Candied Pecans – Pecans are coated in cinnamon sugar and then baked until crispy
A couple months ago, I was having a huge craving for candied pecans. Have you ever had these before? We used to get them all the time at the mall when I was a kid, but usually they were in the form of candied almonds. You’d couldn’t walk by the cart without getting a whiff of cinnamon sugar cooking with the nuts. After getting a free sample, you’d be sold immediately and suddenly have three paper cones of candied nuts in your posession.
I guess since moving to Georgia, however, pecans have been my nut of choice since they’re so readily available (pecans are a major crop of Georgia). Plus, I kind of love the softer texture they have versus almonds. Therefore, over time, candied pecans have become my go-to for a sweet and salty snack.
Instead of making a trip to the mall or even an amusement park, I learned to satisfy this craving by making these candied pecans at home. They only involve 4 ingredients and barely any effort at all, which can be dangerous, considering how addictive they are.
Without further ado, here are my Candied Pecans!
An easy snack
The great thing about these candied pecans is that, when a craving hits, you usually have everything you need to make them. I always have nuts on hand, whether it be walnuts or pecans or almonds. Therefore, if I’m desperate enough, I make a candied version with either of these options. Heck, mix them all together for a variety!
How to make these candied pecans
To make these candied pecans, you need just a few ingredients:
- pecan halves
- 1 egg white
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
The egg white may seem like an odd ingredeint here but it serves as a glue to keep the cinnamon sugar on the pecans and also gives the coating a cirspy texture.
The ingredients are simply tossed together, spread on a baking sheet, and then baked for 45 minutes. That’s really it!
But don’t leave them alone completely when they’re baking. You’ll need to stir them around every-so-often to ensure they cook evenly.
Tips and Tricks
- Pecan halves work best for this recipe because the result is a balanced candied pecan that’s not overly sweet. If the pieces are too small, they get too much candy coating and taste too sweet to me.
- It’s super important that you stir the pecans periodically during the baking process so they don’t caramelize and/or burn. Every 15 minutes should be the perfect interval.
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add egg white and water. Whisk together until egg white is frothy. Add pecans and toss until evenly coated in egg white mixture.
- In a separate small bowl, add sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir together to combine. Sprinkle over pecans and toss together until pecans are evenly coated and the mixture is clumped into the pecans and no longer loose.
- Place pecans into preheated oven to bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent caramelization. Remove from oven and let cool before eating.
Notes
Pin for later:
More recipes you’ll love:
Banana Bread Granola
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Turtle Bars
This dessert is absolutely stunning! I love the flavors you chose – they work so beautifully together. Your photos are making my mouth water. I’m hosting a dinner party next weekend and this would be the perfect ending. Thank you for such an inspiring recipe!
Candied pecans are such a perfect snack! I love how simple this recipe is — just 4 ingredients and minimal effort. Since moving to Georgia I have gotten really into pecan recipes too. I actually used my AI image tool at pictro.ai recently to generate some beautiful food photography, and candied nuts with all that crystallized sugar texture would make stunning close-up shots. The tip about stirring every 15 minutes is so important — I once burned a batch because I forgot to stir. These would be amazing as gifts too, especially around the holidays!
Thanks for sharing your recipe and the tips. The egg white trick is Escape Road City interesting; I can see how it would act as a binder and contribute to the crispiness.
xbx4oz
0tdp1m
This is such a lovely treat. Perfect for upcoming holidays. I’ve never tried candied pecans before but they sound absolutely delicious, coated with cinnamon and sugar. Yum! I will definitely make this soon.
Candied pecans are great! They make great gifts too!
These are my kids favorite treat! We like them nice and warm but they are great for salads and so many other things as well!
I love candied pecans! They’re such a delicious little snack. I’m going to whip this up tomorrow and keep some in a bowl on the table near to my office. (I will be eating by the handful, don’t judge me for it!)
I loved cooking my candied pecans in the oven. I usually cook them on the stove top and they always end up sugary. This method totally fixed that problem and they turned out crunchy and delicious!
These pecans look fabulous! I’m not a fan of plain pecans because to me they don’t have much flavor. But with this candy coating, I’d have to force myself to stop eating them… They will be perfect for the holidays
I made these yesterday and my husband and I practically ate them all in one sitting. They are fabulous and soooo addicting! Thanks for a great recipe!
Candied pecans is one of my favorite things to get at fall festivals! Now I can make them on my own at home. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
These Candied Pecans were awesome! I made them for my co-workers as a treat and they loved them! I will be making these again near the holidays and giving as gifts to some our friends, Pinning and bookmarking.
Have a great weekend!
H
these are my favourite thing ever. I totally need to make these. I would just eat them right away I made them
Ooh I have not had candied pecans in a long time! I can’t wait to try these
I love candied nuts – they go really well with a cheese board and a nice glass of wine (or two!). These sound lovely! I was in Georgia last September and I remember admiring the pecan trees!
I love these recipe. So easy to make candied nuts in this manner. Can I use brown sugar in this recipe?
Our whole family loved these yummy candied pecans! With your recipe, they’re so easy to make. They’re perfect for gift-giving during the upcoming holiday season.
These would make great gifts for the holidays! Nice recipe
I cant believe how easy these are to make. I’ll be snacking on these all winter long.