These candied carrots are a deliciously simple, and a fun way to decorate your cake. They add a touch of bright color, are nicely sweetened and have the texture of fruit leather, which is great for snacking.
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Last week I shared my favorite recipe for cream cheese buttercream frosting, it’s amazing stuff, you should check it out.
It’s a really delicious recipe, but photographing it is a little boring. The pictures turned out looking like a sea of white and not very appealing, it was really difficult telling what it was. It needed color!
I could have topped it with some candy and called it a day, but that didn’t seem right, I wanted the images to scream, cream cheese frosting. And, what screams cream cheese frosting more than carrot cake?
I decided to go with some candied carrots. For some of you that might sound a little weird but I’m telling you they are amazing, not just for decorating but for snacking. My kids go nuts whenever I make them.
Simple Steps for Making Candied Carrots
Clean the carrots and then decided how you want to cut them. There are a few different ways you can do it. You can grate them, which is great if you want to use them for a sprinkling effect. You can thinly slice them, which is what I do for the kids snacks. Or, you can use a peeler to make long strips, which is great for making curly-Q’s.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then give it a light coat of cooking spray.
Step 2: Grab a heavy saucepan, add the water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved, turn the heat down to medium low.
Step 3: Add the carrots to the pan, making sure that they are all submerged in the liquid. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and drain, using a mesh strainer. Transfer the carrots to the baking sheet, making sure that they are laid out flat and not touching each other.
Step 5: Bake for 30 minutes. Once the carrots are translucent, remove from oven, sprinkle with sugar if desired and let cool.
If you are making curly-Q’s, you’ll want to do this while the carrots are still hot. To make them, wrap the carrot around the handle of a wooden spoon, then slide it off and let it cool.
- 1 cup sugar, plus more for decorating (optional)
- 1 cup water
- 2-3 large carrots
- cooking spray
- Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper , lightly spray with cooking oil.
- Clean carrots and cut to desired shape. (see notes)
- In a heavy saucepan, add water and sugar, bring to a boil over med-high heat.
- Add carrots, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, drain and transfer to a baking sheet.
- Arrange carrots so they are flat and not touching.
- Bake 30 minutes or until translucent. Sprinkle with sugar and let cool.
Slice - for snacks
Peel - for making curly-Q's
**For Curly-Q's - While the carrots are still hot, wrap around the handle of a wooden spoon, then slide it off and let cool.
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About the Author 
Robin
A mother to three amazing boy, wife to an incredible husband and a former finance manager who traded in her spreadsheets for cookie sheets. I blog about things that make life a little more fun, a bit more manageable, slightly prettier, a great deal tastier and considerably cheaper.
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I’ve never made these! Thanks so much for this simple recipe. I make a lemon cream cheese pie and these would look beautiful as an additional embellishment when serving with the whipped topping!
ooh, that sounds delicious!
Ohh I can’t wait to try these! Thanks for the inspiration and directions. 🙂
They are so bright and pretty! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party.
I never made anything similar, but is sounds like a great idea. Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned.
I’ve never heard of candied carrots. What a great idea? They seem as if they would be both tasty and pretty.
My kids love snacking on them!
I haven’t tried making these! Such a fun and lovely idea! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
Thank you for sharing your candied carrot recipe with us at the Talk Of The Town Party! My favorite dessert is carrot cake and I’m definitely going to try this to decorate the top of the next one I bake. Pinned 🙂
Yummy! Candied carrots look great on top of cupcakes. These would be fab for Easter. Thanks for sharing these goodies with the #dreamteam linky.
my 12 year old daughters loves to try new recipes – she’ll live this one!
They are super easy to make!
Wow these are my kind of carrots!! 🙂 #TriumphantTales
Your Candied Carrots are just awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
OMG, Robin…
You have the most AMAZING recipes! I am ABSOLUTY THRILLED to have stumbled upon your recipes!
I am making a Carrot Cake for dessert to top off a dinner request I’m cooking on Thursday that one of my church’s young missionary ladies requested of me. I got an idea to decorate the top of the cake with perhaps some little carrot candies, so I started browsing on Google for a recipe when I happened upon your recipe for Candied Carrot Curls.
I am SO excited to make these candied carrot Curls and I can hardly wait to get started on them Thursday morning!
Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderful recipes with us. I’m be making many of your recipe dishes to serve my family and friends in my upcoming meal I can promise you that you have gained one more avid follower for life!!
Happy cooking and baking, Robin!!
I’m thrilled that you found us! The candied carrots are one of my favorite ways to top the carrot cake, they seem to always get people talking. I don’t know about you but I love talking about food. You’ll have to let me know how your church group thought of them.