The best Candied Pecans recipe is crunchy, sweet and absolutely addicting, and our version can be made on the stovetop or in the oven.
Upgrade everything with Candy Pecans
Upgrade everything with Candy PecansI love how easy and versatile this Candied Pecans recipe is, and we have two easy ways to make them: stove-top or oven! And, you can use any kind of nuts and candy them in the same way. Try walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, or a blend of your favorite.
Obviously they make a great snack, or I've listed a dozen other ways to use candied pecans, at the end of this post. My favorite is as a gift during the holidays, with our cute free label in a nut cone.
Don't miss these other easy treats: Graham Cracker Toffee, Homemade Caramels, or Chocolate Fudge!
How to make Candied Pecans:
Combine: Stir together cinnamon and sugar and set aside. Beat egg white, water, and vanilla in another bowl. Coat the pecans in the egg white mixture then pour cinnamon sugar on top and toss well.
Bake for 45 minutes at 300 degrees F, tossing every 15 minutes. Let cinnamon sugar pecans cool completely before enjoying or storing in an airtight container.
Stovetop Candied Pecans:
- Toast: Add 1 cup of pecans to a pan over medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing often, to toast them. Transfer to a plate.
- Candy coating: Add ½ cup brown sugar, a dash of salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons water to the pan. Stir well and cook over medium heat until bubbling.
- Return pecans to pan and toss to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring to coat all of the pecans in the glaze. Remove from heat and transfer pecans to a parchment lined tray to cool completely.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
Store candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for several weeks.
To Freeze: Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Uses for Candied Nuts:
- Sprinkle on a Mixed Green Salad with Berries, Apple Cranberry Fruit Salad, or your favorite salad.
- Serve over Pumpkin Pie
- Serve with a Charcuterie Board
- Add to trail mix
- Serve over buttermilk pancakes, pumpkin waffles, French Toast or Coffee cake.
- Stir into your favorite oatmeal.
- Sprinkle over glazed carrots
- Gift to neighbors or friends, with this cute label.
- Top on Ice Cream
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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.
- Wet coating: in a mixing bowl beat egg white, vanilla, and water until stiff peaks form.
- Dry coating: Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Add 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.
- Bake: 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.
- Store candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Notes
- Toast: Add 1 cup of pecans to a pan over medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing often, to toast them. Transfer to a plate.
- Candy coating: Add ½ cup brown sugar, a dash of salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons water to the pan. Stir well and cook over medium heat until bubbling.
- Return pecans to pan and toss to coat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring to coat all of the pecans in the glaze. Remove from heat and transfer pecans to a parchment lined tray to cool completely.
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe April 2018. Updated November 2021 and December 2024.
Oven method adapted from Two Peas and their Pod.
This post contains affiliate links.
Wow!! I went in a bit apprehensive but they came out sooo good! It’s like eating candy and 10x much better than store bought.
I will be printing this recipe. Thank you.
Absolutely PERFECT! Not too much or too little of anything. Directions are simple to follow and this recipe was much easier than I anticipated. This recipe isn’t overly sweet either, which I really appreciate. I’d give this recipe 10 stars if I could. Thank you so much!
My husband loves these. Asked me to make another batch today. Used cashews, walnuts, and pecans. Over 2 pounds of nuts. I mixed them together then split into two batches. One I made as instructed. The other batch I added some Tabasco sauce to the egg white. This gave a bit of a kick. Happy happy husband!
Excellent😀 It is my new favorite candy!
I’ve made these several times with monk fruit sweetner, golden for the brown sugar and plain for the white sugar and they come out fantastic. Great for a diabetic or anyone watching their carbs.
Could you substitute any other types of nuts for this recipe? My family is partial to almonds. Thanks!
Almonds would work great!
I will try this recipe! Looks yummy!
I made these as a part of gifts at Christmas time. This recipe is super easy and great. On my fourth batch because they r so popular with my family and friends.
So, just a funny story on this recipe. LOL. I’ve never made this recipe before. I tried to make it today, but I accidentally miss read the recipe. I added the sugar in with the liquid and then mixed in the pecans. BIG mistake! They look absolutely horrible! Do you know when you’re out hiking on a trail or in the mountains and you step over really old animal poo? You know, all white gray and dried out? Well let me tell you, that’s exactly what these pecans look like! They taste really good but definitely not pleasing to the eye. It reminds me of the cat litter cake! LOL After I figured out that I miss read the recipe, I tried again using walnuts. I followed the directions to a T. They came out beautiful!
Can you clarify how many cups of pecans to be used? You indicated 16 oz., which is 2 cups, not 4.
Once up of pecans is about 4 ounces. 4 cups or about 16 ounces, as stated.
16 oz of pecans is a dry measure, and it does =4 cups.
please note in the recipe 16 oz. is not 4 cups it’s 2 so I havent tried but may make a difference which ever direction you follow
A 16 oz. bag of pecans yields 4 cups.
Think in terms of dry weight. 16 ounces of dry weight will yield more cups than 16 ounces of wet weight. So yes, 16 ounces of wet weight is 2 cups, but 16 ounces of dry weight will be approximately 4 cups.
These have become a favorite in our home. Don’t need to put them in the refrigerator as they don’t last more than a few weeks.
We heat them up in the microwave for 30 seconds (from room temp) – unbelievable!
Thanks for the great recipe!