Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Carrots
Elevate everyday carrots with this incredibly easy and elegantly simple side. Perfect for every day dinners, brunch, and special holiday spreads; these slow cooker carrots make an impressive vegetable side dish and are easy and quick to make with carrots, honey (or maple syrup) and just a touch of butter.
5 star review
“10/10! A huge hit with the entire family on Easter. So easy and delicious! This will be on the menu for Easter from now on.”
– Kellie
The Simplest Side Dish: Crockpot Carrots!
I’ll tell you right now, this recipe is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, but also special enough for a holiday spread – think Easter brunch, Thanksgiving dinner, and more! Sliced and slow cooked with velvety butter, bright lemon zest, a sprinkling of salt and a touch of sweetness from honey or maple syrup, these taste rich & decadent but are made with lots of wholesome ingredients.
A few easy to find staples and a crockpot, is really all you need to make it happen. And the best part is that these slow cooker carrots are versatile enough to serve with almost anything. They pair perfectly with everything from chicken dinners to holiday turkey, grain bowls, salads, quiches, egg bakes & more (the sky’s the limit as far as I’m concerned!).
I love using the slow cooker because it completely simplifies the process of adding veggie sides to any meal. And, because nearly all of my slow cooker vegetables are dump-and-go (meaning there is no pre-browning or sautéing required) the prep is fast and easy. Just chop, stir and go! As a bonus, the slow cooker takes the load off the oven and stove top, making it a fantastic option for potlucks, parties, and holiday meals.
Process & Tips
This easy carrot recipe truly couldn’t be simpler! You just chop and drop all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it work its magic. Note that you do not need to add any additional liquid other than the maple syrup and butter called for in this recipe.
Now, I know you’re going to ask: can I use baby carrots for this recipe? The answer is…it depends. I tested this recipe with baby carrots and the flavor was definitely not the same, and I found the results a bit bland and not nearly as flavorful. That being said, I completely understand the convenience of bagged baby carrots, so if that’s all you have time for, try to find the freshest, sweetest option you can! If they don’t taste good raw going in, they are definitely not going to taste good coming out.
Tip: If you happen to find very thin carrots with tops on, you can remove the tops, give the carrots a scrub, and use them whole – this makes for a more elegant presentation like what you might find in a fancy farm-to-table style restaurant.
Key Ingredients & Testing Notes
- Carrots: If possible, look for fresh carrots that still have the green tops on. I find these yield the best flavor for this recipe. But if you can only find baby carrots be sure to see my tips above for how to get the best results with those!
- Butter: There’s no extra liquid or water required for this recipe, the butter and honey or maple syrup help keep the carrots moist & tender during the slow cook time. You can use either traditional or vegan butter, either one will give your carrots some velvety flavor & richness. Be sure to use a dairy free plant-based version to keep this recipe vegan and paleo-friendly.
- Lemon zest: Adding a bit of lemon zest really helps to elevate this simple side dish into something that feels extra special. Using the zest without the juice brings some subtle citrus flavor without being too overpowering to the other flavors in the dish.
This Recipe Is…
Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoVeganVegetarian
Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, scrubbed and cut into ¼ inch thick on a bias
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the carrots to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 2 tablespoons butter, honey (or maple syrup), lemon zest, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 , or until the carrots are just tender. Quickly uncover and stir after the first 2 hours.
- Uncover, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, stir and taste. Add additional salt, honey maple syrup, or butter if desired. Toss with chopped parsley and flaked sea salt, if using, and serve.
Notes
- Optional Serving Suggestions: chopped flat leaf parsley, flaked sea salt
- For vegan or dairy-free, use dairy-free butter and maple syrup.
- All slow cookers cook at different temperatures, so check on the early side the first time making this recipe and add time as needed until the carrots are just tender but not mushy.
We loved these carrots – easy and delicious and almost all gone! Thank you Robyn 🙂
Woohoo, love it when that happens! So happy this one was a hit – thanks so much for leaving a review!
This recipe was perfect for Easter! Just a few minutes to prep, and an absolute crowd pleaser! I doubled the recipe and did 2 lbs of purple/white carrots and 2 lbs of orange carrots – such a beautiful dish! 🥕😊
Love the idea of adding purple carrots to the mix, so pretty! Great note on doubling the recipe, too. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Do you peel the carrots or just scrub them?
Casey, no need to peel, just a good scrub should do the trick! I hope you enjoy!
These were amazing! They didn’t have a strong flavoring but they had a nice mellow seasoning which allowed you to also taste the carrots. perfect for my diabetic father.
Fantastic to hear this one was a hit, Sandy, especially with your father! Thanks so much for leaving a review.:)
If the recipe is doubled, should the cooking time be increased and if so, by how much?
Jane, I haven’t tested it, but you should be ok to double the recipe, and you do not need to double the time. You may need to add an additional 30-60 minutes, because the additional volume will cause the slow cooker to come to temperature more slowly, so start checking at the time listed and add be prepared to add additional time if necessary.
Hello Robyn, This recipe is awesome. What might your thoughts be in preparing this recipe, left uncooked in the fridge, 2 days before cook time?
Mia, I think that would work well. I don’t think you’d even need to adjust the cook time. The butter will clump up when refrigerated, but it should melt as soon as the carrot begin to cook. I hope it’s a hit!
10/10! A huge hit with the entire family on Easter. So easy and delicious! This will be on the menu for Easter from now on.
Kellie, yippee, so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a reivew!