Contest-Winning Glazed Carrot Coins

Christmas week. They came in on the twenty-third, the whole crowd: Sarah and Jim and the boys, Frank and Barbara, and Carol driving up from Stowe on Christmas Eve morning. The house was full in the way a house is full when there are children in it — not just occupancy but noise and movement and the specific chaotic energy of Finn at six years old discovering that there are presents under a tree.

Christmas Eve: cookies and the molasses ones Finn ate three of and the carols on the radio and the particular hush that falls at about nine o'clock when the boys finally go to sleep and the adults sit with their drinks and talk quietly in the lit rooms. Barbara told a story about Jim at seven years old that made Frank cover his face. Jim said: I don't confirm or deny. Carol said: that's confirmation.

Christmas Day: the lamb. I got it right again, which is not guaranteed even when you've done something many times. The marinade overnight — rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon — and the long roast, and the resting, and the carving. Seven adults and two children at the table. Teddy served his grandmother's recipe — he'd asked if he could make Helen's stuffing — and I had given him the recipe and he made it exactly right. He presented it to the table and Frank said: stuffing already, we're barely inside. And Teddy said: it was important to get right. And that was the right thing to say.

After dinner, the fire, the brandy, the quiet talking. Finn fell asleep on the couch and was carried upstairs by Jim without waking. That image: a six-year-old boy carried to bed on Christmas night, trusted entirely to the adult arms. The world in miniature and exactly right.

The lamb was the centerpiece, and Teddy’s stuffing was the moment, but a Christmas table needs its quiet supporting players — the dishes that fill the platter without demanding attention. Glazed carrot coins are exactly that: simple, honest, a little sweet, and the kind of thing that disappears without anyone quite noticing they’ve eaten three servings. For a table of seven adults and two boys, with a fire going and brandy poured afterward, these are the carrots that belong.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the carrots. Place sliced carrots in a large saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 8–10 minutes, until just tender but not mushy. Drain well and set aside.
Make the glaze. In the same saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze is smooth.
Glaze the carrots. Return the drained carrots to the pan. Toss gently to coat every coin in the glaze. Cook over medium heat for an additional 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens and clings to the carrots.
Serve. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm alongside your holiday roast.

Nutrition (per serving)

Contest-Winning Glazed Carrot Coins — The Side Dish That Belongs on Every Christmas Table