Candied pecans are a simple and easy to make snack with numerous other uses as well. The candied nuts have a sweet taste offset with the warming spice of cinnamon. Once you’ve tried them candied, you’ll realize how addictive they are too!
One restaurant I worked at used candied pecans in their salads, and even though I was never a fan of pecans before working there, they were just so tasty. With the flavors of cinnamon and sugar, as well as honey and vanilla, candied pecans have an amazing flavor without being overly sweet like candy. They’re also nice and crunchy, where glazed pecans can be a little softer.
Candied pecans are great for a snack or as a gift for the holidays, but they also work well when added to both sweet or savory applications. You can add them to salads or charcutier boards or replace regular pecans in desserts like my carrot cake.
🥘 Ingredients
Pecans – Obviously, you’ll need some pecans, but you can also do this recipe with any other nuts as well, like walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc. The average bag in most grocery stores is about 10oz, or 2 ½ cups, so that’s what I base the recipe on using. Even if you are planning to use chopped nuts, I recommend candying the whole pecan halves.
Egg – For the oven method, you’ll need a large egg white. This helps the coating stick to the pecans. If you want to go dairy-free however, you can replace the egg white with an extra tablespoon of water in the stovetop method.
Water – Just a splash mixed with the egg white for the oven method, or two tablespoons for the stovetop method without egg.
Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla helps to balance the sweetness of the sugar and the warmth of the cinnamon. If you make your own homemade vanilla extract, I used my bourbon vanilla here and it adds a really nice flavor.
Sugar – You can go all white or all brown, but I like a blend here of both. Light or dark brown sugar is fine.
Cinnamon – A good helping of cinnamon adds a nice warmth and spice to tone done the straight sweetness of the sugar.
Salt – Just a bit of salt brings out all the flavors.
Honey – Optional, but my secret ingredient here is honey. Normally, honey is only used in glazed pecans instead of candied because it dries a little sticky and tacky. The trick is to use granulated honey instead of liquid honey. The granulated honey will melt easily with the other ingredients, but when it dries, it doesn’t leave behind a tacky texture. Harder to find in most grocery stores, most spice shops usually sell it, and it’s available online, this is the granulated honey I used.
🔪 How to Make
Candied pecans are easy to make, and I’ll go over both methods. I prefer the oven method since it’s pretty hands-off, and I feel they dry better than stovetop, but both work just fine.
Oven Method
Preheat your oven to 300°F / 150°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and granulated honey if using. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg white, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk together vigorously for a minute or so, until the egg white is frothy. Do not overmix, you’re not trying to make a meringue. Add the pecans and stir to combine until you don’t see any dry spots on the pecans.
Add the sugar mixture and stir to combine again. Continue mixing and folding until there’s no obvious missed spots with egg but no sugar mixture.
Pour the pecans onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer as best you can. Place it into the oven on the middle rack. Turn the heat down to 250°F / 122° C and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven every 15 minutes, stir, and rearrange into a single layer until the pecans look dried. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes before eating or using.
Stovetop Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and granulated honey if using. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
Pour the pecans into a large skillet and set over medium heat. Toast the pecans for 3-5 minutes until you can smell them. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add the sugar mixture, 2 teaspoons of water, vanilla extract, and no egg white. Cook, stirring the mixture, until it starts to bubble. Add the pecans back into the skillet and stir until fully coated. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and pour the pecans onto a prepared baking sheet in a single layer and allow to cool completely.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Slightly different. Candied pecans (also not to be confused with pecan candy) are typically a drier, crunchier pecan that’s been mixed with sugar and spices. Glazed pecans are usually made on the stovetop with similar ingredients but include a syrup of some kind, such as corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup for example. Glazed pecans tend to have a tacky surface and glossy finish compared to candied pecans.
While candied and glazed pecans are typically dried in a single layer to make individual pieces, pralines are more like a confectionery treat. American style pralines specifically, are made with similar ingredients but usually also contain butter or cream that’s added to the sugar and make a more caramel like syrup. The pecans are then tossed in this mix and spooned onto a sheet pan to make small lumps or spread into a thick layer that can be broken apart when dried.
In an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll easily last a week. You can also refrigerate them for up to 3 weeks, though I find they become softer when refrigerated. Alternatively, you can also freeze them in an airtight container for 2-3 months.
Yes, simply omit the egg and use the stovetop method for a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan friendly version. The egg white is needed for the oven method because you’re tossing the pecans with a dry sugar and spice mixture and the egg helps it stick. Since the stovetop method places pecans into a wet mixture, you don’t need the egg white.
Yes, almost any nut can be used in place of pecans. Walnuts and almonds are popular, but pistachios, macadamia, peanuts, and hazelnuts can also be used.
📋 Recipe
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups pecan halves
- 1 large egg white, omit for stovetop method
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated honey, optional
Directions
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 300°F / 150°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ⅓ cup white sugar, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon table salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated honey, if using. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg white, 1 teaspoon water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk together vigorously for a minute or so, until the egg white is frothy. Do not overmix, you’re not trying to make a meringue. Add the 2 ½ cups of pecan halves and stir to combine until you don’t see any dry spots on the pecans.
- Add the sugar mixture and stir to combine again. Continue mixing and folding until there’s no obvious missed spots with egg but no sugar mixture.
- Pour the pecans onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer as best you can. Place it into the oven on the middle rack. Turn the heat down to 250°F / 122° C and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven every 15 minutes, stir, and rearrange into a single layer until the pecans look dried. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes before eating or using.
Stovetop Method:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and granulated honey if using. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
- Pour the pecans into a large skillet and set over medium heat. Toast the pecans for 3-5 minutes until you can smell them. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the sugar mixture, 2 teaspoons of water, vanilla extract, and no egg white. Cook, stirring the mixture, until it starts to bubble. Add the pecans back into the skillet and stir until fully coated. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and pour the pecans onto a prepared baking sheet in a single layer and allow to cool completely.
Comments
No Comments