Gear up for holiday gifting and charcuterie boards with this easy Candied Pecans recipe! These crunchy, toasty pecans are a sweet treat that’s great on its own or when paired with salads, roasted veggies, breakfast, and dessert.
I like to refer to the different variations of candied pecans as “glossy” or “shaggy” – glossy ones usually are heavier on egg whites, and shaggy ones are heavier on sugar, often with visible sugar crystals left behind after baking. I wanted mine to land right in the middle so they’d be the perfect combination of crunchy and sweet, without leaning too much to either end of the spectrum.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Candied Pecans recipe:
- Pecans – Obviously the base of the recipe, but you could make this recipe with walnuts as well.
- Sugar – I used a mixture of granulated and brown sugar in this recipe because granulated gives you more of a shiny, candy crisp, whereas brown sugar gives you more of a deep, caramel-y flavor thanks to the molasses it contains. The combo of both brings the best of both worlds. Light or dark brown sugar will work fine.
- Egg white – The egg white is like glue that helps the sugar stick to the pecans and gets them crunchier than they would be with sugar alone.
- Water – Seems weird to add water to this, but it actually helps loosen and distribute the egg white evenly, plus it helps “melt” the sugar so you get less of a shaggy candied pecan.
- Cinnamon – A whole tablespoon may sound like a lot, but don’t skimp! You need the spice to make these candied pecans flavorful. If you want to mix things up, you could add some other spices like cardamom, nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice.
- Maple extract – Vanilla will work as well, I just love the combo of cinnamon and maple.
Need inspiration?
5 Ways to Use Candied Pecans
I love snacking on these on their own and after testing this recipe, I actually was taking them to work as a little post-lunch dessert.
- Charcuterie boards – A great sweet complement to pair with all the salty meats and cheeses!
- Salads – I love chopping them up and serving them with my Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad.
- Breakfast – Candied pecans add a great pop of crunch to oatmeal, overnight oats, and yogurt.
- Roasted Veggies – These would work great on top of my Roasted Koginut Squash with Whipped Ricotta or even with Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
- Holiday Gifting – Make a big batch and put them in cute jars with labels and holiday twine to share with family and friends.
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Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 lb halved pecans, (4 cups)
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, (110 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, (100 grams)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp maple extract
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 250°F. Add a SILPAT liner to a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk the egg white with water until frothy. Pour over pecan halves in a large bowl and toss until coated.
- Add sugar mixture to the pecans and toss until evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour, stirring/flipping the pecans every 15 minutes. The coating should be dry and crisp and the pecans well toasted.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
