Elevate your holiday meal with Apricot Glazed Carrots—perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving. With a luscious apricot butter glaze, they’re both visually stunning and delicious. Easily prepared in a slow cooker or oven, this side dish adds convenience and a colorful flair to your table.

Apricot glazed carrots on a white serving platter

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 3½-4 hours on high

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots (rainbow carrots were used in this recipe)
⅓ cup butter (plus 2 Tbsp for finishing glaze)
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup apricot preserves (plus ¼ cup for finishing glaze)
½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup water
fresh parsley

On a brown cutting board are rainbow carrots, cinnamon sticks, a stick of butter, and apricot preserves.

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step 1: In a saucepan, combine ⅓ cup of butter, ⅓ cup of water, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅓ cup of apricot preserves. Melt over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside the remaining butter and apricot preserves for later use.

Step 2: Place carrots in a slow cooker and pour the apricot butter mixture on top. Cover the slow cooker and set it to the high setting for 3½ to 4 hours, or until the carrots are tender. Stir ingredients periodically.

rainbow carrots in a black slow cooker on the white counter.

On a brown cutting board are apricot preserves, rainbow carrots, and a dark saucepan with the warmed apricot preserve mixture, accompanied by a small wooden spoon.

Step 3: Once the carrots are done, melt the remaining apricot preserves and butter together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. Pour over carrots just before serving and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Apricot glazed carrots that are cooked on a white plate on a brown cutting board or being drizzled with extra apricot and butter glaze.

Oven Method for Apricot Glazed Carrots:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a saucepan, combine ⅓ cup of butter, ⅓ cup of water, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅓ cup of apricot preserves. Melt over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside the remaining butter and preserves for later use.
Pour the heated ingredients over the carrots, which have been placed in a baking dish. Roast the carrots for 20 minutes, then toss them and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Depending on the thickness of the carrots, a longer roasting time may be needed.
Once the carrots are done, melt the remaining apricot preserves and butter together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. Pour over carrots just before serving and garnish with parsley, if desired.

🍋 Simply Made Suggestions

Rainbow carrots give this dish its beautiful mix of colors, but regular orange carrots work just as well. Short on prep time?
Baby carrots are an easy shortcut—no peeling or chopping required.

🥕 Before You Go …

Keep the side-dish inspiration going with our Fluffy Mashed Potatoes or Lemon Oregano Roasted Potatoes. For another comforting potato side, try this Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe from Back to My Southern Roots.

Apricot Glazed Carrots

Elevate your holiday meal with Apricot Glazed Carrots—perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Tara

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

2 lbs carrots (rainbow carrots were used in this recipe)
⅓ cup butter (plus 2 Tbsp for finishing glaze)
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup apricot preserves (plus ¼ cup for finishing glaze)
½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup water
fresh parsley (garnish)

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine ⅓ cup of butter, ⅓ cup of water, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅓ cup of apricot preserves. Melt over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside the remaining butter and apricot preserves for later use.
Place carrots in a slow cooker and pour the apricot butter mixture over top. Cover the slow cooker and set it to the high setting for 3½ to 4 hours, or until the carrots are tender. Stir ingredients periodically.
Once the carrots are done, melt the remaining apricot preserves and butter together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. Pour over carrots just before serving and garnish with parsley, if desired.