Easy Air Fryer Baby Carrots

Air fryer baby carrots are covered in maple butter glaze and roast up sweet and tender in the air fryer. You need just 20 minutes from start to finish to get this easy side dish on the table!

We’re all about preparing our side dishes in the air fryer these days. It saves space in the oven, and the results never disappoint. Other favorites of ours lately include these air fryer baked potatoes, air fryer sweet potatoes, and these air fryer potstickers.

Plus, when you're in the heat of the summer, turning on your oven is the last thing you want to do. The air fryer is perfect to make these air fryer baby carrots because it emits just a little heat so you can still stay cool inside while cooking up amazing dishes!

*You can also make these sous vide carrots or Instant Pot carrots if you want to escape the heat. And, instead of making your biscuits in the oven, why not make air fryer biscuits?

Or what about cheesecake? Instead of the hour it takes in the oven, this air fryer cheesecake cooks in 12 minutes.

Why this air fryer baby carrots recipe works

• The roasted carrots cook in just 15 minutes, which is about half the time they would take in the oven. You also don’t have to heat up your oven for a small batch of carrots!
• It’s a quick and easy air fryer carrot recipe with just 5 minutes prep time, including time to make the glaze. This makes them the perfect side dish for busy weeknights.
• The maple glaze adds to the natural sweetness of the carrots, so you can be sure they turn out sweet and tender every time!
• It's a perfectly healthy side dish and an ultra easy recipe to make. Plus, using baby carrots are very affordable!

Ingredients

Baby carrots - You'll need a one pound bag of baby carrots. This recipe saves time because all you need to do is wash the carrots. There's no chopping or peeling involved!

Maple syrup - For maximum flavor, you’ll want to use real maple syrup (as opposed to pancake syrup). This natural sweetener will keep these carrots refined sugar free.

Unsalted Melted Butter - You’ll want to melt your butter so it whisks together nicely with the maple syrup and seasonings.

Apple cider vinegar - You can use another type of vinegar, but in my opinion, apple cider vinegar adds the best flavor.

Fresh thyme - If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme. Just reduce the amount by one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh.

The full list of simple ingredients and amounts to make carrots in the air fryer is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Substitutions and variations

• You can use regular carrots instead of mini carrots. Just peel, wash and cut them into smaller pieces similar to the size of baby carrots. Make sure they're all the same size to ensure they air fry evenly.
• Substitute honey and/or brown sugar for the maple syrup.
• Use vegan butter in place of the butter to make this recipe vegan.
• Substitute any vinegar for the apple cider vinegar if needed.
• Use any fresh herbs and/or seasonings like lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, etc. You can also keep it sweet by using ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg.
• Substitute olive oil or avocado oil for the butter if desired.
• Drizzle with a touch of good quality balsamic vinegar when done for a sweet tang. You can also springle them with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Step by step instructions to make air fryer baby carrots

Preheat your air fryer if it requires preheating before you air fryer baby carrots. *Using a preheated air fryer may or may not be required, depending on your model.

1. Make the glaze by adding all of the ingredients, except the carrots, to a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined.

2. Add the baby carrots to a bowl and mix together until the carrots are coated with the maple glaze.

3. Add the carrots to the air fryer basket in a single layer (as mush as possible) and discard any remaining liquid in the bowl.

4. Air fry on 400°F for 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Shake the air fryer basket halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.

You may also want to try cooking this air fryer broccoli once you find out how easy air fryer vegetables are! We love serving these baby carrots with chipotle glazed ham, butter roasted turkey thighs, and sous vide pork roast.

Expert tips for this easy air fryer recipe

1. I used a 3-quart air fryer for this recipe and it was plenty big. I could have fit more, if needed.
2. With that said, be careful not to overfill your air fryer basket. Overcrowding the basket will affect how quickly and evenly the carrots cook.
3. If your air fryer only goes up to 390°F, you can cook the carrots at that temperature and they should still come out delicious.
4. There’s no need to coat your air fryer in anything for this recipe. Just toss the carrots right in.
5. Each air fryer is a little different so you may need to adjust the temperature or cook time slightly. You’ll know the carrots are done when they’re fork tender.
6. If you want your carrots browned a bit and a little caramelized, you can air fry them for a few extra minutes. Be careful not to air fry them too much longer as they may end up too soft.

Frequently asked questions

More side dish recipes

If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂