Using only 4 ingredients, these easy slow cooker carrots are a definite crowd-pleaser. Coated in a butter and a brown sugar glaze, it’s the perfect balance of tender and crunch in every bite!
Table of Contents
Easy Side Dish
These carrots make a great Thanksgiving side dish alongside a baked ham or roasted turkey. Of course you could always make glazed carrots on the stove, but I love the simplicity of this slow cooker version!
Crockpot carrots are effortless, use only a few simple ingredients and are so flavorful. These really are a dish you can make for just about any occasion or no reason at all. Make these slow cooker glazed carrots for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner or on any busy weeknight! They are inexpensive, healthy and most of us always have them on hand anyway.
Cooking carrots in a crockpot results in the natural sugars to be released. The added brown sugar glaze elevates the sweetness but it never overpowers the flavor. A vegetable side dish that everyone will love, even the kids!
4 Simple Ingredients
You read that right. It just takes 4 ingredients for an easy and flavorful dish any night of the week or for a big holiday feast.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Carrots: Your choice of whole or baby carrots. You can’t go wrong either way, but I personally love to peel and chop mine.
- Butter: Grab the salted butter to use for this dish. It adds a richness to the glaze.
- Brown sugar: This gives the glaze the perfect sweetness. Honey also works too.
- Salt: A small amount of kosher salt helps boosts the flavor even further.
How to Make Slow Cooker Carrots
The glaze is as easy to make as melting butter and then it is simply placing everything in a slow cooker.
- Prep. Peel and slice the carrots into 4 to 5 pieces. Cutting them on a slight angle gives them a bit of a rustic feel. Otherwise, cut them how you like! Place them into the slow cooker.
- Melt the butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. You can brown it if you’d like, which will give the carrots a bit more of an earthy flavor. Follow this by adding in the sugar and salt and cook to combine.
- Coat the carrots. Pour the butter over the carrots sitting in the crockpot. Stir well to combine, making sure all carrots are coated evenly. Cover with the lid and cook until tender.
- Keep warm. If you aren’t ready to serve them immediately, turn the crockpot onto the warm setting until ready. Salt and pepper to taste and add optional fresh parsley for garnish.
Cooking Tips
- Thicker glaze. For an optional thicker glaze using all the remaining juices in the cooker, continue cooking uncovered until glaze has thickened up.
- Make ahead. Make these ahead of time and heat through before serving.
- Caramelization. For an added outer crispy exterior and nice caramelization, finish them off in the oven. Be careful not to burn them as the sugars will do that quickly!
- Added flavor. Sprinkle some cinnamon for an added layer of flavor.
- Variety. For even more added convenience, use baby carrots so that there’s no chopping involved. Or for a pop of color, use rainbow carrots.
Recipe FAQs
Of course! Just be aware that the carrots might not end up as glazed as they will be cooked slow and low. Coat the carrots in the glaze made in step 2 and then roast in a 375°F oven, stirring halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes, or until fork tender.
Sure, simply swap out the butter for a vegan butter or coconut oil.
Storing & Reheating
Glazed carrots will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook until heated through. You may want to make and add some extra glaze. Unfortunately these do not freeze very well, as they will loose their firmness and texture.
Looking for some more holiday crockpot recipes? Try these crock pot mashed potatoes, crockpot stuffing or crockpot green bean casserole!
More Easy Slow Cooker Side Dishes
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Slow Cooker Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole carrots (can also use baby carrots)
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar (or honey)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley , for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and slice the carrots into 4 to 5 pieces. Place into the slow cooker.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. You can brown the butter for a nuttier flavor, if desired. Stir in the sugar and salt and cook an additional minute.
- Pour over the carrots and stir until well coated. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on high for 3 hours, or until tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to warm until ready to serve. Salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Why does it say cook time 25 min. when, in fact, it’s hours? Please correct.
Woops, thanks for catching our mistake! We’ve updated the recipe.
I love this recipe! Perfect way to cook carrots :)
I’m so glad to hear you love it!
The glaze on these carrots was delish!