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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Comments
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This is a great recipe. I have used others suggestions and increased pecans to 3 cups and it cooked perfectly. I liked my old recipe with brown sugar and a spicier version so occasionally I will swap in 1/8 of a cup brown sugar in the confectioners sugar (still total 1/2 cup sugar) and increase cayenne to 1 teaspoon. These changes require the water to increase by 1 teaspoon. Either way you can’t go wrong; very easy, quick and almost zero clean up. Delicious on a charcuterie board or in a salad. Thank you!
Kelly, could you share your recipe with the brown sugar? I have been looking for one with brown sugar but no egg whites and haven’t found one.
I made this recipe, and after the 10 minutes they did not look “crusty” on top, so I left them in for 5 minutes more and they burned. Should the oven temp be turned down if the nuts have to go back in?
Hi Diane, I think perhaps you missed the “sweet spot” in terms of timing — based on your oven, it sounds like 10 minutes wasn’t enough so instead of leaving them in for 15, next time I’d try taking them out at about 12. Also, when you remove them from the oven, let them cool completely before removing them from the parchment. This will allow the coating to harden.
Simply put, Outrageous! If you are reading this and haven’t made them yet, stop reading and get to it!
Hi Jenn! Making these right now but just want to make sure I have the right kind of salt. My kosher salt looks really big! Is this right? I also have pickling salt which I think is similar but smaller.
Everything I’ve made from your site is incredible! Can’t wait for these.
Hi Melissa, If your salt is labeled “kosher” you’ll be good to go. (And glad you like the blog! ❤️)
I made these last week. They are amazing….so I have to make some more today! I’m planning to make these as gifts at Christmas.
These nuts are wonderful! So simple to make, and a delicious combination of flavours. Thanks for a great recipe!
My husband does a wine tasting at a local Wine Store on Cape Cod. I have made these nuts for him and have gotten rave reviews. He also hands out copies of your recipe to the customers. This recipes goes great with both wine and champagne. Have used many of your recipes and enjoyed them all.
Happy that the nuts get good reviews and thanks so much for handing out the recipe! 🙂
I just love this recipe. Great for giving at Christmas!
I submitted review on 4/11/19 where I commented that baking for 10-12 minutes did not work for me as the nuts came out too sticky.
I just had a thought. Might the fact that I live in Hawai’i where we frequently have high humidity be factor?
Hi Suelyn, I’ve never thought about that but, yes, I think if it’s particularly humid, that it may have an impact. You may want to keep them in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes longer – just keep a close eye on them. And, once they’re completely cool quickly put them in an airtight container. Hope that helps if you try these again!
I am in the Seattle area and the nuts came out too sticky for me too. When I left them in longer (for about 5 min. more), they burned. This is a delicious recipe, so I really want to master it!
Hi Jen,
Love every recipe of yours that I’ve tried! I made these today for the third time, but they came out sticky and soft. I only cooked them 11 minutes – my mistake. They have now cooled and are still not crispy enough. Can I pop them back in the oven to crispen?
Thank You!
Yep that’s what I would do. Enjoy!
I should try these again but…as much as I love the idea of these, I really didn’t love them. I was trying to replicate the oh so good Trader Joe’s sweet and spicy pecans and I felt like these missed that mark. I didn’t technically burn them but I may have just left them in a minute or two too long. They had what I felt like was a burned flavor. Maybe I’ll take out earlier next time.