Baked Carrots

There’s a reason this style of baked carrot has been on holiday tables for generations. Eighteen small carrots go into a casserole whole, then get covered in a blended mixture of butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and boiling water. Cover it, slide it in the oven, and walk away for an hour and a half.

What comes out is something between a vegetable side dish and a glazed confection. The long, covered bake draws moisture from the carrots, which combines with the butter-sugar mixture to create a syrupy glaze that coats every carrot. The cinnamon is subtle at just ⅓ teaspoon but it rounds out the sweetness in a way that plain glazed carrots never quite achieve.

Using small whole carrots is worth seeking out. They bake evenly and look great on the plate. Baby-cut carrots from a bag will work but the texture is slightly different.

Pro Tips

• Keep the lid on: The covered bake is what creates the glaze. Don’t lift the lid until close to done.
• Boiling water matters: Adding cold water could seize the butter. Use truly boiling water when blending the glaze.
• Check for doneness at 75 minutes: Oven variations mean some batches are done early. A fork should slide in with almost no resistance.
• Small carrots are key: Large carrots may need to be halved lengthwise to bake through in the same time.

Variations

• Brown sugar version: Swap white sugar for brown sugar to add a deeper molasses note to the glaze.
• Orange-glazed carrots: Replace the water with fresh orange juice for a citrus-forward variation that pairs beautifully with roasted chicken.