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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Hello, Jenn! I was wondering how long do these keep in an air-tight packaging? Will they still be as crunchy even after a week? Or will they lose their crispiness after some time? Also, won’t they stick together when you package them? Thank you in advanced, I will appreciate your reply! 🙂
Hi Kaye, these are best if eaten within about a week (but you can probably get away with a few extra days tacked onto that). Yes, they will remain crunchy if stored in an airtight container. And if the nuts are cooked correctly (enough time in the oven) they shouldn’t stick together when you store them. Hope that helps!
I have made with pecans…loved!!
I only have walnuts and need to know if I can use them instead. 🧐
Hi Lynn, I prefer pecans but, yes, walnuts will work, too.
Oh my gosh, so good! I made 3 batches of these last Christmas. Even if you use convection bake, make sure to keep it at 350*. Be sure the top of nuts are crusty before cooling or they will end up soft. You want them crunchy but not burned so keep an eye on them. I found that I had to bake for the entire 12 minutes. Everyone loved them.
I have made these for years, great on salads or roasted vegetables. They were a popular Christmas gift this year and a great snack all year round.
Your husband is correct in his name for these nuts!! I can eat these all day! After having some spicy glazed pecans at a high end resort I was hooked. I even got the chef at the resort to give me the recipe. I tried and tried to make them but they never came out the right consistency. I could never get the beautiful glaze I was looking for until THIS recipe!! I was always using regular sugar and they would come out grainy or too sticky.Thank you for “the secret” of using powdered sugar-perfection! Not to mention delicious with the hint of spice!
My family has always loved my roasted pecans from a simple Bon Appetit recipe years I found years ago for pumpkin seeds which includes just peanut oil, butter and kosher salt. Well, along came these nuts and there is a new favorite in town.
This recipe is one of the favorites in my home both with kids and adults. It is so easy to make and everything is gone just like that. No one seems to be able to stop themselves from eating more and more. I added more spice as we tend to eat more spicy food.
I’ve been making a similar version of this recipe for years but Jenn has solved my biggest dilemma: cleaning up after baking. The sugar mixture just adhered to the pan like concrete. I used foil and lost much of the coating as well as breaking lots of the pecans. Parchment paper is a fabulous solution! (Why didn’t I ever think of that? 🙂 Thanks, Jenn!
I made these pecans for Christmas this year, and 5 more times since! The absolute right combo of sweet, salty, and spicy! Incredibly easy to prepare and a favorite to bring to parties! You can adjust the amount of spicy by adding more or less cayenne. I agree with your husband! Totally amazing!
I’d give this 10 stars if I could!! Soooo easy, soooo crunchy, not too sweet and perfectly spicy…You should win an award for this one. I’ve made it 6 times since Christmas, giving a few batches away as gifts. I brought the ingredients to a friend’s house last week. I asked her for a bowl, a spoon and a cookie sheet. 10 minutes later we were munching on these incredible nuts! She wrote down the simple recipe and swore she’s going to make them time and time again. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe!