Description
This Christmas Carrot Glaze recipe offers a festive and flavorful way to prepare tender carrots coated in a sweet, spiced orange glaze. Perfect as a holiday side dish, the carrots are boiled until tender and then simmered in a buttery glaze infused with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh orange juice for a delightful balance of sweetness and warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
Glaze
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Boil Carrots: Place the peeled and sliced carrots in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain Carrots: Drain the carrots thoroughly and set them aside while you prepare the glaze.
- Melt Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until fully liquefied and beginning to bubble gently.
- Make Glaze: Add brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg to the melted butter. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes a smooth glaze, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Combine Carrots and Glaze: Add the cooked carrots to the saucepan and toss to coat them evenly with the glaze.
- Simmer Together: Continue cooking the glazed carrots for an additional 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even coating and prevent sticking.
- Serve Warm: Transfer the glazed carrots to a serving dish and serve warm to enjoy the full festive blend of flavors.
Notes
- For extra texture, consider topping with toasted pecans or walnuts before serving.
- This glaze can also complement roasted vegetables such as parsnips or sweet potatoes.
- Adjust sweetness by reducing or increasing brown sugar according to preference.
- Use fresh orange juice for best flavor impact; bottled juice works in a pinch.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas carrots, glazed carrots, holiday side dish, orange carrot glaze, spiced carrot recipe
