Peel the carrots and cut them into evenly sized sticks so they pickle at the same rate.
For slightly softer carrots, blanch them in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then immediately transfer them to cold water. For extra crunch, skip the blanching step.
Step 2: Make the hot honey brine
Add the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, salt, garlic, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, bay leaf, and thyme to a saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the honey and salt dissolve completely.
Step 3: Pack the jar
Place the carrot sticks tightly into a clean heat-safe glass jar.
Pour the hot pickling liquid over the carrots until they are completely covered.
Make sure the carrots remain submerged beneath the brine.
Step 4: Cool
Let the jar cool uncovered at room temperature until it is no longer hot.
Then seal the jar and place it in the refrigerator.
Step 5: Let the flavors develop
For the best flavor, refrigerate the carrots for at least 24 hours before eating.
The longer they sit, the more pronounced the sweet, tangy, garlicky, and spicy flavors become.
Step 6: Serve
Enjoy the hot honey pickled carrots straight from the refrigerator, or add them to sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, cheese boards, or grilled meats.
For an extra sweet-and-spicy finish, drizzle a tiny amount of honey over the carrots just before serving.
Keep the carrots refrigerated and use clean utensils when serving.
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