Brown Sugar Carrots

Nov 17, 2025

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This easy brown sugar carrot recipe has plenty of butter, brown sugar and holiday spices. Make a cheap vegetable into a fancy side dish.

A wooden spoon holding some brown sugar carrots in a crockpot.

My brown sugar carrots recipe is one to print and save for the holidays. These carrots have all the flavors of sweet potato casserole, but in carrot form. This dish rounds out the table with very little effort, I know you will love it.

Ingredients for making brown sugar carrots on a table.

Key Ingredients

Carrots: Grab a small bag of carrots; they’ll need to be peeled and sliced.

Butter: Use salted butter in this recipe, it adds the needed salt and makes a velvety sauce.

Brown Sugar: You may think this is a lot of sugar, this side dish is meant to be sweet – like sweet potato dishes are.

Spices: We go full holiday on this one, you will need cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of cloves.

Brown sugar and butter on top of sliced carrots in a slow cooker.

How to Make Brown Sugar Carrots

Add the sliced carrots to the slow cooker.
Sprinkle on the spices and brown sugar, then add the butter.
Slow cook until the carrots are tender and coated in a sweet, glossy sauce.

Sliced carrots in a crockpot with a wooden spoon scooping some out.

Sarah’s Tips & Variations

Baby Carrots: Use two bags of baby carrots instead of slicing and peeling.

Maple Syrup: Instead of brown sugar, use a 1/2 cup of maple syrup.

More Decadent: Add a splash of heavy cream and a little vanilla extract.

More Savory (and less sweet): Cut the sugar in half, and add 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary and two minced garlic cloves.

A white bowl with brown sugar carrots and a spoon.

My Favorite Things to Serve with Brown Sugar Carrots

Main Dish: We love this Holiday Ham, or Slow Cooker Turkey Breast to go along with this sweet carrot recipe.

Other Sides: To round out the meal, try my Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce, and Crockpot Baked Beans.

Close-up of brown sugar carrots in a white bowl

Can I prep these carrots ahead of time?

Yes! You can get everything ready to go and just dump in the slow cooker when your ready to cook. I actually prep these on the counter a few hours ahead of time, for nothing is perishable in that amount of time.