Elevate any dinner by adding Brandy Glazed Carrots to the menu. You’ll be amazed at the way brandy can transform the same old carrot dish into something quite special. Fresh baby carrots are cooked until tender, simmered in a mixture of honey and butter with a splash of brandy and sprinkled with a bit of parsley to finish. The light sauce that coats the carrots is incredibly easy to make and comes together in a matter of minutes. Quickly cook this one up any night of the week alongside pork, chicken, or steak or serve as an elegant accompaniment to any holiday dinner. This super versatile side dish taste just as great as it looks!
Here’s all you’ll need: baby carrots, butter, honey, brandy, parsley, salt and pepper.
Another great thing about Brandy Glazed Carrots is that this recipe only requires a few simple ingredients that are easy to find! The hardest part is deciding which brandy to choose. It’s always a good idea to cook with something that you would normally drink. We chose Christian Brothers, a smooth brandy with hints of vanilla and maple for this recipe.
Fill a large, deep skillet with a 1/2 inch of water and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil add the carrots. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-9 minutes or until the carrots are crisp-tender. If you like your carrots on the softer side or have a lot of large carrots in the mix, cook for the full 9 minutes. If you tend to like crunchier carrots keep it in the 5-6 minute range. Drain the carrots and set aside.
Of course you can use whole carrots or even carrot coins in place of the baby carrots. I recommend peeling the carrots and cutting them into chunks if you opt for whole.
Next using the same skillet, cook honey and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir occasionally to help it along and also to mix it together. The honey adds an extra bit of sweetness to the glaze and even makes it a little indulgent in my book.
Remove the skillet from the heat and then slowly stir in the brandy. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 of a cup. Lightly stir while the mixture boils to keep the butter and honey from caramelizing too quickly. Boiling the mixture down not only helps to thicken the glaze but also boils out some of the brandy so it’s not too overpowering.
Add the carrots back to the skillet along with the fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Stir the mixture to coat the carrots completely in the glaze. Continue to cook until the carrots are heated through.
Bon appetit! Brandy Glazed Carrots will be the hit of your dinner table. Aren’t they just beautiful? Pair these up with our Pressure Cooker White Wine Chicken Thighs for a fancy meal or go with our Best Grilled Pork Chops Marinade if you’re feeling a little more casual!
Brandy Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh baby carrots
- 1/3 cup butter, cubed
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Fill a large, deep skillet with a 1/2 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the carrots. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-9 minutes or until the carrots are crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.
- Step 2 In the same skillet, cook honey and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir occasionally.
- Step 3 Remove the skillet from the heat and then slowly stir in the brandy. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 of a cup. Lightly stir to keep the mixture from caramelizing (browning) too quickly.
- Step 4 Add the carrots back to the skillet along with the fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Stir the mixture to coat the carrots completely in the glaze. Continue to cook until the carrots are heated through. Enjoy!
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