You'll absolutely love this Maple Pecan Carrot Casserole! Fresh carrots pureed in a sweet mixture of warm spices, sugar and maple syrup, then topped with a crunchy pecan topping! This is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish or Easter side dish and it's a great "orange" alternative to sweet potatoes!
This creamy carrot casserole is quick and easy to make and will be a hit at your weeknight dinner table or your holiday table! If you've ever been to Eatzi's, then you're probably familiar with this sweet side dish!
Why this recipe works
There are a zillion carrot recipes out there, but this easy carrot recipe does not use baby carrots or canned carrots and this recipe can be made dairy-free AND gluten-free by switching out a few ingredients. (See recipe notes in the recipe card below.)
This maple pecan carrot casserole is different than others because it incorporates a hint of maple syrup, Apple Pie spice and vanilla extract. The Apple pie spice contains: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and allspice, so you can already imagine the great flavor this easy carrot dish has!
It's a relatively healthy side dish and, like Pineapple casserole, it can also be served as a dessert!
If you've ever been to Picadilly Cafeteria or been to Neyow's Creole Cafe in New Orleans, then you've had this delicious dish! Both restaurants offer this as a staple menu item year-round.
Here's what you need
You can easily switch out a few ingredients and make this Dairy Free and Gluten Free!
We made this the first time using vegan butter and gluten-free flour and it was absolutely delicious! Specifically, we used EarthBalance™ Vegan butter and White Gold™ Gluten Free/Vegan All Purpose Flour.
You can use conventional butter and flour in this recipe if you like - use the same amounts listed in the recipe card.
For the carrot casserole, you'll need 2 pounds of raw carrots, a stick of butter, a cup of granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, Apple Pie spice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, 4 large eggs and a little bit of salt.
For the pecan topping, you'll need chopped pecans (you can use pecan halves and just chop them up), light brown sugar, melted butter and more all-purpose flour.
Recipe overview: how to make maple pecan carrot casserole
Overview: you boil the carrots on the stove, mix 'em up with some other ingredients in the food processor, then pour it into a 9 x 13 pan and top it with a pecan mixture. Then you bake it about 45 minutes. That's it!
- Peel and slice carrots. If you're using baby carrots or canned carrots, rinse them well first - sometimes they have a slimy coating on them. If the carrots are large, slice them in halves or quarters for a quicker cooking process!
- On the stove, bring a large pot of water to boil; add the sliced carrots and cover. Cook 20 minutes or until carrots are tender; drain and set aside
- Add the drained carrots to the food processor and pulse until they form a smooth consistency.
- Then, add in the melted butter, granulated sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla, maple syrup, eggs, flour and salt. Combine all this in the food processor to a smooth consistency. Taste for salt at this point.
- Lightly grease (with spray oil or butter) a 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour carrot mixture into the baking dish; set aside
To make the crunchy pecan topping, get a large mixing bowl; add in light brown sugar, chopped pecans, melted butter and flour; combine this and sprinkle it over the carrot mixture.
Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack of the oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until the center comes out clean with a toothpick.
Tips
For best results, serve this carrot casserole in a shallow baking dish so that everyone gets a good scoop of the sweet pecan topping.
If you make this in a deep dish, I recommend you double the pecan topping recipe and layer the carrot casserole as follows: place a layer of carrot mixture in a deep baking dish; sprinkle a little of the pecan topping over that, then repeat, ending up with the pecan mixture on top.
My husband won't eat carrots, but he'll eat this. Sometimes, it's better off if folks don't know what they're eating:) He wouldn't try it because it was orange like sweet potatoes (which he refuses to eat as well)-but he gobbled this up to the point where we have to "watch" him now or he'll eat it all.
Storage and reheating
You can make this delicious carrot recipe up to 3 days in advance; just cover it securely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended because the texture changes.
Serving suggestions
Serve this as a cassserole in a 9 x 13 baking pan, or bake in individual ramekins!
This maple pecan carrot casserole makes a great Fall side dish and pairs beautifully with turkey, pork and chicken. I usually serve it as a Thanksgiving side dish, along side cornbread dressing, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and spiced cranberry sauce!
It also pairs well with your Easter ham!
Related recipes
- Classic Southern Pecan Pie
- Orange Glazed Carrots
- Copper Penny Carrot Slaw
- Texas Pecan Bars
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
📋 Recipe
Maple Pecan Carrot Casserole
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Carrot Casserole Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots
- ½ cup butter, melted (8 tablespoons); See recipe notes
- ¾ cup sugar, granulated
- 1½ teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free See recipe notes
- 4 whole large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
Maple Pecan Topping Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup pecans, chopped See recipe notes
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
- Spray oil or butter for baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Bring a large pot of water to boil; peel and slice carrots; add carrots to boiling water; cover and cook 20 minutes or until fork tender; drain2 pounds carrots
- Transfer drained carrots to food processor; pulse until smooth
- Add butter, sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, eggs, salt and flour; pulse till smooth½ cup butter, melted, ¾ cup sugar, granulated, 1½ teaspoons Apple Pie Spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup maple syrup, 4 whole large eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
- Pour carrot mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking panSpray oil or butter for baking dish
Make the Maple Pecan Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, combine light brown sugar, chopped pecans, melted butter and flour; combine well1 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1 cup pecans, chopped, 6 tablespoons butter, melted, ½ cup flour, all-purpose or gluten free
- Sprinkle mixture over carrot mixture; bake uncovered at 350°F on middle rack 40-45 minutes; allow to cool a bit before serving
Bea says
I absolutely love this recipe! I never knew carrots could taste this good until I tried your suggestions. The maple pecan topping is to die for!