Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
These Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots turn two pounds of carrots into a glossy side dish coated in honey, brown sugar and butter for richness and sweetness. Cinnamon and nutmeg season the glaze as the large pieces slowly cook tender. These slow cooker honey glazed carrots need just 10 minutes of prep time and no oven space.
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🍽️ Recipe Name: Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
⏲️ Ready In: 3 hours 10 minutes to 6 hours 10 minutes
👥 Serves: 8
🔥 Calories: 156 per serving (estimated)
🥕 Ingredient Highlights: Carrots, honey, brown sugar and butter
📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian and gluten-free
👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy
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Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Short prep time: Peeling and cutting the carrots accounts for most of the 10-minute prep.
- Frees the oven: The entire dish cooks in a Crockpot.
- Flexible cooking time: Choose 3 hours on high or about 6 hours on low to fit in with your schedule.
- Simple glaze: The butter, honey and brown sugar cook with the carrots, so there’s no separate sauce to prepare.
Carrots are also tasty in baked goods, such as my Carrot Cake Bars and these easy Carrot Cake Mix Cookies. Another veggie side dish you may enjoy is Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze or any of these Summer Side Dishes.
Glazed Carrots Slow Cooker Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Carrots: Whole carrots are cut into large pieces that can withstand several hours of slow cooking.
- Honey, brown sugar and butter: Equal quantities of each creates a sweet buttery glaze. I usually melt the butter first so it coats the carrots from the beginning but you could cut it into cubes and scatter those over the carrots instead, as you’ll be stirring the mixture halfway through the cooking time anyway.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Cinnamon is the main spice. Nutmeg is stronger, so you only need a small pinch.
- Parsley: An optional garnish to add a pop of green.
Substitutions and Variations
- Maple syrup: Use this instead of honey for a maple-flavored glaze.
- Baby carrots: These cook faster than the large chunks of carrot, so if using, I recommend you start checking them earlier.
- Sweeter glaze: Increase the amount of honey or brown sugar.
- Savory herbs: Add some thyme to reduce the emphasis on sweetness. I sometimes add fresh rosemary to mine.
- Peppery heat: Season the carrots with black pepper or cayenne pepper for a touch of spice.
How to Make Honey Glazed Carrots Slow Cooker Style (Step-by-Step Directions)
STEP 1: Add carrots to the slow cooker.
STEP 2: Pour in the melted butter and honey.
STEP 3: Sprinkle the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg evenly over the carrots.
STEP 4: Cover and cook on high or low until the carrots are fork-tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time.
STEP 5: Garnish with chopped parsley if liked.
STEP 6: Serve immediately.
Tips for Making Crockpot Glazed Carrots
- Melt the butter first: Melted butter can be combined with the honey before cooking and coats the carrots from the beginning.
- Stir halfway: A gentle stir redistributes the glaze and reduces the chance of scorched edges.
- Check the high-heat batch early: Carrots can soften quickly near the end of the 3-hour high cook.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
- Adding water: Carrots release moisture during cooking. Extra liquid dilutes the glaze.
- Cutting tiny pieces: Too-small carrot chunks can get too soft during a 5 or 6-hour cook.
- Being heavy-handed with the nutmeg: Nutmeg has a strong flavor and can overwhelm the cinnamon if you accidentally add too much.
- Relying on the clock: Carrot thickness and slow cooker temperature can affect doneness. Stop cooking when a fork pierces the carrots easily.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate the carrots in a covered container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the carrots in an airtight container for up to 3 months. They’ll have a softer texture after thawing.
- Thawing: Defrost frozen carrots overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm the carrots in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Microwave reheating is another option, as long as you stir the carrots between short intervals so they warm up evenly.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these slow cooker glazed carrots with Baked Turkey Tenderloin, Pan-Fried Pork Chops in Chive Sauce or Rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs, perhaps adding some Green Beans Amandine and one of these Potato Side Dishes to the meal too.
Best Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots FAQs
No. The carrots release moisture during cooking, and the melted butter and honey provide additional liquid.
Push a fork into one of the thickest pieces. It should slide in easily without making the carrot fall apart.
The covered slow cooker traps steam, and the carrots release water. Removing the lid 30 to 60 minutes before the end of the cooking time allows some of that liquid to evaporate, so you end up with a thicker glaze.
Slow cookers create very little browning because the lid traps moisture. The glaze will become glossy rather than developing the kind of caramelized crust it would if using a different cooking method.
Other Side Dish Recipes to Try
- These Baked Sweet Potatoes are another sweet option for a side dish.
- You may also like my Homemade Jiffy Cornbread Stuffing.
- And if you love mashed potatoes, try Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream.
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad is a hearty side dish I make a lot!
- And nobody is going to turn down a portion of Bacon Wrapped Asparagus!
Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
Equipment
- Slow Cooker 5 or 6-Quart
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnish
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Add the carrots to your slow cooker and drizzle honey and melted butter over them.
- Sprinkle the salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar on top.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 5 to 6 hours on low or about 3 hours on high, until the carrots are tender.
- Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley, if liked.
Notes
- Coat the carrots: Toss the carrots gently after adding the glaze ingredients to distribute the butter and sugar.
- Account for narrow ends: Cut slender carrot sections slightly longer than the thick sections so they cook at a similar rate.
- Chop the garnish finely: Small pieces of parsley distribute more evenly and give the carrots a cleaner finished look.
Nutrition Information
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Final Thoughts
Slow cooker glazed carrots turn an everyday vegetable into a glossy side dish with a buttery honey glaze to make them extra special. Brown sugar melts into the sauce during cooking, coating the tender chunks of carrot. The glaze has a warm cinnamon flavor with just a trace of nutmeg. It’s a great side dish for the holidays and so easy to make.
