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These Crockpot Carrots are made with a sweet maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon glaze. They’re the perfect combo of savory and sweet!
I’m all about side dishes, which makes Thanksgiving my favorite holiday dinner! We’ve always got at least ten side dishes to go along with the turkey or our crockpot ham and it’s the absolute best.
While we always are sure to serve up our decadent Jiffy corn casserole and cheesy hashbrown casserole, you know we’ve got to have some healthy veggies too!
It’s hard to beat carrots for simplicity, and just about everyone loves them. Especially with a sweet and savory glaze!
Some people prefer carrots to be crunchy. I’m fine with that if I’m eating them raw, but if they’re cooked they better be perfectly tender! That generally means roasting them or slow cooking them for a long time.
The crockpot does a great job of turning crunchy carrots into tender carrots without drying them out. And the sweet maple syrup glaze enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots.
I love the maple flavor that the syrup adds but you can also prepare these crockpot glazed carrots with honey if you aren’t a fan of maple!
Ingredient Notes:
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Baby Carrots – We like to use baby carrots since there is no peeling or washing needed and they’re already all similar in size. If you start with whole carrots, wash, peel, and chop them into a similar size first.
Brown Sugar – The sugar will make the glaze sweet and help to caramelize the carrots while they slow cook.
Maple Syrup – Use real maple syrup and not the cheap imitation stuff! It’s worth the extra cost.
Butter – A few pats over butter over the top of the carrots will add a nice richness to the dish.
Cinnamon – A great way to spice these glazed carrots up and add another layer of flavor.
Sea Salt – To help balance out some of the sweet flavor and add to the savory.
Fresh Thyme – We like to garnish these crockpot glazed carrots with a few sprigs of fresh thyme, but it is optional!
Crockpot Recommendation!
In the market for a new slow cooker? We love this 7 quart Crockpot. It’s simple to use, cooks evenly, and is very budget friendly. Plus, it has a 4 1/2 star rating with over 5,000 reviews on Amazon!
What We Love About This Recipe:
- Maple Goodness: Maple syrup just screams fall to me, and that makes these crockpot carrots perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
- Crockpot Convenience: Set it and forget it! Our recipe harnesses the power of your crockpot, allowing you to spend time elsewhere.
- Mouthwatering Aroma: Fill your home with the irresistible scent of maple-kissed carrots. The smell alone will have your family eagerly anticipating the feast to come.
- Healthy Indulgence: These carrots are not only delicious but also loaded with nutrients, adding a touch of wholesome goodness to your plate.
- Versatile Sidekick: Perfect for any occasion, from weeknight dinners to holiday feasts. These carrots complement a variety of main courses, adding a touch of goodness to every meal.
- Crowd-Pleasing Magic: Win over even the pickiest eaters. The combination of maple glaze and slow-cooked carrots is a universally loved flavor profile that appeals to all palates.
- Minimal Effort, Maximum Flavor: Impress your guests with a dish that looks and tastes like it took hours to prepare, when, in reality, it’s a stress-free addition to your culinary repertoire.
- Kid-Friendly Sweetness: Encourage veggie consumption with the naturally sweet allure of the maple glaze. Even the little ones will be reaching for seconds.
How To Make Crockpot Carrots:
Carrots: To get started place the baby carrots into your crockpot along with the sea salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir that together to mix it up well.
Maple Syrup: Next you can pour on the maple syrup! Stir the mixture up again to get the carrots well coated in the maple syrup and spices.
Butter: Arrange pats of butter over the top of the carrots. It’ll melt down to coat the carrots as they cook.
Cook: Place the lid on the crockpot and slow cook on high for 3 hours. After 3 hours remove the lid and allow the maple glazed carrots to continue cooking for another 30 minutes uncovered which should help to thicken up the glaze. Top with a few sprigs of fresh thyme before serving. They’d go great with this instant pot whole chicken!
Make a Thicker Glaze:
Like your glazed carrots to have a thick, glossy glaze? Remove the carrots from the crockpot with a slotted spoon and transfer the leftover liquid to a sauce pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking often, until the glaze has thickened up.
Pour the thick glaze back over the carrots and serve!
Swaps & Substitutions:
Maple Syrup: Honey will work great in place of maple syrup, if that’s what you have on hand.
Herbs: Swap the thyme for parsley or rosemary.
Carrots: We like the ease of baby carrots, but whole carrots also work well. Just wash, peel, and chop into similar sized pieces before cooking.
Spice: Add a little kick by sprinkling in some cayenne. Warm the dish up with a dash of nutmeg.
Helpful Tip!
Make Ahead!
These carrots can be prepped the night before! Just stir together the carrots, brown sugar, spices, and maple syrup and keep in the fridge overnight.
When ready to cook, add the carrots to the crockpot and top with pats of butter. Cook as directed.
FAQ’s:
You can keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or the oven.
We love the flavor of real maple syrup but you can swap it out for a different type of syrup or even some honey!
MORE CROCKPOT SIDE DISHES!
- Crockpot Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Mac and Cheese
- Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
- Cream Cheese Corn
- Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole
MORE RECIPES WITH MAPLE SYRUP!
Crockpot Carrots with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby carrots
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup butter
- fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Place the baby carrots, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon into a 5 or 6 quart crockpot and stir to combine.
- Add the maple syrup to the crockpot and stir to coat the carrots.
- Cut the butter into pats and layer over the carrots.
- Place the lid over the crockpot. Cook the carrots on high for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, uncover the crockpot. Allow the carrots to continue to cook on high for 30 minutes without the lid (this will allow the glaze to thicken slightly).
- If desired, garnish the carrots with a few sprigs of fresh thyme, then serve warm.
Brenda Layton says
What happens if I use pancake syrup?
Karly Campbell says
The recipe will be a lot sweeter and most pancake syrups are high fructose corn syrup and some flavorings, so not something I personally want to add to my veggies. If that’s what you have, you can give it a try though.
Chicklet says
Made this for Thanksgiving dinner and my family really enjoyed it. So easy, just throw all the ingredients into slow cooker and work on something else!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! We had these on our table too. 🙂