Trim 2 pounds baby carrots (see Tip), leaving 1 inch green stems on.
With vegetable brush, scrub carrots and rinse under cold water.
Pat dry with paper towels.
In 15½” by 10½” jelly-roll pan, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Roast 25 minutes.
Stir in 2 tablespoons white or traditional balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar until carrots are coated.
Roast 6 to 8 minutes longer or until carrots are tender and sugar has dissolved.
TIP In springtime, bunches of fresh baby carrots should be readily available at supermarkets and farmers’ markets.
If not, use 2 pounds medium carrots, quartered lengthwise then halved crosswise.
For this recipe, we don’t recommend using prepackaged “baby” carrots; they require a much longer roasting time, and we’ve found they don’t caramelize as well.