I love these candied pecans. Thanks to the oven, the pecans become light and crisp with a sweet and salty candy coating. Our recipe is pretty simple, but it can easily be adjusted to accommodate different spices, more or less heat, and other nuts. Check the suggested variations section below for some inspiration. There are two ways we like to make candied nuts: in the oven (like this recipe) and on the stovetop (like in this stovetop recipe). We love both recipes, but oven-baked candied nuts are my favorite. If you are short on time, the stovetop method is perfect. It takes less than 10 minutes. (The stovetop recipe is also egg-free.)
How to Make Candied Pecans in the Oven
If you can mix a few ingredients together and slide a baking sheet in the oven then you can make these easy candied pecans. The hands-on time for this recipe is short! Here’s the basic process, the detailed recipe is below.
Storing Candied Pecans
Candied pecans last a while when stored in an airtight container. Leave them at room temperature up to a week, in the fridge for a few weeks and in the freezer for a month, maybe more.
Possible Variations
Use different spices: We call for cinnamon in the recipe below, but many spices will work. Think about other warm spices like cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and even apple pie or pumpkin pie spice blends. Reduce or increase the heat: I love a hint of heat from cayenne, but you can decrease or increase it as you like. You could also try different forms of heat like chipotle powder, dashes of hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Use different nuts: This is a candied pecans recipe, but that shouldn’t stop you from swapping the pecans for other nuts. Walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are all excellent options. Or try a nut mix! Eggless / Vegan: Try our stovetop method for making candied pecans. That recipe does not call for any egg white.
More Easy Recipes
Stovetop Candied Pecans (Less than 10 minutes) Creamy Apple Salad with Fennel (Candied pecans are amazing adding to this salad) Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes with Butter Pecan Syrup Warm Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, see notes 4 teaspoons orange zest, optional 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg white, beaten 2 teaspoons water 4 cups (12 ounces) pecan halves 2Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, orange zest, and the vanilla to a medium bowl. Use your fingers to rub the spices and cinnamon into the sugar. 3In a small bowl, lightly beat egg white with the water, and then stir into the sugar mixture. Add the nuts and stir until they are well coated. 4Spread the pecans into one layer on the baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and spreading back into one layer. Allow the nuts to cool completely before breaking apart.
