Crisp and Crunchy Candied Pecans (2024)

Crispy, crunchy and salty-sweet, these candied pecans are always a hit. Wrap them up for gifts, enjoy by themselves or throw on top of salads and side dishes.

I love these candied pecans. Thanks to the oven, the pecans become light and crisp with a sweet and salty candy coating. Our recipe is pretty simple, but it can easily be adjusted to accommodate different spices, more or less heat, and other nuts. Check the suggested variations section below for some inspiration.

There are two ways we like to make candied nuts: in the oven (like this recipe) and on the stovetop (like in this stovetop recipe). We love both recipes, but oven-baked candied nuts are my favorite. If you are short on time, the stovetop method is perfect. It takes less than 10 minutes. (The stovetop recipe is also egg-free.)

How to Make Candied Pecans in the Oven

If you can mix a few ingredients together and slide a baking sheet in the oven then you can make these easy candied pecans. The hands-on time for this recipe is short! Here’s the basic process, the detailed recipe is below.

1. Make flavored sugar by rubbing sugar with a mixture of spices, vanilla extract and orange zest. Orange zest is optional, but it adds a lovely aroma to the nuts.
2. Beat an egg white with a fork. This is what helps the flavored sugar adhere to the nuts. It also helps to create a light and crispy candied coating. When I first made candied pecans, I was skeptical of the egg white, but after trying it, I became convinced. I love the texture it adds.
3. Combine the nuts, egg white and sugar mixture.
4. Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet, making sure that they are in one layer.
5. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are crisp.

Storing Candied Pecans

Candied pecans last a while when stored in an airtight container. Leave them at room temperature up to a week, in the fridge for a few weeks and in the freezer for a month, maybe more.

Possible Variations

Use different spices: We call for cinnamon in the recipe below, but many spices will work. Think about other warm spices like cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and even apple pie or pumpkin pie spice blends.

Reduce or increase the heat: I love a hint of heat from cayenne, but you can decrease or increase it as you like. You could also try different forms of heat like chipotle powder, dashes of hot sauce and red pepper flakes.

Use different nuts: This is a candied pecans recipe, but that shouldn’t stop you from swapping the pecans for other nuts. Walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are all excellent options. Or try a nut mix!

Eggless / Vegan: Try our stovetop method for making candied pecans. That recipe does not call for any egg white.

More Easy Recipes

• Stovetop Candied Pecans (Less than 10 minutes)
• Creamy Apple Salad with Fennel (Candied pecans are amazing adding to this salad)
• Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes with Butter Pecan Syrup
• Warm Apple Cabbage Salad with Pecans

Crisp and Crunchy Candied Pecans

Crispy, crunchy and salty-sweet, these candied pecans are always a hit. Wrap them up for gifts, enjoy by themselves or throw on top of salads and side dishes.

Makes 4 cups

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 cup / Calories 183 / Total Fat 15.3g / Saturated Fat 1.3g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 112.6mg / Carbohydrate 11.9g / Dietary Fiber 2.4g / Total Sugars 9.2g / Protein 2.2g

AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher