Candied Pecans
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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
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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
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- 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.
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This recipe is super easy to make and so delicious! I made it as the recipe reads. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Whenever I bring this to a party; it goes fast.
These nuts are truly irresistible! I made a batch just before Christmas and really enjoyed them. Then I made some to give as a Christmas gift. Made some for New Year’s Eve gathering. Made some for when we had some guests a couple of days ago. Every time I have made them I get the same response…”I need this recipe!”. I have gladly shared your website with all! These nuts are so easy to make, tasty, with just the right amount of heat and sweet. I’ll be making these often!!!
Hi, Jenn! I made these twice in single batches and they were excellent. Yesterday, I doubled the recipe, and the glaze was thick and gloppy. I whisked the dry ingredients together as I did before, using the confectioners sugar at that time, as I did before. I thought that it seemed a bit thick, even when it was only dry ingredients. When I mixed in the water, it really became gloppy, and when I baked it, it didn’t have that pretty glaze, but was a whitish, thick mess. What could have gone wrong? And can these only be made one batch at a time? Thanks!
Hi Jane, Doubling this recipe shouldn’t be a problem; did you double the water too? If not, that would account for the thick glaze. If you try it again and find it to be gloppy, add just a few more splashes of water until it reaches the right consistency.
Hi, again. Yep, I doubled to 8 teaspoons. What concerned me is that when I whisked the dry ingredients today, it already did not look as smooth as usual. Every ingredient I used was brand new. I only had coarse kosher salt on hand, but I did pound that so that it was a lot finer. Any ideas?
Hi Jane, that’s a head-scratcher because it sounds like you did everything right. I don’t think the salt would have an impact. Is there any chance you could’ve made a measuring error? Also, although this doesn’t really sound like it was the issue, when you bake these, it’s important that you separate the nuts so they’re not overlapping (as they don’t crisp up that way).
Just want to say that I am throwing away and deleting most of my recipes with flavored nuts. This one is perfect, and I don’t need any others. Thank you!!
🙂 So glad you like them!
I found this recipe on Pinterest and made these for the first time today. They are absolutely wonderful! My mom came by and said didn’t want to try them. She said they didn’t sound good to her. I convinced her to try them. She couldn’t stop eating them and went home with the recipe!! I’m making a second batch now. Can’t wait to check out your other recipes!
I made 16 8oz jars full of these to give to my family at Christmas and they LOVED them! Many attested to the irresistible quality and I myself returned to the “sample batch” over and over. Thank you for posting, the simplicity of the recipe made for easy, pleasant gift-giving.
When your guests ask if they can take home the leftovers, you know you have a winner. Amazing how one little nut could be ‘sweet, spicy, salty and candied.’ Absolutely delicious!!!
I’ve made them 3 times now – I find I like them better with a few more minutes in the oven, and with an extra 1/4 tsp of cayenne. Soooo good.
I tried this recipe and a savory one I had found on the web which included worcestershire sauce. Hubby and I agreed this recipe was the better one.
These are flat out delicious. Deceptively simple ingredient list, so easy to make and highly irresistible. I’ll admit we had to make extra batches because the batch meant for guests disappeared. Thanks for this excellent recipe!