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Glazed Carrots & Pears with Maple and Bourbon

Hello bubbly maple bourbon glazed carrots and pears! This dish comes together in about 40 minutes, and you just need a sheet pan to make it! Although we use bourbon in this dish, you can omit that, and just add some extra maple. The alcohol will cook off, so no worries! And if you want it vegan, use plant based butter.

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Published Feb 2 2023

Modified March 10 2025

4 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

  1. Sweet & Savory Balance – The rich maple syrup and bourbon glaze enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots and pears while adding a deep, caramelized flavor.
  2. Effortless Sheet Pan Cooking – Everything roasts together on one pan, making cleanup easy and ensuring even caramelization.
  3. Elegant Yet Simple – This side dish looks fancy enough for holiday meals but is easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
  4. Versatile Pairing – Pairs beautifully with roasted meats like pork, chicken, ham or turkey, making it a great addition to any meal.

Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots & Pears:

  • Pears: Adds sweetness and a tender texture that balances the carrots. The variety and color also enhance the dish’s visual appeal.
  • Rainbow carrots: Provides a vibrant color contrast and a slightly earthy, sweet flavor that pairs well with the pears.
  • Butter: Adds richness and helps caramelize the pears and carrots, enhancing their flavors.
  • Maple syrup: Provides natural sweetness and depth of flavor that complements the bourbon and balances the spices.
  • Bourbon: Adds a subtle warmth and complexity, with caramel and vanilla notes that enhance the glaze.
  • Aleppo pepper: Introduces a mild, fruity heat that complements the sweetness without overpowering it.
  • Black pepper: Adds a bit of sharpness and contrast to the sweetness of the maple syrup and pears.
  • Sea salt: Enhances the flavors by balancing the sweetness and bringing out the dish’s savory elements.
  • Fresh thyme: Adds an herbal note that complements both the sweet and savory aspects of the dish.
  • Pomegranate arils: Provides a pop of tartness and color, adding freshness and visual appeal.
 

Instructions for Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots & Pears

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 325°F for convection roast, or 350°F for a standard oven. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, bourbon, and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Set the mixture aside.
  3. Prep the Carrots: Wash and peel the rainbow carrots, then pat them dry. Arrange the carrots on the prepared sheet pan, alternating the direction of the pointed ends to help them fit evenly.
  4. Slice the Pears: Cut the pears in half, slightly off-center, so that the stem remains intact on one side. Use a melon baller to scoop out the seeds, creating a small hollow. Place the pears on one side of the sheet pan, skin side down.
  5. Add Fresh Thyme: Remove a few leaves from 4 of the thyme sprigs and sprinkle them over the carrots and pears.
  6. Apply the Glaze: Drizzle the butter-bourbon-maple syrup mixture over the carrots and pears. Use your hands to ensure everything is evenly coated. Then, drizzle an additional tablespoon of maple syrup over the pears.
  7. Season: Sprinkle Aleppo pepper over the carrots and pears. Grind fresh black pepper over the carrots, and finish with a pinch of sea salt.
  8. Bake: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, remove the pan and turn the carrots to coat them evenly. Flip the pears so they are skin side up. Add a bit more Aleppo pepper and a pinch of salt. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly.
  9. Finish: Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Flip the pears back over so they are skin side down. Transfer everything to a serving platter or serve directly from the sheet pan. Sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top, making sure some fall into the hollows of the pears where the syrup has collected.
  10. Garnish: Place the remaining 4 thyme sprigs over the dish as a garnish before serving.
 

We love to use both rainbow carrots and rainbow pears! This dish can be modified by trading out the pears for apples, and add rosemary instead of thyme. If you don’t want it as sweet, use butter, with a mixture of garlic, and lemon.

Whatever you do, be sure to add the pomegranate arils over the top before you serve these maple bourbon glazed carrots and pears! Not only does it make the dish look even more colorful, it pops the flavor too!

 

 

How to Store & Reheat:

  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Reheating: Spread on a sheet pan and warm in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a touch of butter.

Tips for the Best Glazed Carrots & Pears:

  • Use Parchment Paper or Foil – This prevents sticking and makes cleanup even easier.
  • Don’t Overcrowd the Pan – Spread everything in an even layer to ensure proper caramelization instead of steaming.
  • Don’t Overcook the Pears – Add them halfway through roasting so they stay tender but not mushy.
  • Choose Real Maple Syrup – Avoid imitation syrups for the best taste and caramelization.

This dish is a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and boozy warmth, making it an ideal side for holiday feasts or special dinners. Proper storage and reheating ensure that you can enjoy these rich flavors without compromising texture. With a few simple adjustments, you can keep this dish just as delicious as when it was first made!

maple bourbon glazed carrots and pears

Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots & Pears

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 39 minutes
Course: sidedish, vegatable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: carrots, glazed carrots
Servings: 6 servings as side dish
Calories: 173kcal
Author: Bruce and Dina Miller

Equipment

  • sheet pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Vegatable peeler
  • Melon baller
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board

Ingredients

Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots & Pears

  • 3 ripe pears we buy a bag of multi colored from Trader Joes and use 1 of each color
  • 12 rainbow carrots
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 4 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • 8 grinds of fresh black pepper
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate arils

Instructions

Instructions for Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots & Pears

  • Pre-heat oven to 325 F. convection roast, or 350 F. for standard oven. Place sheet of parchment paper in a sheet pan. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix melted butter, bourbon, and 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup. Set aside.
    3 tablespoons melted butter, 4 tablespoons real maple syrup, 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • Wash and peel rainbow carrots, patting dry. Then place carrots on parchment paper, pointing ends every other direction to help them fit more evenly.
    12 rainbow carrots
  • Slice Pears down the middle, starting at the pointy end, just off to one side of the stem, leaving stem intact. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds, forming a small round area. Place pears on one of the long sides of the sheet pan, skin side down.
    3 ripe pears
  • Pull a few leaves off of 4 of the sprigs of thyme, and sprinkle over carrots and pears. Drizzle the butter, bourbon, maple mixture over the tops of carrots, and pears. Using your hands, ensure that the mixture has covered all the carrots and pears. Now drizzle about a tablespoon or so of the maple syrup over the pears. Sprinkle the Aleppo pepper over carrots and pears. Freshly crack pepper over the carrots. Sprinkle all with a pinch of sea salt.
    3 ripe pears, 12 rainbow carrots, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 4 tablespoons real maple syrup, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, a pinch of sea salt, 8 grinds of fresh black pepper
  • Place pan into oven, and set timer for 12 minutes. Pull pan out after 12 minutes, and turn to coat carrots, and turn pears so that they are skin side up. Add a bit more of the Aleppo pepper over the top and a pinch of salt. Return to oven, and check after 10 minutes, but may take up to another 12. Watch for mixture to be bubbly.
  • Pull sheet pan out of oven. Turn the pears back over so that the skin is down. Depending on style of service, you may serve right off the sheet pan, or move to a platter. Now you want to sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top, making sure that the pears catch a few in the bubbly maple syrup that has found its way into the small hole made with the melon scooper.
    1/3 cup pomegranate arils
  • Place the last 4 sprigs of thyme over the top as garnish before serving.
    8 sprigs of fresh thyme

Notes

If there are any leftovers, they are great thrown into soup that week.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 20748IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Ali says

    5 stars
    This glaze was amazing!! Made such a great fall side dish for some steaks. Will be making this again and again this fall for sure!

    Reply

  5. Andrea says

    5 stars
    This side dish is so easy to make, full of marvelous flavors and will definitely impress my family. I can’t wait to make this.

    Reply

  8. Kathleen says

    5 stars
    This new and excited side dish is full of fresh flavors and fresh ingredients. It will be a big hit for the Holidays.

    Reply

  9. Beth says

    5 stars
    I can’t think of a better flavor to pair with carrots than maple and bourbon. I can almost taste that tangy sweetness with the carrots and the pears. Yum!

    Reply

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