Why We Love This Easy Candied Pecans Recipe
Homemade Candied Pecans are a wonderful treat for the holidays! They are great to snack on, to add onto any dessert platter, cookie tray, or cheese board, and can even be packaged and given as edible gifts. Our candy pecan recipe uses an oven method for preparing… Although stovetop methods are shiny and appealing, they tend to be sticky and hard to store and use. So we prefer these dry, fully-coated, spiced candy pecans that are easy to handle. For this recipe, we use a simple egg white meringue as “the glue” to hold the sugar and spices to the nuts. We also flavor the sugar with a good dose of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and an ample amount of salt for salty-sweet pecans that are SO irresistible! Our pecan 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.
Ingredients You Need
Pecan halves – raw, unsalted Sugar – granulated white sugar or coconut sugar Spices – a combination of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt Egg white – use the leftover yolk to make a Vietnamese egg coffee Water – to make the egg white extra fluffy
How to Make the Best Candied Pecans
Preheat the oven and set out a large rimmed baking sheet coated with parchment paper, a large mixing bowl, and a small mixing bowl. Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in the small mixing bowl. In the large bowl, combine the egg whites 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. Then pour the cinnamon sugar mixture into the bowl and fold (or toss) the pecans… You want every pecan well coated in the sugar mixture!
Now spread the coated pecans out on the rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Pro Tip: 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 them out in an even single layer before placing them back in the oven. Allow the pecans to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Serving Suggestions
Once cooled, move the cinnamon sugar pecans to an airtight container and store them for up to 4 weeks. I love to package them up in cute little jars to give as holiday gifts! Eat the pecans by the handful for a sugary snack. Or chop up the candied nuts and use them to make cool and creamy grape salad, or sprinkle onto fresh green salads for some sweet crunch. We love including them in our turtle pumpkin ice cream cake and fluffy pumpkin cream pie recipes. And they’re perfect to feature on a sweet dessert charcuterie board!
Best Recipe Tips
Feel free to play around with spices and flavors… Add a generous pinch of cayenne for a kick, or swap regular cinnamon and nutmeg with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice blends. You can also add a splash of vanilla or almond extract! Be sure to get the egg whites nice and fluffy. The air that you work into the meringue helps the cinnamon and sugar stick well onto the pecans, without being too syrupy or heavy. Stir gently when folding the nuts in with the egg white, sugar, and spices. You don’t want any clumping, or to knock off any of the coating as you combine. Place the coated nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Give them space so they don’t overlap; this might mean you need to bake in batches. Cool the cinnamon sugar pecans completely on the baking sheet before touching them. This keeps you from burning yourself (always a good thing) and gets the coating firmly stuck onto the nuts. Keep the candied pecans away from moisture to keep them from sticking together. They should be stored in a sealed container and kept at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
Looking for More Easy Recipes for Homemade Treats? Be Sure to Try:
Homemade Trail Mix Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle Spicy Ranch Oyster Crackers Candied Cranberries Easy Cinnamon Pecan Praline
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