Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots with Orange: Easy Oven-Roasted Recipe

Our simple recipe for brown sugar glazed carrots has turned my family into carrot lovers. These oven roasted glazed carrots combine sweet brown sugar, fresh orange juice, and butter to create a shiny glaze that makes ordinary carrots taste like something you’d order at a fancy restaurant.

If you’ve been looking for an easy carrot side dish that actually gets people excited about eating their vegetables, this is it. The oven does all the work while you handle the rest of your dinner. And, they only take about 30 minutes to make from start to finish!

Why I Love This Recipe

What makes this recipe so special is how the high heat of the oven brings out the natural sweetness in the carrots while the brown sugar glaze caramelizes on top. You get tender carrots with a slight crisp on the edges and a beautiful shine from the glaze. Even people who say they don’t like carrots change their minds after trying these oven roasted glazed carrots.

Now they’ve become our go-to side dish for holiday dinners, Sunday suppers, and busy weeknights when we need something easy but impressive.

Key Ingredient Notes

While you’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below, I wanted to highlight a few important ingredients:

• Carrots: I like using regular carrots that I peel and slice myself because you can cut them to the size you want. Baby carrots work too and save you prep time, but I find regular carrots taste sweeter when roasted. Look for firm carrots without soft spots. Organic carrots are great, but regular ones work just fine.
• Brown Sugar: This is what gives these glazed carrots their amazing caramel flavor. I use dark brown sugar because it has more molasses flavor, but light brown sugar works great too.
• Fresh Orange Juice: Using juice from a real orange makes a huge difference! You’ll need about 1/4 cup, which is usually one medium orange. Store-bought orange juice works in a pinch, but fresh tastes so much better. Make sure to get 100% juice if you’re buying it.
• Butter: Real butter gives the best flavor and helps the glaze stick to the carrots. You can use a butter substitute if you need to, but butter is what I recommend for the best taste.
• Olive Oil: This helps the carrots roast evenly and keeps them from sticking to the pan. Any cooking oil works—vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil are all fine choices.

Pro Tips for Making Perfect Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Before you head to the recipe card, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned from making these oven roasted glazed carrots many times:

• Cut Carrots the Same Size: This is super important! If you cut your carrot pieces different sizes, some will be mushy while others are still hard. Try to make all the pieces about the same thickness so everything cooks evenly.
• Foil Cover: Covering the carrots with foil for the first 10 minutes helps them steam a little and get tender. Then uncovering them for the last 10 minutes lets the glaze caramelize and gives you that beautiful shine.
• Make the Glaze First: Get your brown sugar glaze ready before you start cutting carrots. Cook it on low heat until the sugar dissolves completely—you don’t want grainy bits of sugar on your carrots. The glaze should look smooth and slightly thick.
• Use a Hot Oven: Roasting at 400°F is perfect for these glazed carrots. The high heat brings out their natural sweetness and gives them a little caramelized color on the edges. If you roast them at a lower temperature, they won’t taste as sweet.
• Check for Doneness: Your carrots are done when you can easily poke them with a fork but they still have a little bite. Nobody wants mushy carrots! Start checking them at 18 minutes if you cut your pieces smaller.
• Fresh is Best: If you have fresh carrots from the farmers market or your garden, you might not even need to peel them. Just scrub them really well with a vegetable brush. Fresh carrots roast up sweeter than older ones.

How to Store Your Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

These oven roasted glazed carrots will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 5 days when you store them in an airtight container. I like to use glass containers with snap-on lids.

To reheat, you have two easy options:

In the Oven (Best for Keeping Texture): Put your carrots in a baking dish and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Stir them halfway through so they heat evenly. This keeps them from getting mushy.

In the Microwave (Fastest): Put your carrots in a microwave-safe dish and heat for 30 seconds at a time. Stir between each session until they’re hot. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes total.

Make-Ahead Tips: You can prep your carrots up to 4 days ahead! Wash, peel, and slice them, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Make the glaze and roast the carrots just before serving. I don’t recommend cooking them ahead because they taste best fresh from the oven.

Can You Freeze Them? You can freeze these brown sugar glazed carrots, but they’ll lose their crispy texture when you thaw them. The carrots get softer and a little mushy. If you do freeze them, use them in soups or stews where the softer texture won’t matter. They’ll last up to 3 months in the freezer.

How to Serve Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

These oven roasted glazed carrots work beautifully for both weeknight dinners and holiday meals. The shiny glaze makes them look fancy even though they’re super simple to make.

They’re especially perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and a must for St. Patrick’s Day. Simply spoon the carrots into a serving bowl and add fresh herbs like thyme, dill, or rosemary on top for an extra-pretty presentation.

What Goes Well With These Carrots:

• Turkey Roulade
• Ham with brown sugar glaze
• Grilled or baked salmon
• Baked Corned Beef
• Cheese stuffed pork chops
• Holiday beef brisket

For a complete meal, I like to serve these carrots with mashed potatoes and some crusty Italian bread. Add a simple Greek salad and you’ve got a dinner that will make everyone happy!

Variations to Try

Once you master the basic recipe for these brown sugar glazed carrots, try some of these fun twists:

• Honey Glazed Carrots: Replace half the brown sugar with honey for a different kind of sweetness. It gives the carrots a lighter, more floral flavor.
• Spicy Glazed Carrots: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the glaze for a sweet and spicy kick. Just a tiny bit adds nice heat without being too much.
• Herb Roasted Glazed Carrots: Toss fresh thyme, rosemary, or dill with the carrots before roasting. The herbs add an earthy flavor that balances out the sweetness perfectly.
• Maple Glazed Carrots: Swap the brown sugar for maple syrup. You’ll get a different kind of sweetness with that classic maple flavor. This is especially good for fall dinners.
• Asian-Style Glazed Carrots: Add a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to your glaze and use a splash of soy sauce instead of salt. This gives you an Asian-inspired flavor that’s really tasty.
• Pineapple Glazed Carrots: Use pineapple juice instead of orange juice. The tropical sweetness is different but just as delicious, and kids usually love it.
• Rainbow Carrots: If you can find different colored carrots at the store (purple, yellow, white), use those for a beautiful presentation. They all taste similar when roasted but look really pretty together.
• Garlic Brown Sugar Carrots: Add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic when you’re making the glaze. The garlic flavor goes surprisingly well with the sweet brown sugar.

Related Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoy these brown sugar glazed carrots, I bet you’ll also love some of my other easy vegetable side dishes!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze uses a similar roasting method but with a tangy-sweet balsamic finish. They’re just as easy and get crispy on the edges.

Grilled or Roasted Sweet Potatoes have that same caramelized sweetness but with the hearty texture of sweet potatoes. They’re ready in about the same time and perfect for fall.

Honey Roasted Beets are my go-to when I can get them fresh at my Farmer’s market.

Crispy Parmesan Smashed Potatoes is another oven recipe that turns plain potatoes into something special.

You can find all of my side dish recipes on the website if you want more ideas!

Frequently Asked Questions About Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Do I have to peel the carrots? You don’t have to peel them if they’re fresh and clean looking. Just scrub them really well with a vegetable brush under running water. I usually peel mine because I think they look nicer, but it’s not required.

Can I use baby carrots? Yes! Baby carrots work great and save you the time of peeling and cutting. They might cook a little faster since they’re smaller, so start checking them at 15 minutes.

Why do my carrots come out mushy? This usually happens if you roast them too long or at too low of a temperature. Make sure your oven is at 400°F and check the carrots around 18-20 minutes. They should be tender but still have a little bite.

Can I make these without butter? You can use margarine or a dairy-free butter substitute. The flavor won’t be quite the same, but they’ll still taste good. You could also just use a little extra olive oil.

Do I really need to make the glaze ahead? Yes! The glaze needs a few minutes to thicken and for the sugar to dissolve. If you pour grainy sugar on the carrots, it won’t caramelize properly.

Can I roast other vegetables with the carrots? Sure! Just make sure whatever you add cooks in about the same time. Parsnips work great with carrots. I wouldn’t add quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini because they’ll be mushy by the time the carrots are done.

How do I know when the carrots are done? Stick a fork in the thickest piece. If it goes in easily but the carrot doesn’t fall apart, they’re perfect. You want them tender but not mushy.

Will the glaze burn? Not if you cover the carrots with foil for the first half of cooking. The foil keeps the sugar from getting too dark. Once you remove the foil, the glaze will caramelize but not burn if you’re watching the time.

Ready To Give Glazed Carrots a Try?

The recipe is simple enough for busy weeknights but pretty enough for holiday dinners. I love that I can prep the carrots ahead and then just pop them in the oven when I’m ready. It’s one less thing to worry about when I’m trying to get dinner on the table!

Try this recipe and let me know how it turns out. Did you try any of the variations? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below, rate this recipe 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, and share a photo of your beautiful casserole! Don’t forget to tag @hostessatheart or use #hostessatheart on social media so I can see your delicious creations!

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Originally published: January 30, 2021. Updated: November 3, 2025 – Enhanced with more detailed instructions, tips, and serving suggestions. No changes were made to the recipe.