This recipe for candied pecans is pecan halves coated in a sweet cinnamon sugar mixture and baked to crispy and crunchy perfection. Candied pecans are perfect for salads, snacking or package them up for a fun homemade gift idea!
I always enjoy pecans, whether they’re in a rice pilaf, a brussels sprout salad or in pecan pie. These glazed pecans are so incredibly delicious, you’ll never be able to eat just one!
WARNING: these candied pecans are addicting! They’ve got the most amazing crackly cinnamon sugar coating and I could pretty much eat them morning, noon and night. I put these candied pecans on salads, they’re a great topper for cereal, yogurt or ice cream, and they’re the perfect party snack. Best of all, these candied nuts are so very easy to prepare!
How do you make candied pecans?
This recipe starts with pecan halves, which are coated in egg white, and then tossed in a mixture of brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. The pecans bake in the oven until the coating is hardened and golden brown. Let the nuts cool, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for candied pecans
- This recipe works best with pecan halves rather than pecan pieces. Pecan pieces tend to be irregularly shaped and will bake at different rates in the oven. If there are some smaller pieces in your bag of pecan halves, remove them so that they won’t burn in the oven.
- You can add other seasonings to your nuts such as nutmeg, allspice, or even a bit of heat with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- This cinnamon sugar coating also works well for other types of nuts such as walnuts or almonds.
- Spread your pecans in a single layer when they go into the oven, this will prevent them from sticking together as they bake. If any of your nuts are stuck together when they come out of the oven, you can separate them easily while they’re still warm.
Ways to use glazed pecans
You can use these sugary pecans in all sorts of different applications.
- Trail Mix: Make a sweet trail mix with the pecans, diced dried apricots, dried cranberries, salted cashews and semisweet chocolate chips.
- Cereal: Top your oatmeal or favorite cold cereal with a handful of chopped sweetened nuts.
- Ice Cream: Drizzle caramel sauce over vanilla ice cream and add a sprinkle of candied nuts on top.
- Salads: Toss mixed greens with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and add apples, berries, feta cheese and pecans.
- Desserts: Sprinkle glazed pecans on top of a pumpkin pie or apple cake.
Do candied pecans need to be refrigerated?
These pecans do not need to be refrigerated. In fact, I recommend storing them at room temperature, as the moisture from the fridge could affect their crunchy coating. Store your nuts in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. If you’re giving candied pecans as a gift, you can package them in cellophane bags or in a mason jar decorated with a pretty ribbon.
You can easily double or triple this recipe if you’re looking to make a large batch for the holidays or gift giving. Glazed pecans are sure to get rave reviews from anyone who samples them, and no one will even guess how easy they are to make!
More recipes you’ll love
- Candied Walnuts
- Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Pomegranate Pecan Brussels Sprouts
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 8 ounces pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a sheet pan with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
- Place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg white with the water until the mixture is frothy. Pour the pecans into the egg white mixture and toss to coat. Pour in the cinnamon sugar mixture and stir until nuts are thoroughly coated in the sugar.
- Place the nuts in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time, until the coating on the nuts has hardened.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container until ready for use.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 17, 2016 and was updated on November 29, 2019 with new content.
Perfect snacks for the holiday season!! This look delicious, can’t wait to try them! 🙂
These look soooooo good. I would eat the whole entire batch!
Yes, please! This is amazing for the holidays!
I love love love candied pecans – on a salad, for nibbling, for anything! This recipe looks amazing – I can’t wait to try it!
I made these as a little gift for my neighbor and they absolutely loved it!
Made these for the 1st time ever yesterday for a ladies event at my church and they were a hit! I got so many compliments on them. I’ll definitely be doing these again! Thanks!
So glad to hear everyone enjoyed them, thanks for reporting back!
Candied pecans are a fun treat! I like to have them in a bowl for a tasty snack!
I love to snack on candied pecans! So handy to have around for lots of other things, too 🙂 I like to spice them up with a bit of cayenne sometimes too!
I love candied pecans – in everything and on anything! These sound super easy too. Have a blessed Thanksgiving Sara!