Amazing Slow Cooker Maple & Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
This Slow Cooker Maple & Brown Sugar Glazed Carrot Recipe offers a sweet, tender side dish perfect for holiday meals like Thanksgiving. The slow cooking process enhances the carrots’ natural sweetness, while a rich brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter glaze creates a luscious coating. Easy to prepare and hands-off, this comforting side frees up oven space and impresses even picky eaters with its rich flavor and glossy finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (high) or 6 hours 10 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Carrots
- 2 pounds baby carrots (or 1 1/2 pounds whole carrots, peeled and sliced into 1–2 inch pieces)
Glaze
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish (Optional)
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Carrots: Add the baby carrots or peeled, sliced whole carrots into a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker ensuring even layering for uniform cooking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and black pepper over the carrots. Stir gently to combine and coat the carrots thoroughly with the dry mixture.
- Add Maple Syrup: Pour the maple syrup evenly over the carrots and toss gently again to ensure the carrots are well coated in the sweet glaze.
- Add Butter: Cut the butter into cubes or pats and distribute them evenly over the top of the carrots to melt during cooking and enrich the glaze.
- Slow Cook the Carrots: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours until the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork. If possible, stir once or twice during cooking for even glazing.
- Thicken the Glaze: Choose one method: Either remove the lid during the last 30 minutes and cook on high to allow the glaze to reduce and thicken, stirring occasionally; or transfer the carrots to a serving bowl and pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, simmering over medium-high heat while whisking until the glaze thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: If desired, garnish the glazed carrots with fresh thyme leaves before serving warm to add a fresh herbal note and a pop of color.
Notes
- Using baby carrots saves prep time as they are pre-peeled and uniform in size.
- Whole carrots can be used but should be peeled and cut into even 1-2 inch chunks for consistent cooking.
- Removing the lid for the last 30 minutes thickens the glaze beautifully without additional steps.
- To speed up thickening, transfer glaze liquid to a saucepan and simmer.
- Carrots can be prepped up to two days in advance, stored in water in the fridge to maintain freshness.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat easily in microwave or stovetop pan.
- Maple syrup can be substituted with honey or agave nectar for similar sweetness.
- Add fresh thyme or rosemary for an herby variation.
Keywords: slow cooker carrots, maple glazed carrots, brown sugar carrots, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving side, easy slow cooker recipe, glazed baby carrots
