Candied Pecans
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This candied pecans recipe is an absolute must for the holidays! Sweet, salty, and crunchy nuts are perfect for serving with cocktails and appetizers, topping salads, or just snacking by the handful.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
These sweet, spicy, and salty candied pecans are madly delicious. They’re perfect for serving with cocktails or just keeping on hand as a snack during the holidays. They also make a fabulous homemade gift, and the simple ingredients come together in just minutes. Pair them with a cheese board for a delightful pop of sweet flavor and crunch, or use them to jazz up roasted vegetables, salads, or grain bowls. They’re almost like candy but packed with protein, so you can totally justify grabbing a handful (or two!). The best part? You only need four ingredients and 15 minutes to make them. What are you waiting for?
“I made these just as written and they are PERFECT!! I plan to make another batch to take on a car trip next weekend. I’ll need to pack them in the trunk so I don’t eat them all before I get there!”
What You’ll Need To Make Candied Pecans
- Confectioners’ sugar: Combined with water, it creates a syrupy glaze when baked, coating the pecans evenly and caramelizing the exterior. Do not substitute granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Kosher salt: Adds a savory balance to the sweetness of the sugar.
- Cayenne pepper: Provides a subtle kick. While the candied nuts aren’t spicy at all, you can omit the cayenne or replace it with ground cinnamon if you prefer. Alternatively, if you want to up the heat, you can add a little more cayenne to the glaze mixture.
- Water: Mixed with the sugar and seasonings, helps create a syrupy consistency to coat the pecans evenly.
- Pecan Halves: Pecans make wonderful candied nuts because their crevices absorb the flavorful glaze during baking. While smooth nuts like almonds and cashews can work, walnuts make the best alternative to pecans.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the Confectioners’ sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and 4 teaspoons of water in a medium bowl.
Whisk until combined.
Add the pecans to the sugar mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Place the nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the nuts are crusty on top and caramelized on the bottom.
Slide the parchment off of the baking sheet onto a countertop; this stops the nuts from overcooking on the hot baking sheet.
When the nuts are completely cool, use your hands to break them apart. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and serve.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
The nuts will keep nicely for a few weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Feel free to store them in the refrigerator for a slightly longer shelf life.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Candied Pecans
This candied pecans recipe is an absolute must for the holidays! Sweet, salty, and crunchy nuts are perfect for serving with cocktails and appetizers, topping salads, or just snacking by the handful.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Confectioners' sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons water
- 2 cups pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Confectioners' sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and water.
- Add the pecans to the sugar mixture and stir until the nuts are evenly coated.
- Transfer the pecans to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Do your best to make sure the nuts are evenly spread out (if they are clumped together, they won't cook evenly). Scrape out every last bit of glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pecans are caramelized and the caramel on the baking sheet is a rich brown color but not burnt. (The nuts around the edges will darken first; watch closely so they don't burn.)
- Immediately slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and allow the pecans to cool completely on the countertop (this stops the cooking process and prevents the nuts from burning). Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- Note: If the nuts are sticky after cooling, that means they are a bit undercooked. Pop them back in the oven for a few minutes and let cool again.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 178 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Super easy and delicious. Followed some of the suggestions and whisked the dry ingredients with the water before mixing in the pecans. Also, used approximately 2-1/2 cups of pecans (this was about how many there were in a 20 oz. bag I purchased.) I found that 17 minutes worked perfectly and gave the pecans a nice crisp coating. Too little water, a mistake I made with one batch, caused the coating to look crackly and not shiny. Still tasted good but I didn’t want to use them for the gift bag I was making (that’s okay, my family enjoyed the rejects!) This is incredibly easy and the only painstaking step is when the pecans have to be put down individually on the parchment paper. I look forward to experimenting with, perhaps, a little less sugar and a little more cayenne. Finally, I have an easy recipe for holiday gift-giving! And my husband thanks you too, Jenn.
Delicious. Added extra spices: cumin, Chinese 5 spice, and smoked paprika. So tasty!
These were so delicious! I made them for a holiday party. They went fast. They are now in our party recipes file along along with several other recipes from your site. I’ve been singing your praises at home and on Facebook for quite some time. My husband does too! He regularly searches your site for his next recipe. We look forward to receiving our copy of your cookbook in April. Happy New Year!
If you don’t mind sharing, I’m curious about other recipes you’ve found good for your parties!
These nuts are excellent. Followed the recipe. They took 12 minutes in my oven and they are perfect as is, but you could probably add a few more pecans, 1/4 to 1/2 cup possibly, as there was a little more of the sugar mix in the bowl. Will make them again for sure.
Followed recipe and made several times; gave them as hostess gifts! Very popular. Easy and delicious!
I added 1 t gr cinnamon and subbed 2 T egg whites for the water. I cut the cayenne to 1/4 t as many do not like a lot of heat. I upped the pecans to 3 c (approx) since I had so much coating in the bottom of the bowl. A great hostess gift, ready in no time.
Last minute decision to search for a candied nuts recipe. I’m so glad this is the one I picked! Delicious and easy with all ingredients on hand. Thank you and Happy Holidays Jenn! I’m excited that I stumbled upon your site … I’ll be back for sure 🙂
I don’t have any kosher salt. Would sea salt work just as well? Excited to make these for Christmas.
Sure, Jennifer – you’ll need a generous half teaspoon of sea salt.
Could I add some cinnamon?
Sure!
Made 3 batches. Modified method, as suggested by several reviewers, by first mixing the powdered sugar, salt, and cayenne together using a whisk; then added the water. Tried all pecans (wonderful), pecans & walnuts (wonderful) & mixture of walnuts, almonds & cashews–the almonds were just OK. Also compared non-stick foil, parchment, & Silpat. All worked. For a slightly more savory profile try 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp finely minced rosemary, 3/4 tsp kosher salt plus the 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Very nice! Can definitely use up to 2 1/2 cups of nuts for a batch. Thanks for a great recipe! Can’t wait to serve them to guests.