These easy Candied Pecans are crunchy and sweet and great for topping on salads, as part of a charcuterie board, giving as holiday gifts, or to enjoy as a snack. Any nut can be substituted, and they can be made in the oven or on the stove!
Why I love this recipe:
- Easy – Just a few simple steps and a few pantry ingredients, and everyone goes crazy for them.
- Works with any kind of nuts!
- My favorite topping for salads, desserts, and more–see my ideas below. I even like to add them to my chicken salad sandwiches.
How to Make Candied Pecans:
Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl, beat together an egg white, water and vanilla.
Add pecans to egg white mixture and toss to coat. Pour cinnamon sugar on top and toss well.
Pour nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so they don’t stick to the pan as they cook.
Bake at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes, giving them a toss every 15 minutes.
Cool completely before storing.
To make on the stovetop:
- Toast 1 cup of pecans in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing often. Remove to a plate.
- Add ½ cup brown sugar, dash of salt, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until bubbling.
- Pour the pecans in and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring to gently coat in the glaze.
- Remove from heat and pour pecans out onto a parchment lined tray. Cool completely.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks.
To Freeze: They freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Use this recipe to candy other nuts:
You can use ANY kind of nut or a combination of different nuts for this recipe, like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios. I don’t discriminate when it comes to cinnamon sugar candied nuts, and this recipe is the best!
I use Candied Pecans in the following ways:
- Topping on my mixed green salad with berries, or apple cranberry fruit salad.
- Topping on Ice Cream.
- With Pumpkin Pie.
- In a Charcuterie Board.
- Packaged as a holiday gifts with this cute label.
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Recipe
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces unsalted pecans halves , (about 4 cups)
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the egg white, vanilla, and water until stiff peaks form.
- Add the pecans to the egg whites mixture and gently toss to coat. Add the cinnamon sugar mixture and stir gently until the pecans are well coated.
- Spread the pecans into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the pecans to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- When completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe April 2018. Updated November 2021.
Oven method adapted from Two Peas and their Pod.
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The glaze taste is good; but the amount of glaze for the nuts is way too much. After 45 mins in the oven had to put the nuts on another clean sheet of parchment paper. Trying to get the coating to dry out and cook to a crunchy coating . Still the nuts are soft/chewy. Will have to keep cooking for a while longer. Wishing I had my grandmother’s recipe.
Followed recipe exactly as written. These were delicious, on salads, in oatmeal, or eaten as a snack!
These would have been great if they didn’t burn! The timing and heat is off on this recipe
Question please,
I am going to make these today, Yep, Christmas Eve.
I was wondering how I could cut the recipe in half. I have halved the dry mix but how would I half the egg whites?
Thanks so much!
Well I tried to post a review that for whatever reason they turned out awful.
I have to revise that because I read on another review that she, like me, left them in longer because they weren’t crisp/dried but very sticky and wet. As a result I burnt them a bit … however they crisped as they cooled but sadly still a bit burnt.
PLEASE add note in the instructions that they will crisp and dry as they cool and Don’t bake longer then directed.
Sorry, no idea what happen but these were awful. First time making this version and followed recipe to a tee … thank goodness I found my old recipe, which I’d misplaced.
Would love your recipe!
Followed the directions step by step, and all the pecan halves were burnt at 35 minutes. Unfortunately, this recipe wasn’t for me.
Thank you for recipe Lauren made it tonight decreased sugar amount to 3/4 od ! Cup and they came out delicious next time I will use the whole cup of sugar.
I made a double batch and could not roast them all tonight so is it ok to put coated pecans in fridge to store overnight and bake them next day?