Can you candy carrots? Absolutely. These candied carrots make a beautiful, crunchy topping for carrot cake and cupcakes or a sweet garnish for muffins. If you want a carrot cake decoration without cream cheese, try candied shredded carrots, candied carrot curls, or candied carrot strips. This carrot topping is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and you can adapt the recipe to be sugar-free or lower in carbs if desired.
Common carrot cake décor includes buttercream, cream cheese frosting, and sprinkles or shaped candies, but this crispy candied carrot recipe offers a different texture and look for your dessert. This version uses granulated sugar, but you can experiment with honey, brown sugar, or a sugar substitute for a different flavor or to reduce carbs. Whichever sweetener you choose, these easy candied carrots will be flavorful and appealing.
The key to turning shredded carrots into a stable cake garnish is thorough drying. First the carrot shreds are briefly cooked in a simple syrup on the stovetop, then they are dried at a low oven temperature until crisp. Making candied carrot shreds is similar to candying citrus peel. You can also make candied carrot coins (thin slices) or ribbons, though thicker shapes will require longer drying time.
While I typically use these as a decorative carrot cake topping, they’re also a tasty snack—think of them as a sweet counterpart to savory carrot chips.
⭐ Carrot Cake Garnish Ingredients
Ingredients for a simple carrot cake garnish:
- 2 medium carrots
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
Use larger carrots for easier shredding; rainbow carrots add a colorful touch. To make the recipe sugar-free, substitute a granular erythritol-based sweetener measured 1:1. For different flavors, stir in a splash of vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon or ginger, or substitute orange juice for the water to create an orange-scented syrup.
Kitchen equipment you’ll need:
- Vegetable peeler (optional)
- Knife
- Box grater
- Small saucepan
- Colander or slotted spoon
- Parchment paper
- Dark baking sheet
🥕 How to Make Candied Carrots
Trim the carrot tops, wash, and peel if desired. Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the carrots into coarse strands.
Combine the shredded carrots, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to simmer and the sugar dissolves—about 4–6 minutes. The carrots will release additional liquid while cooking, so the small amount of water is sufficient.
Line a dark baking sheet with parchment paper (not waxed paper). Drain the cooked carrot strands in a colander or remove them with a slotted spoon and spread them into a thin, even layer on the prepared sheet.
Preheat your oven to its lowest setting, about 175°F (79°C) if available. Place the baking sheet on the oven rack about one-third from the top. Dry the carrots for 1 hour and 45 minutes, flipping the strands gently after 45 minutes to ensure even drying.
🔥 How to Cook Carrots Candy
After the drying time, remove the tray and let the candied carrot pieces cool. They will crisp further as they cool. Break or crumble them into small clusters to use as a topping for cakes, cupcakes, or cookies.
🌡 Carrot Candy Storage
Store candied carrot garnish in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; if they were dried exceptionally well, they may last longer. For food safety, avoid leaving them at room temperature for more than a couple of hours. Well-dried carrot candy freezes and thaws nicely in an airtight container; let them thaw in the refrigerator before use.
🤔 How to Garnish Carrot Cake
My favorite presentation is a smooth layer of cream cheese frosting topped with a generous sprinkle of candied carrot pieces. You can also press larger pieces into the sides of a frosted cake for texture and visual interest. If you aren’t using candied carrots, chopped walnuts, pecans, toasted coconut, piped carrot-shaped frosting, or small candy carrots are all classic alternatives.
Carrot Candy Recipe (Candied Carrot Cake Decoration or Garnish)
1 hr 45 mins
1 hr 45 mins
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots (about 4½ ounces or 128 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°F (79°C) or your oven’s lowest setting.
- Trim, wash, and peel the carrots if desired. Grate using the large holes of a box grater.
- Combine grated carrots, water, and sugar in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until simmering and the sugar dissolves, about 4–6 minutes.
- Line a dark baking sheet with parchment paper and drain the cooked carrots in a colander or remove with a slotted spoon.
- Spread the carrots in a thin, even layer on the lined sheet.
- Place the tray in the oven one-third from the top and dry for 1 hour 45 minutes, flipping gently after 45 minutes to dry evenly.
- Allow the candied carrot pieces to cool and crisp, then crumble into clusters and use to top cakes, cupcakes, or muffins.
Equipment
- Peeler
- Grater
- Strainer or colander
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
Notes
Expert tip: This recipe is a low-calorie way to add sweetness, but most calories come from the added sugar. If you prefer a sugar-free option, use a 1:1 erythritol-based granular sweetener. Nutrition estimates count this recipe as four servings and assume some sugar drains away with the cooking liquid.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
Protein: 0.3 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Fiber: 0.9 g
Vitamin A: 106.6% DV
📋 Candy Carrot Calories
How many calories in candied carrots? One serving of this garnish is about 58 calories (recipe divided into four servings), and the estimate accounts for some sugar being drained away. Each serving contains roughly 14 grams of net carbs, so candied carrots are not ideal for strict low-carb or ketogenic plans, but they are plant-based and vegan.
FAQs
How do you make carrot strips curly?
Use a vegetable peeler to slice thin, long strips. After cooking the strips briefly in the sugar syrup, wrap each strip around a skewer or wooden spoon handle to set its curl. Place the curled strips on parchment in a single layer and dry them in the oven until crisp.
Can you make candy carrots in an Instant Pot?
You can make soft glazed carrots in an Instant Pot, but those are tender and syrupy rather than dried and crisp. This recipe is specifically for a dry, crunchy garnish.
Can you make candied carrots with canned carrots?
Canned carrots are very moist and work best for glazed, soft candied carrots (with butter and brown sugar). They are not ideal for making crispy, dehydrated candied carrot shreds without extra drying time.
Are candied carrots healthy?
“Healthy” depends on your goals. Candied carrots can encourage more vegetable consumption, especially for picky eaters, but they do contain added sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation.
👩🏻🍳 Other Ways to Use Carrots
More carrot recipe ideas to try:
- Carrot leaves pesto
- Roasted baby carrots (air fryer)
- Air fryer whole carrots with herbs, tahini, and pomegranate seeds
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