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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I have made this recipe Christmas time for the past several years. I had tried many recipes but this one is by far the best. Only change I make is to increase the amt of pecans to 4 cups. It comes out perfectly and everyone loves them….especially the little bit of spice!
I liked the flavor. The short prep and cooking time are a plus!I used smallish pecan halves. I was careful to space them on the parchment paper on the cookie sheet. I cooked them 11 minutes. The sugary part was light golden brown. I followed the steps for moving the paper off the cookie sheet and cooled the nuts. Several of them stuck to the
paper. Others were sticky on the bottom. I put those back in the oven for 3 minutes but I still wasn’t completely satisfied. How can I improve the next batch?
Hi Carmen, you mentioned that you weren’t completely satisfied with the nuts after taking some of them out of the oven the second time. Can you describe what you didn’t like/what you’d like to be different?
Jenn, I was wondering if you could do this with mixed nuts or is it best to stick with just the pecans? Thankyou in advance.
Hi Dana, I’ve made it with other nuts and it works, but pecans are definitely my favorite because of the crevices that collect the syrup. Walnuts work too.
These are wonderful and so easy! I used orange juice instead of water for a bit of citrus tang,
worked beautifully
Can I bake these on a baking mat (e.g., Silpat) instead of parchment paper?
Sure Kate, that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Hands-down, the best, easiest and most fool-proof candied pecan recipe out there. These come out perfectly every time. They’re excellent as-written, but I’ve also mixed-up the spices and added cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
Everyone’s ovens are calibrated differently, so I suggest setting the timer for 10 minutes, then check every minute until they’re medium-dark golden brown. My oven takes 14 minutes. If you live in a high humidity area, I’d back-off on the water a bit. In arid Idaho, I use 3.5 tsp of water (or a combination of vanilla and water), and it’s perfect. Thank you, Jenn, for this fantastic recipe!
These were really good, however, when they came out, the top side had a pale color, the underneath had that golden color that your picture has. Is that normal or is it supposed to be golden all over? What should I do? I followed your instructions exactly.
While there may be some variation in color, they should be golden all over. Did they have a sticky texture? If so, it sounds like they may need an extra minute or two in the oven.
If you love candied pecans this recipe is the easiest and most delicious! Follow the directions exactly and they come out as beautiful little jewels. Great for a house gift in a decorative container or just leave them on a table and watch them disappear. Thank you Jen for another fabulous recipe.
Perfect recipe, I’ve used cashews and pecans, both work equally well. They are so good that a chef asked me for the recipe😁 We call them Nuts on crack in our house🤣
So easy, oh my! Don’t wait until these are cool before you nibble on a few. 🙂
I made these for a Thanksgiving charcuterie board. I’ve never been able to make candied nuts well as I always winged it using maple syrup or white sugar so when I saw this recipe (while looking at Jenn’s cranberry orange sauce), I figured I’d give it a try.OMG! They turned out perfectly. I almost didn’t make when I saw confectioner’s sugar as I normally think it makes things way too sweet. These were delicious and so easy. My new favorite.
Are they not too spicy? I love the spice, yet if I give them as gifts I don’t want anyone to be put out by the spice. Thanks in advance!
Hi Ronda, they have a hint of heat, but I don’t think they’re spicy enough that it would put anyone off (unless they’re very sensitive to spice).