Candied Pecans

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:

1. Toast 1 cup of pecans in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing often. Remove to a plate.
2. 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.
3. Pour the pecans in and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring to gently coat in the glaze.
4. 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.

Recipe

4.93 from 145 votes

Candied Pecans

These easy Candied Pecans crunchy and sweet with perfect caramelized pecans flavor. They're great for topping on salads, as part of a charcuterie board, giving as holiday gifts, or to enjoy as a snack.

Print Pin Rate

Author Lauren Allen

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 cups

Calories 995

Cost 8

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

Storage Instructions: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks.

Freezing Instructions: They freeze well in an air-tight container for up to two months.

Nuts: use any kind of nuts with this recipe, like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios. 

Quick Stovetop Candied Pecans: 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 995kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 11gFat: 81gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 603mgPotassium: 514mgFiber: 11gSugar: 56gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3.2mg

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I originally shared this recipe April 2018. Updated November 2021.

Oven method adapted from Two Peas and their Pod.