Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots
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These bourbon glazed carrots are an incredible special occasion side dish. Lightly steamed carrots are finished in a maple bourbon glaze and then sprinkled with salty pistachios. It’s an easy yet very delicious recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes!
These bourbon glazed carrots are sweet, smoky, and finished with just a subtle hint of spice. I tend to make them around the holidays, but every time I do, I wonder why they’re not in my regular rotation year-round. They’re easy, comforting, and always a hit at the table.
Bourbon and maple are really the stars here. Don’t worry — despite the nickname “drunken carrots,” there’s no sharp bite of bourbon. Instead, it cooks down into a gentle smokiness that pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of the carrots.
I start by steaming the carrots in a splash of water, then keep everything in the same pan while I add the glaze ingredients. After a quick simmer, the sauce thickens and coats the carrots perfectly. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll take it one step further and caramelize the glaze for extra depth — just be sure to keep a close eye on the pan, because it happens fast.
Bourbon glazed carrots ingredients
- Carrots – carrots are an incredibly versatile, yet often under-appreciated vegetable. They keep their shape and texture and take to the bourbon glaze beautifully.
- Bourbon – using bourbon in the glaze gives the carrots just a hint of boozy flavor.
- Maple syrup – instead of brown sugar, we use maple syrup to add sweetness. It brings out the carrots’ natural sweetness, too!
- Pistachios – look for shelled salty green pistachios to add just the right amount of crunch.
Tips for making the best bourbon glazed carrots
Making these glazed bourbon carrots couldn’t be easier, but here are a few tips to help them turnout excellent every time:
- Slice the carrots on a diagonal to maximize their surface area. More surface area equals more glaze-y goodness!
- When you steam them for a few minutes, they will still seem too firm but they’ll continue cooking in the glaze.
- If you decide to caramelize the glaze, make sure to watch it really closely because it can go from caramelized to burned in a matter of seconds.
- Don’t skip the pistachios! They add a really wonderful salty crunch that really compliments the glazed carrots.
Cooking with bourbon
Remember that some alcohol in bourbon will burn off when it is cooked, but much of it will remain. It takes upwards of three hours of cooking for the alcohol to disappear completely. If you’re concerned about the alcohol in the recipe, you can simmer a larger quantity of the bourbon separately to remove more alcohol. A 30-minute simmer will remove about half of the alcohol.
What to serve with bourbon carrots
No celebration is complete without a side of glazed carrots! While these glazed bourbon carrots are a must-make for holiday dinners like Christmas and Thanksgiving, they’re also a super versatile side dish you can make for date night, birthday dinners, or even on an average weeknight.
Mains that taste great with maple bourbon carrots
Bourbon Maple Glazed Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 medium carrots (cut into diagonal pieces)
- ¼ cup EACH: bourbon and maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter (or sub vegan butter, if needed)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios (chopped)
Instructions
- Add the carrots to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water and bring it to a boil. Cook the carrots with the lid off until the water has evaporated and the pan is dry, about 5 minutes.10 medium carrots
- Add the bourbon, maple syrup, butter, sea salt, and (if using) the cayenne to the pan and bring to a boil. Let the carrots cook, stirring gently several times, until the maple syrup and bourbon reduce to become a glaze that coats the carrots.¼ cup EACH: bourbon and maple syrup, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- Optional step: continue to cook the carrots for 3-4 minutes more. Watch the pan closely as it is very easy to burn the glaze at this point. Stir the carrots every 15-20 seconds and remove the pan from the heat as soon as you see the glaze begin to darken.
- Serve the bourbon maple glazed carrots with the pistachios sprinkled on top.⅓ cup shelled pistachios
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use a different type of nut in place of the pistachios?
Pistachios have a unique taste and texture, but if you want to swap them, your best bets are pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews.
What does caramelizing the glaze do?
Caramelizing food takes it up a notch. When sugars caramelize, the flavor develops beyond sweetness and becomes nutty, bitter, toasty, and even a bit buttery.
Can I use whiskey instead of bourbon?
You can, but make sure to opt for an unpeated whiskey. Peated whiskey has a robust flavor that would be too much for this recipe.
What’s the best bourbon to use?
Save your expensive stuff because any bourbon will work for this recipe.
I am definitely going to make this for Thanksgiving! I have a Maple Balsamic Vinegar and a Bourbon Balsamic Vineger from Seven Barrels, so I’ll probably include them both. Can this recipe be prepped in the morning and reheated, or will the carrots get soggy?
I’ve never made them ahead of time so I can’t say for sure. I would suggest undercooking them a little so that they don’t overcook when you reheat them. 🙂
I have made these at home and then brought them for pot lucks at work and kept them warm in a small chafer. Big hit! Pre-Covid of course.
Yaaaa! I could eat the whole batch too!
I sent my husband to get some maple syrup, and he came home with maple bourbon syrup. I do have a little bit of plain maple syrup.. Should I use that up and add bourbon. But if I were to use the maple bourbon syrup.. should I “enhance” with bourbon ;)?
Nice! I tried bourbon maple syrup once and it was amazing! I would use that but follow the recipe directions and add the bourbon. I think it will just make it extra delicious!
I love the simplicity of this dish, looks very fancy though.
Hey Asmita,
It might look fancy, but trust me, it’s super easy!