These roasted Brussels sprouts are coated in butter and honey and then baked in the oven until beautifully caramelized.
It's a delicious side dish that goes with countless entrees. And the leftovers are excellent, too, reheated or even cold.
I know I'm not the only one who absolutely has to order Brussels sprouts at restaurants. Cooked in copious amounts of sugar and oil, it's a delectable side dish.
At home, I coat the sprouts in melted butter and add a tablespoon of honey. This modest amount of honey is just what's needed to balance out the natural bitterness of the sprouts and turn them into a delightful side dish - one of the best in my repertoire.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Fresh Brussels sprouts. You definitely want fresh sprouts in this recipe, not frozen ones. We want them to crisp up in the oven, which is unlikely to happen with frozen sprouts.
- Butter: I use melted salted butter.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Variations
- You can substitute pure maple syrup for the honey.
- Sometimes, I add â…› teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- To make it dairy-free, use melted ghee or olive oil.
- Sprinkle the finished dish with bacon bits.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Wash and dry the sprouts. Remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut them in half.
Place the halved Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use a large spoon or your hands to coat the sprouts evenly and thoroughly.
Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast them in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Flip the sprouts to the other side (I use two teaspoons). If any of them is already deeply browned, remove it to a plate. Wipe off any spots with caramelized honey on the pan to prevent them from burning.
Return the pan to the oven and roast the sprouts until tender and browned, for 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- A trick to make the sprouts crispy is to use pre-washed bagged sprouts. This ensures that they'll be completely dry. If you need to wash them, make sure to dry them thoroughly. Otherwise, they will steam rather than roast.
- Some of the sprouts will be ready faster. Remove them to a plate and keep roasting the remaining ones.
- For restaurant-level sweetness, use two tablespoons of honey.
- You can slice large sprouts into three parts instead of two and leave tiny ones whole, as shown in the photos below.
Experiment: Frozen Brussels Sprouts
I decided to experiment with using frozen sprouts. I'll share the details of my experiment here, but the bottom line is that while not bad, they aren't nearly as good as fresh.
I used two packages of frozen sprouts for a total of about a pound and a half. Since they are frozen, you have to roast them whole, which is part of the problem.
I placed them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprayed them generously with olive oil, and sprinkled them with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. At this point, you can also drizzle them with a bit of maple syrup or honey.
The reason for using oil instead of butter is that melted butter would have hardened when coming in touch with the frozen veggies.
I placed them in a preheated 425°F oven and roasted them for 30 minutes. They were fork-tender and ready to eat after 30 minutes, but I wanted them more caramelized, so I put them in the oven for ten more minutes. Here they are after 40 minutes:
I stored the leftovers in a glass food storage container and reheated them in the microwave the next day. The leftovers were as good as the freshly baked sprouts.
The bottom line: The frozen sprouts were tasty but not crispy and not as caramelized as fresh sprouts (although, to be fair, honey would have helped).
Recipe FAQs
They are basically little cabbages, so why don't we call them "mini cabbages?" They were cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century, so they're named after the place from where they originated.
The secret is to use plenty of butter, add a small amount of honey to balance out any bitterness, mix everything so the sprouts are well-coated, and then patiently bake them in a hot oven until they are caramelized.
I don't recommend it. As detailed above, they will not become crispy and won't caramelize as well as fresh sprouts.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake them in a 425°F oven, I like to serve these Brussels sprouts with a main dish I can cook in the same oven. So, I often serve them with one of the following:
Sometimes, I make a plate of them with a couple of fried eggs, poached eggs, or fluffy scrambled eggs for a tasty and filling meatless lunch, as shown in the photo below:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in a 350°F oven to crisp them back up, as shown in the photo below, or enjoy them cold. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
This is one of those recipes where the leftovers are almost as good as the freshly prepared dish, so I often double the recipe, use two sheet pans, and roast them simultaneously, as shown in the photo below:
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
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Recipe Card
Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 4 tablespoons butter - melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with oil.
- Wash and dry the sprouts. Remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut them in half.
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use a large spoon or your hands to coat the sprouts evenly and thoroughly.
- Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast them for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Flip the sprouts to the other side (I use two teaspoons). If any of them is already deeply browned, remove it to a plate. Wipe off any spots with caramelized honey on the pan to prevent them from burning.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast the sprouts until tender and browned, for 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- A trick to make the sprouts crispy is to use pre-washed bagged sprouts. This ensures that they'll be completely dry. If you need to wash them, dry them thoroughly. Otherwise, they will steam rather than roast.
- You can slice large sprouts into three parts instead of two.
- Some sprouts will be ready faster. Remove them to a plate and keep roasting the others.
- For restaurant-level sweetness, use two tablespoons of honey.Â
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them in a low oven (300°F) to crisp them back up. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Tiffany
Wow! This came out just like the brussel sprouts at my favorite restaurant, and I'm sure they use a ton of brown sugar!!! Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Tiffany! Thank you for the comment.
Patricia Wyllie
Looking forward to trying your recipes. I don't use an air fryer, so cooking on and in stove is my preference. Eggplants and mushroom dishes, please!
Patricia
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Patricia,
I, too, don't own an air fryer! And I love eggplants and mushrooms. It seems we have a lot in common. 🙂
I hope you'll enjoy my recipes! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.