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Homemade Candied Pecans are a quick, easy and delicious recipe.
These oven baked brown sugar spiced pecans are perfect on salads or sweet potatoes too! Just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand come together to make these perfectly sweet and crunchy candied nuts.
Why this recipe works:
Homemade Candied Pecans are a real treat, easy to make, and are perfect as a holiday appetizer, snack on the go, or on top of salads, oatmeal, or yogurt.
- They are fantastic as a sweet protein filled snack on their own.
- Candied pecans can easily be combined into other recipes for a sweet added crunch.
- The candied nuts are baked in the oven over melted butter until they are crispy on the outside.
- The sweet buttery coating sticks to every nut.
- You can easily use other kinds of raw nuts in place of the pecans.
Ingredients used to make this recipe:
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted because you can always add salt later.
- Egg white: This helps the sugar mixture stick to the nuts.
- Granulated sugar and golden brown sugar: I find that an equal amount of both creates the best results.
- Vanilla extract: I make my own!
- Ground cinnamon: pure Ceylon cinnamon is best but I almost always use a pumpkin pie spice blend instead of cinnamon.
- Raw pecans: I like whole pecan halves but you can use pieces if you wish, just note cooking time may be reduced with smaller nut pieces.
- Flaked sea salt: you can sprinkle this on top of the warm candied pecans if you love that perfect combination of sweet and salty.
How to make candied pecans:
There are various ways to make candied pecans including recipes that are made on the stove top, but I prefer to bake mine in the oven.
- Combine: Egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Whisk: Mix ingredients together until combined.
- Coat: Add the pecan halves and toss to coat.
- Add: Melted butter to your baking sheet.
- Spread: Coated pecans are added to the melted butter and spread into a single layer.
- Bake: Cook candied pecans in preheated oven, tossing every 5 minutes or so to evenly cook and prevent burning.
They will smell like heaven when they cook!
Recipe tips for perfect results:
- Avoid burning: I’ve always made them at 350°F, but some people say they burn at that hot temperature. Mine have never burned because I use a baking stone. If using a metal baking sheet, they will cook faster and are more likely to burn if left unattended.
- Trust your nose: While they cook, I stir them every few minutes and have a very trustworthy nose so I know exactly when to take them out.
- Storage: Homemade candied pecans will last for a couple weeks when stored in an air tight container at room temperature. Just be sure they have completely cooled before storing to avoid trapping any moisture.
Best uses for candied pecans:
- Candied pecans for salad: They add a sweet crunch that perfectly offsets the bitterness of greens and the salty sour of a vinaigrette. Try them on a Shredded Beet and Kale Salad, Fresh Broccoli Salad, or a Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.
- With breakfast: I throw these candied pecans onto my oatmeal in the morning. I also add them to my yogurt because yogurt can always use a bit of crunchy texture.
- On baked brie: I even use homemade candied pecans with my caramelized onion baked brie.
- With sweet potatoes: Instead of adding raw pecans, mix some candied pecans into your sweet potato casserole.
Recipe variations:
- Spicy candied pecans: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the egg mixture for a spicy kick!
- Candied nuts: Use other nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, or a combination. This candied pecans recipe can be used universally for other nuts.
- Maple candied pecans: Replace the brown sugar with pure maple sugar for this variation.
Candied Pecan recipe video below!
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Pin ItHomemade Candied Pecans
Homemade Candied Pecans are a quick, easy and delicious recipe. These oven baked brown sugar spiced pecans are perfect on salads or sweet potatoes too!
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pure ceylon cinnamon is best, can also use pumpkin pie spice
- 8 ounces raw pecan halves about 2 cups
- flaked sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F if using a baking stone, otherwise preheat the oven to 300°F if using a metal baking sheet. If using a metal baking sheet, you can line with foil or parchment paper for easy clean up, if desired. Pour the butter onto the baking stone or baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the pecans and toss until they are fully coated. Spread the coated pecans onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake in preheated for up to 30 minutes, stirring the pecans every 5 minutes and checking on them to ensure they don't over cook. I let mine cook the full 30 minutes because they are much less likely to burn on a baking stone compared to a metal baking sheet. Keep in mind that oven temperatures vary and yours may be done MUCH sooner. Trust your nose. If using sea salt, sprinkle small amounts on the hot nuts before they cool.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes and be sure to stir a couple times as they cool so they don't stick together. Store in airtight container once they are fully cooled.
Notes
Yields 2 cups candied nuts.
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 12mg, Potassium: 175mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 255IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave me a comment below
This post was originally created in December 2014 and has been updated with more information and helpful tips. Don’t worry – I didn’t change the recipe.
How long will these keep? Want to make them for Christmas Day but don’t want to make them too early
Sorry for the super late reply… they will probably keep for 1-2 weeks.
I would like to know is there a.cook book for these resapie for these
Nope, just the blog post
These are delicious!
I cooked mine for the full 1/2 hour as well. I think the key here is not so much oven temp or timing, but a good quality baking pan. In my experience (in a professional kitchen) a good pan can really make or break a recipe! Good pan & stir, stir, stir!
Hi! I am planning on making these and giving them out as gifts. Do I need to double the ingredients?
Hi Renee, I suppose that depends on how many gifts you wanted to hand out! Krissy
can’t wait to try this one. We picked some pecans and I put them in the oven and baked them. I noticed you said you used raw pecans do you think it would be ok to use the ones I baked? Thank you for this recipe.
You picked pecans and baked them? How awesome is that! I think it should be totally fine. You just may not want to cook them as long with the sugar. Krissy
I followed the recipe exactly and the pecans burned after 20 mins. Should the oven be set at 350?
Hi Felecia, I’m sorry this happened. I wrote the recipe exactly as I made it and they turned out perfectly. Because all ovens vary as do bakeware, I would recommend definitely cooking at a lower temp if that what works best for you. Good luck! Krisy
Disappointing. These burned with 10 minutes left to go.
Sorry to hear that, Michelle. I’ll update the recipe to remind readers to trust their nose and to take them out early, if needed. Ovens vary so mine just might be on the slower-not-as-hot end. Krissy
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I sprinkled some coarsely ground sea salt when they were done and it really made the flavors pop! I did take mine out 5 minutes early but I used cast iron and it tends to cook a little hotter. Again, amazing. I hope I can resist the urge to eat then all in one sitting lol.
Yay! Sounds wonderful, Courtney!! Thanks for the awesome comment! Krissy
I made these today and they are wonderful. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the comment, Elizabeth! Glad they worked out for you. Krissy
I’m gonna make these tomorrow and I have no doubt they will be great! It can’t hurt to turn the temperature down to 250 and let them bake a lil longer if they need it? Although the recipe says check and turn them every five minutes? No reason to burn if you are following directions….just saying?
I made it twice as well because we loved it! It came out perfect. Made for gifts the second time. It’s a keeper. We loved it on salad with strawberries and Breannas poppy seed dressing.
I tried making these twice and both times they burned. Either the degrees are too high or the time is too long.
Hi April, Sorry to hear that. Not sure what to tell you… If they burned the first time, I’m curious why you didn’t cook them for a shorter period the second time? Oven temps and cookware vary. -Krissy