Perfect Roasted Carrots are all dressed up in a honey butter mixture that features cinnamon, chili powder, black pepper and more! It’s a sweet and savory veggie side dish that always steals the show. You’ll love how these carrots turn out so deliciously fork tender!
Roasted Carrots
I make oven roasted carrots every single Easter. It’s just one of those go-to recipes for me, like how turkey is for Thanksgiving and eggnog is for Christmas! I can’t imagine Easter without a side of tender, flavorful roasted carrots on my plate. With that being said, I also make this roasted carrots recipe year-round. It’s one of those evergreen recipes that my family never grows tired of. Carrots are coated in the most incredible honey butter mixture that features cinnamon, garlic powder, chili powder and more. They’re sweet, savory, and oh so tender from roasting in the oven!
Check out more of the best roasted veggie recipes like Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Green Beans.
Why are My Roasted Carrots Hard?
The keys to tender roasted carrots are a hot oven, enough cook time and slicing them thinly! If your carrots are cut too thick it’ll take way longer for them to cook through and you risk burning the outside of them. I recommend cutting your carrots on a bias into 1-inch pieces. After that, cook them at 375°F for about 10-15 minutes or longer if needed. They should be perfectly tender!
How to Make Roasted Carrots
- Make the honey butter sauce. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk in the honey, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cinnamon, chili powder and black pepper. Let it reach a simmer, then turn off the heat.
- Toss the carrots. Place the sliced carrots on the baking sheet. Pour the honey butter all over them and give a gentle toss to evenly coat. Shake the pan gently to spread the carrots into an even layer.
- Bake. Bake the carrots at 375°F for 10-15 minutes. Poke them with a fork – if they’re not tender enough for your liking, bake for another 10 minutes or so.
Serving Suggestions:
I love serving this roasted carrots recipe on Easter next to some Mashed Potatoes and Crockpot Ham! But like I said earlier, these carrots are delicious all year long. They plate perfectly next to other entrees like Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs and Roast Beef Tenderloin.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating Carrots:
Roasted carrots will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To reheat, I recommend using the air fryer or oven for the best consistency! The microwave tends to make leftover cooked carrots turn a little dry.
To freeze roasted carrots, let them first fully cool to room temperature. Transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! When you’re ready to reheat them, let them defrost in the fridge first.
Recipe Notes:
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of sodium in the recipe. If you choose to use salted butter, you may want to omit the extra sprinkle of salt that the recipe calls for.
- Honey – I try to use local organic honey when I can. It usually has the best flavor.
- Carrots – I like to use whole carrots for this recipe because they’re just budget friendly and easy to cut up and bake! You can also use baby carrots if you wish.
- Brown Sugar – This is used to help sweeten the carrots even more. You can omit it if you find that the honey already sweetens them enough.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Perfect Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Pounds Whole Carrots peeled and cut on a bias into1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and set a large baking pan aside for later.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in the honey, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cinnamon, chili powder, and pepper and let it come to a simmer then turn the heat off.
- Toss the carrots out onto the baking sheet then pour the honey butter on top and toss to fully combine.
- Shake the pan a bit to get them in as even a layer as possible.
- Bake for 15 minutes then toss and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender and glossy.
- Serve with freshly minced parsley for garnish if desired.
