If you want to know How to Make Candied Pecans that are so addicting everyone will be asking you for the recipe, then this is for you!
My mom has made this recipe for every holiday, birthday, as Christmas gifts, and even just when someone wasn’t feeling well. They’re so yummy and addicting; not too sweet with just enough flavor and crunch to keep you reaching for the bowl but not so much that you lose the pecan flavor. I’ve had so many roasted candied pecans in my life but this recipe? This one blows them all away.
Candied Pecans Ingredients
You’ll need just a few pantry ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pecans: Look for raw and unsalted whole and half pecans. You’ll need to halve the pecans if whole.
- Egg white and water: This is the liquid mixture creates the pecan glaze that will adhere the sugars and cinnamon to the pecans.
- White & light brown sugars: The sweetness of the white sugar is balanced out by hints of caramel and toffee from the molasses in the brown sugar. You can also use any combination of sugar that you prefer.
- Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a sweet and wood flavor to the candied pecans.
- Salt: To enhances the other flavors.
The step-by-step candied pecans recipe with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Candied Pecans
Here’s a brief overview of what to expect when you make this recipe.
- Coat: Toss the pecans in the egg white-water mixture then slowly add the cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar and salt and toss to coat.
- Bake the pecans, stirring every 15 minutes, until the nuts are evenly browned.
Tips & Variations
- Less Sweet: The sweetness can easily be minimized by reducing the sugar in this recipe by 1/3 cup (1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp + 1 tsp light brown sugar). This version is perfect for candied pecans with a salad.
- Spiced Candied Pecans: Occasionally I’ll add a little cayenne to make a sweet and spicy combination, but the original recipe is so delicious that I don’t tinker with it often.
- Smoke Candied Pecans: If you prefer a smoky flavor, this recipe would work just as well in a smoker, Just follow the instructions exactly, including time and temperature and use a fruit wood such as apple, peach or cherry.
- Candied Nuts: This candied nut recipe works just as well with other nuts such as walnuts, cashews or peanuts.
How to Use Candied Pecans
The best way to eat these candied pecans are as snack on its own but here are some more amazing ways to use these yummy candied pecans!
- Mix in to yogurt parfait or oatmeal
- Use as a filling with baked goods
- Mix-in to trail or snack mix
- Charcuterie board addition
- Blend with butter for a lovely compound butter
- Prepare a candied pecan-crusted chicken or fish dish
- Inside stuffed dates
- As a dessert topping on cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, and pies
- On top of or mixed into the batter of pancakes or waffles
- Add to a salad
- Place on top of a sweet potato casserole or candied yams
Easy Candied Pecans Recipe
These candied pecans are made with brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon. There are so many ways to to enjoy them including as a snack, dessert topping, or on a salad or a cheese board.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pecan halves (raw, unsalted), about 4-5 cups
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the sugar, light brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Beat egg white and water together until foamy. Toss pecans in egg-white mixture until well coated.
- Slowly pour sugar mixture and toss pecans until evenly coated (your hands work best for this).
- Spread pecans onto a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes to an hour until evenly browned, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool then store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 21gProtein: 5g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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