Candied Pecans

Learn how to make the best Candied Pecans with this quick and easy recipe! It only takes 10 minutes of prep time to make this sweet and salty, crunchy snack. They’re delicious on their own, or served on top of a salad!

Candied pecans are one of my favorite sweet and salty snacks! They’re so delicious and you can save a bundle by making them yourself. Luckily it only takes 10 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes in the oven to make them at home.

They’re great to snack on during the day, add to your yogurt for breakfast and toss on a salad at lunch. I always make a big batch of candied pecans to have around during the holiday season because everyone loves them and they’re delicious on a number of holiday side dishes! You can even make extra to bag up and gift to friends, neighbors or coworkers.

While I love this recipe just the way it is, if you want to make a couple different versions, I’ll also show you how to make spicy candied pecans and pumpkin spice candied pecans!

Ingredients

• Pecans – for this recipe, you want to use pecan halves. I usually head to the bulk bins at my local grocery store to grab the pecans from there. They’re generally 20-25% less expensive than the pecans sold in a bag, and I always stock up when they have bulk bin sales! You can also replace the pecans with walnuts in this recipe.
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar – feel free to use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses giving it a richer caramel flavor. That’s what I use in this recipe!
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Egg white – save the egg yolk to make my Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk Cookies!
• Vanilla extract

Instructions

I’ve included step by step photos below to make this candied pecan recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. In a large bowl, whisk an egg white with vanilla extract and water until it becomes frothy.
2. In a medium bow, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and salt.
3. Add pecan halves to the bowl with the whisked egg white and stir to coat all of the pecans.
4. Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture over the pecans in the the large bowl and toss until coated.
5. Transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange them in an even layer.
6. Place the pecans in a 300°F preheated oven for 30 minutes. Every 10 minutes, open the oven and use a spatula to stir up the pecans so that they get candied evenly on each side.

Variations

I tested this recipe on the stove and in the oven. I tested it with powdered sugar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and pumpkin pie spice. While the recipe I’ve provided here is my favorite recipe for candied pecans, if you’d like to make a few different types of candied nuts, feel free to try any of these variations to the recipe.

• Pumpkin Spice Candied Pecans – replace the ground cinnamon in this recipe with two teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for all the fall feels!
• Spicy Candied Pecans – to make spicy candied pecans, add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the ground cinnamon.

In testing this recipe, I found that the pecans coated in powdered sugar were more likely to burn and that the pecans cooked on the stove were more glazed than candied, so I’ll share that recipe at another time.

Glazed pecans are typically made with a liquid coating that includes corn syrup and butter, whereas candied pecans are made with an egg white, then tossed in a thick layer of brown and white sugar.

Ways to serve them

Candied pecans are a scrumptious snack, but they’re also great served with both sweet and savory recipes! Try them with any of these delicious dishes, as a topping on Apple Pie Ice Cream or on your morning yogurt!

• Green Beans with Bacon, Pecans & Blue Cheese – a holiday side dish favorite!
• Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce – crush up these candied pecans and serve them on top of a big bowl of pasta with this sauce for the ultimate fall meal!
• Acorn Squash Soup – chopped candied pecans and pomegranate seeds are the perfect toppings for this soup recipe!
• Brussels Sprouts Salad – this simple salad is so delicious and easy to make in 15 minutes!
• Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Cranberry Salad – this salad is hearty enough to turn into a delicious vegetarian meal!
• Spinach Strawberry Salad – this salad is the perfect excuse to make a batch of candied pecans in the summer!
• Sweet Potato Three Cheese Dip – chopped candied pecans make a delicious topping on this fall dip recipe!
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake – this easy 4 ingredient fall dessert recipe is made even better when topped with chopped candied pecans!

Storage options

• At room temperature: homemade candied pecans can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
• In the refrigerator: to extend the life of the candied pecans, you can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• In the freezer: candied pecans can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Diet variations

• Vegan: to make this recipe vegan, use 2 tablespoons aquafaba to replace the egg white. Aquafaba is the liquid that comes in a can of chickpeas, so if you’re making another recipe with chickpeas, you can simply drain the liquid from the can and use that to replace the egg white. Or you can purchase aquafaba powder online to make your own aquafaba at home.
• Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten free. No substitutions need to be made.

More recipes with pecans

Try these other sweet and savory recipes with pecans!

• Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
• Salted Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread
• Buffalo Cheddar Cream Cheese Ball
• Christmas Tree Holiday Cheese Board
• Salted Caramel Pecan Baked Brie

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