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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The flavor of these pecans is outstanding! I made two separate batches. Both required substantially longer time in the oven. Example: I pulled the sheet pan out between 12-14 minutes, slid the parchment onto the granite counter, waited, very sticky, put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes, slid parchment onto the counter again, still sticky, put them back in for another 6 minutes, onto the counter again, and let them sit. Only then were they hardened and crunchy. But then they were perfect. Pretty much the same situation with both batches. Brought them to a dinner and everyone raved about them!
This is my first time making candied pecans. Such a good recipe – easy and quick. I followed your recipe exactly, but added a tablespoon of cinnamon, and an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water. They came out perfectly and taste great! I will be adding these to a holiday salad for a family gathering. Thank you!
Minimum steps and quite the easiest recipe I could find.
Delicious too !
Oh my goodness, these are dangerous! So easy & easy to adapt to whatever seasoning you like. I added 1/4 tsp cinnamon & cut the cayenne back just a touch as my young granddaughter can’t do much heat. Crazy good! I’ve tried so many candied nut recipes & none came out right, this is super easy & perfect. Thanks!
Delicious! These are good for snacking and a few on a salad are wonderful. Super easy to make. I did make a mistake on my first batch because of the stickiness comments. I cooked the first batch too long because they looked wet and well, sticky. The second batch I cooked the recommended time, they look sticky too but I think they are supposed too. After I took them out of the oven, I spread them out so they weren’t touching and the glaze hardens. Not sticky at all and are still delicious over a week later.
I’ve made these pecans for years, so easy and so delicious!
I made my first 2023 holiday batch last week and they were very sticky. I never had that happen before and read several comments about the same dilemma. The only difference was I used a new, heavy Nordic Ware pan. I put them in a Ziploc bag and added a touch of powdered sugar- looked different but still tasted great and took care of the stickiness.
I made another batch yesterday and used my very old Wilton pan and they turned out perfectly.
Love your recipes! I’m always hoping I’ll run into you, I also live in the DC area!
I had the same problem and used a Silpat as the only difference. Maybe not enough time in the oven?
These were delicious and so easy to prepare. I probably didn’t bake quite long enough because they were a tiny bit sticky. Two days after I made the batch I decided to try baking a couple minutes more and it worked! No more sticking!
can’t. stop. eating. these.
So easy peasy to make and they turned out perfect…. I used a little cinnamon (might use a tad more next time… and some cayenne too) Looking forward to doing another batch with other flavours… 13 minutes was perfect … only burnt a couple on the end but I do love burnt so gobbled those down…
I made the pecans as planned and — what? Only 5 stars?!!! They rate 20 stars! I used 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1/4 tsp chili powder. The Old Man says we’re having pecans for dinner!!! Another great hit from Once Upon a Chef — many thanks, Jenn!
Going to make these this evening – can’t wait! Husband is already asking when he’ll be able to dig in! Love your recipes, Jenn – but you won me over when I read that you don’t own an air fryer!!! I swear the odor/aroma from ANYTHING prepared in those ‘contraptions’ just puts me in a mood — and not a good mood! I’m certain that these pecans will earn the 5 Star rating!