advance, do you mean you take them to the point just before you put them in the oven? Or is there a way to cook them and then just heat them through when it's time to serve? Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ellen, yes, I mean prep them up to roasting.
Tracy says
Made these last year for Thanksgiving and they were amazing. I'm bringing them this year for a potluck at work. I know everyone will love them!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Tracy!
Shelley says
Can these be made with hot honey?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Shelley, I think hot honey would be delicious if you enjoy some heat.
Wendy says
Hi Chris! First off, this is one of my favorite ways to now serve carrots! Thank you for that. Secondly, regarding reheating them. How do you do it so it maintains the slight crispness? I would love to prepare these the evening before Thanksgiving but I’m nervous they won’t be as good...I love them no matter but need the rest of the family to be just as impressed...LoL TY!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Wendy, you could slightly undercook them and leave out the sesame seeds and pomegranate then rewarm them when you’re ready and finish them off.
Michelle says
Could this be cooked in the slow cooker?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michelle, I wouldn't try this recipe in a slow cooker as you will lose all the beautiful caramelization. You could make them in advance, as directed, and then rewarm them in a slow cooker.
ilene vroom says
I followed this recipe exact and wonder what went wrong. My maple syrup and honey resulted in a burned mess in the pan. not the carrots
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ilene, I'm not sure what went wrong. I've never had a problem nor has anyone else report this.
Nikki Krakauer says
i’ve made these for 35-40 years now, sans pomegranate and sesame seeds. I followed your recipe, & came up with blackened pan also. I’m a retired Dietitian and chef, who calibrates my oven bi-weekly, so I cannot figure out myself, what went wrong. It was just for me, so I plan to try again. I just wanted you to know that this does happen occasionally in a home kitchen.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nikki, I'm sorry you had an issue with this recipe. The carrots should have a bit of char but they shouldn't be black. Not sure what the problem was as I haven't had anyone else report a situation like this.
Vanessa says
Wow! These are AMAZING! I love maple glazed carrots anyway but I think the sea salt, coriander and herbs elevate this recipe to a 10 out of 10!!!
I am actually making them now. I am making Pumpkin Soup that that'll be a good accompaniment to this (not the other way around as it's that good a side becomes the main dish!!)
Thank you!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay, so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting us know, Vanessa.
Michal says
Can i use frozen baby carrots?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michal, I haven't tried this recipe with frozen carrots but I'm afraid they would be kind of soggy.
Sam says
These were simply amazing! A definite must for every holiday meal from now on. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Sam! So happy you enjoyed them!
Lou K says
If you were to prep these the night before, would you marinate them in the dressing/coating or do you wait until prior to cooking?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lou, I would refrigerate them separately and then combine before roasting.
Sue S says
Chris, I took these to a potluck a few weeks ago. What a hit they were! One fellow (75 years old) said he never liked carrots before this. I was surprised he even tried them, but he said if he’d had carrots like this before he would have eaten them all the time. That’s a lot of years to not like carrots only to suddenly change your mind. I would say to be sure to make enough. They seem to disappear *very* quickly!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I love it! The poor guy, think what he's been missing out on for all these years! I think there are so many vegetables that people would really like if they were prepared properly.
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Sue!
Sue S says
Hopefully that doesn’t say something about how good of a cook his wife has been all these years.
🙂
Chris Scheuer says
😂😩😂
Ren says
Hi, I have multiple items to bake for a Christmas dinner and wondering if the temp can be set to 275? Would that mean I have to toss them in atleast an hour ahead of time? Would the texture still be the same?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ren, I would probably bake the carrots earlier in the day at the recommended temperature and then just rewarm them later at 275˚F. You want that higher temp to caramelize and bring out the sweetness of the carrots.
Sue says
I've had and made glazed carrots before, but none even close to as good as this recipe! I love that I know that I can trust any recipe I find on your site to be wonderful! Thank you, Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Sue! I really appreciate your kind and encouraging comment 💕
Randy says
Just made these to reheat for Thanksgiving tomorrow. They are so good that I cooked a second bag.
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I get it! Thanks for taking the time on such a busy day to leave a comment!
Loucinda Lovato says
I want to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. I'm looking for some make ahead recipes. You noted that they can be reheated in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Does a 350 degree oven work?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Loucinda, what I was saying in the post is to prep the carrots ahead of time and then bake for 20-30 minutes at 450. If you were going to reheat them, I would under bake them just a bit according to the instructions at 450 and then reheat at 350 for just 5-10 minutes.
Penelope V. says
I would like to thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it a part of my Thanksgiving menu for the past two years (and about to be three). The pomegranate arils really just add something unique and are very pretty on the plate and the table. This year I just might have to make a double batch!
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Penelope! I know they do disappear quickly! I've had the same experience!
Debbie says
Hello
I’m really excited to try this recipe with the carrots from my CSA!
I would like to know what’s the dish you are serving them in?
I really like the shape.
Please share the brand or info where I could purchase it.
Thanks!
Debbie
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Debbie, I found that dish in my daughter's attic when she bought a new house. There's not a name on it. I think it's old!
Sarah says
I made this recipe tonight for a group of 6. Everyone devoured it!!! They commented on the tenderness of the carrots - not mushy and not crunchy, just absolutely the perfect texture. I also love that the recipe is so easy to put together. I will be adding this to my list of go-to side dishes.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay, so happy you enjoyed these carrots. We love them too!
Elin Becker says
Would cranberries work instead of the pomegranate arils?
Chris Scheuer says
Dried cranberries would be delicious but fresh would be too tart. If your dried cranberries are not super fresh though, I would plump them a bit before adding them to the salad. To plump, place the dried fruit in a microwave-safe cup with a teaspoon or two of water. Cover the cup with plastic wrap or a small plate and microwave on high power for 30-40 seconds.
Dena says
These carrots were outstanding and the pomegranates just took them over the top !
LK says
Can you use butter instead of the olive oil or will that throw everything off?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi LK, you could use butter but if you want to go that route, I would recommend using half butter and half olive oil. Because of the maple syrup and honey, the carrots could burn instead of caramelizing if you used all butter.
Lynne says
Could slow cooker be used to take as my contribution for dinner thus heating the carrots in the cooker allowing the oven to be used by the host for whatever else may need coomong/heating prior to serving????
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lynne, you could definitely re-warm these carrots in the slow cooker.
vivian says
Thanks for this amazing Recipe!
I make this today for my Thanksgiving dinner, and so far my husband and my 16 months old baby loved , I can't wait to share this plate with my friends!
Happy Holidays!
Chris Scheuer says
So happy these turned out well for you Vivian, hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful!
Therese says
Thanks Chris for the recipe serving adjuster..SOOO helpful since we’ll have 30 at Thanksgiving! Going to make these!
Chris Scheuer says
30! Wow!! Enjoy!
Jessica F says
Where is the serving adjuster? 🙂 I have 20 coming for Christmas and want to try these!