Candied Pecans Recipe

Close view of a glass jar overflowing with candied pecans.

5 stars (3 reviews)

This easy recipe bakes perfectly salty, sweet, and crunchy candy-coated pecan halves with only a handful of simple ingredients. These cinnamon sugar pecans make great holiday gifts!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings (5 cups)

Calories: 30kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Ingredients

1 pound pecans halves about 4 cups
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
1 egg white
2 teaspoons water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet, a large mixing bowl, and a small mixing bowl.
In the small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Mix well.
In a large bowl, combine the egg white and water. (If using any sort of extract add it here.) Whisk the egg whites until they form a loose fluffy meringue.
Add the pecan halves to the meringue mixture and gently fold to coat the pecans on all sides.
Now pour the sugar mixture into the bowl and fold (or toss) the pecans until every pecan is well coated in the sugar mixture.
Spread the coated pecans out on the rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. *The more time you take here to separate and spread them nicely, the better looking the pecans will be after they have baked.
Bake the pecans for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Each time you take the pan out of the oven, gently turn the nuts and spread out in an even single layer before placing back in the oven.
Allow the pecans to cool completely on the baking sheet. Then move them to an airtight container and store for up to 4 weeks.

Video

Notes

This simple recipe offers huge bang for the buck. However, if you'd like to add any additional ingredients and fancy things up a bit, consider including a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or even a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.

Transfer the candied nuts to a container with a lid and keep them at room temperature for up to a month.

Nutrition