Candied Pecans
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These candied pecans are perfect to serve with cocktails or toss over salads, and the best part is they take just 15 minutes to make!
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
These sweet, spicy, and salty candied pecans are madly delicious. They’re perfect to serve with cocktails, toss over salads, or just keep around the house over the holidays. They also make a fabulous homemade gift. The best part? You only need four simple ingredients to make them — and if you start right now, you’ll be done in 15 minutes. What are you waiting for?
“I made these just as written and they are PERFECT!! Excellent balance of sweet and spicy. Super quick and easy. I made them this morning and plan to make another batch to take on a car trip next weekend. I’ll need to pack them in the trunk so I don’t eat them all before I get there!”
What You’ll Need To Make Candied Pecans
- Pecans
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
Step-by-Step instructions
Begin by combining the Confectioners sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper and 4 teaspoons of water in a medium bowl.
Whisk until combined.
Add the pecans to the sugar mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Place the nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the nuts are crusty on top and caramelized on the bottom.
Slide the parchment off of the baking sheet onto a countertop; this stops the nuts from overcooking on the hot baking sheet.
When the nuts are completely cool, use your hands to break them apart.
Transfer the nuts to a bowl and serve, or store in a covered container for up to a few weeks.
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“I’ve made 3 batches of these pecans in the past couple of weeks. I’ve gifted them, snacked on them, and added them to my salads. So delicious!”
Candied Pecans
These candied pecans are perfect to serve with cocktails or toss over salads, and the best part is they take just 15 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- ½ cup Confectioners' sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons water
- 2 cups pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Confectioners' sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and water.
- Add the pecans to the sugar mixture and stir until the nuts are evenly coated.
- Transfer the pecans to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Do your best to make sure the nuts are evenly spread out (if they are clumped together, they won't cook evenly). Scrape out every last bit of glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pecans are caramelized and the caramel on the baking sheet is a rich brown color but not burnt. (The nuts around the edges will darken first; watch closely so they don't burn.)
- Immediately slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and allow the pecans to cool completely on the countertop (this stops the cooking process and prevents the nuts from burning). Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- Note: If the nuts are sticky after cooling, that means they are a bit undercooked. Pop them back in the oven for a few minutes and let cool again.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 178 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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A favorite! I use cinnamon instead of cayenne. My daughter loves them; so she made recipe and made Christmas gifts and in-laws couldn’t stay away from them.
Delicious! Simple to make and came out absolutely perfect. I added unsweetened dried cherries from the health food store to the batch once it cooled. Best snack. Giving up processed foods but this is hand made. Thank you!
I made these over the holidays, and we loved them. I did cut the cayenne pepper in half because my husband can’t eat much spice. They were perfect and hard to stop eating. Thanks for a great recipe.
Oh my -took these to a Christmas Eve drinks party and they went down an absolute storm. Added bonus they are so easy.
I’ve made 3 batches of these pecans in the past couple of weeks. I’ve gifted them, snacked on them, and added them to my salads. So delicious!
I make these every year for Christmas. They come out perfectly every time. So good. Thanks for another great recipe!
I have made these pecans before using Confectioners’ sugar, they are wonderful! I want to make them again for Christmas Eve but can only find “powdered sugar – 10 x Confectioners’ sugar”. Are they the same? Can I use the powdered sugar? Thank you for any help you can give!
Hi Ann, They are the same. Enjoy!
I made 5 batches of these pecans one day last week for gifts. They were yummy, but they were sticky. When they came out of the oven, they felt “dry” and not sticky; however, after they cooled, they were quite sticky. I put each batch back in the oven. Again, they were dry when they came out but sticky after they cooled. The excess that I had poured over the top (as directed) was a sticky mess, too, with a Jolly Rancher consistency. It was difficult to break the nuts up and bag them because they were sticking to everything. My oven temp is accurate. The only thing I can think of is that it was a very rainy day. Is this a dry day activity like Divinity?
Hi Lindsey, Sorry you had a problem with these! I don’t think the rain would’ve caused the problem. You mentioned you made 5 batches — did you bake each batch on its own baking sheet? If not, that would explain it because these really won’t come out right unless they have plenty of room so they don’t overlap.
Hi Jenn, I did make each batch on its own, and took care to try and separate the pecans. It was really odd how each batch went from dry to sticky. They still tasted great though. Just not the presentation I was hoping for.
Hmmm… that’s a bit of a head-scratcher. The only other thing I can think of is that your oven temp may be a bit off. You may want to check it for accuracy. Here are some tips for how to go about it.
Thank you.
The stickiness was could have been caused from the humidity from the rain.
Wonderful nuts! I have made as written, and gave cut the cayenne pepper down to a quarter of the amount, then use cinnamon for the rest. I also add in 1tsp orange zest, use 2 tsp bourbon or water & 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. I typically bake for 2-3 minutes longer than stated. Fantastic! Thank you for another fabulous, easy recipe. And I also use the sugar crystals on ice cream!
Great recipe. I am making them for the third time in the same month!
I make huge quantities of these every year over the holidays. There’s always a collection of spicy sugar crystals left on the parchment after separating the nut and transferring to gift bags. I keep trying to come up with a use for those delicious spicy sugar crystals. Any suggestion?
Sounds very resourceful! You could sprinkle them over ice cream or roll cookie dough balls in it before baking. If you decide to do any of those things, I’d love to hear what you think!
I tried the sprinkles on ice cream. It was amazing. We called them ice cream crystals. If you could bottle them, im sure they would sell. Making more nuts mainly just to have the crystals.
LOL — sounds like a hit!
I have made this recipe Christmas time for the past several years. I had tried many recipes but this one is by far the best. Only change I make is to increase the amt of pecans to 4 cups. It comes out perfectly and everyone loves them….especially the little bit of spice!
I liked the flavor. The short prep and cooking time are a plus!I used smallish pecan halves. I was careful to space them on the parchment paper on the cookie sheet. I cooked them 11 minutes. The sugary part was light golden brown. I followed the steps for moving the paper off the cookie sheet and cooled the nuts. Several of them stuck to the
paper. Others were sticky on the bottom. I put those back in the oven for 3 minutes but I still wasn’t completely satisfied. How can I improve the next batch?
Hi Carmen, you mentioned that you weren’t completely satisfied with the nuts after taking some of them out of the oven the second time. Can you describe what you didn’t like/what you’d like to be different?
Jenn, I was wondering if you could do this with mixed nuts or is it best to stick with just the pecans? Thankyou in advance.
Hi Dana, I’ve made it with other nuts and it works, but pecans are definitely my favorite because of the crevices that collect the syrup. Walnuts work too.
These are wonderful and so easy! I used orange juice instead of water for a bit of citrus tang,
worked beautifully
Can I bake these on a baking mat (e.g., Silpat) instead of parchment paper?
Sure Kate, that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Hands-down, the best, easiest and most fool-proof candied pecan recipe out there. These come out perfectly every time. They’re excellent as-written, but I’ve also mixed-up the spices and added cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
Everyone’s ovens are calibrated differently, so I suggest setting the timer for 10 minutes, then check every minute until they’re medium-dark golden brown. My oven takes 14 minutes. If you live in a high humidity area, I’d back-off on the water a bit. In arid Idaho, I use 3.5 tsp of water (or a combination of vanilla and water), and it’s perfect. Thank you, Jenn, for this fantastic recipe!
These were really good, however, when they came out, the top side had a pale color, the underneath had that golden color that your picture has. Is that normal or is it supposed to be golden all over? What should I do? I followed your instructions exactly.
While there may be some variation in color, they should be golden all over. Did they have a sticky texture? If so, it sounds like they may need an extra minute or two in the oven.
If you love candied pecans this recipe is the easiest and most delicious! Follow the directions exactly and they come out as beautiful little jewels. Great for a house gift in a decorative container or just leave them on a table and watch them disappear. Thank you Jen for another fabulous recipe.
Perfect recipe, I’ve used cashews and pecans, both work equally well. They are so good that a chef asked me for the recipe😁 We call them Nuts on crack in our house🤣
So easy, oh my! Don’t wait until these are cool before you nibble on a few. 🙂
I made these for a Thanksgiving charcuterie board. I’ve never been able to make candied nuts well as I always winged it using maple syrup or white sugar so when I saw this recipe (while looking at Jenn’s cranberry orange sauce), I figured I’d give it a try.OMG! They turned out perfectly. I almost didn’t make when I saw confectioner’s sugar as I normally think it makes things way too sweet. These were delicious and so easy. My new favorite.
Are they not too spicy? I love the spice, yet if I give them as gifts I don’t want anyone to be put out by the spice. Thanks in advance!
Hi Ronda, they have a hint of heat, but I don’t think they’re spicy enough that it would put anyone off (unless they’re very sensitive to spice).
AMAZING!!! I have a “Request List” of friends who are just “addicted” to these pecans!!!
These candied pecans are the bomb! I have been making as gifts and charcuterie board snacks for the past few years. A “home run” and sooo easy to make.
Make this every year and it is appreciated by many ! Yum!
I just made these today, instead of 4 tbsp of water,3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp of vanilla. Absolutely delicious!
Will make for Xmas! Thank you!!
I just made this for Thanksgiving…. Wow they came out great. Never did I think I could make this & taste fantastic….tried other recipes and was left with a pile of mush… This is amazing… Thank you
Absolutely delish and super easy to make! Thank you!
I add a bit of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg during the holidays. Smells so yummy! I also substitute the confectioner’s sugar for raw sugar I back off of the ingredients to a 1/4 – 1/3 of a cup caramelizes really well. It’s a different twist still yummy. Everyone loves it and tries them. Thank you once upon a chef- love your recipes.
Worked perfectly! This will be my go to recipe. Does it work with unroasted walnuts?
Sure – walnuts will work here too!
I used a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 teaspoons of water. YUM!
Disaster. I think there’s way too much water in this recipe. I had to double the bake time to cook off the liquid and by that time the nuts were burnt. Very disappointed 🙁
These are marvelous. I make regularly, exactly as recipe specifies. Not sickly sweet and fun to watch the reaction from first-time tasters as the heat sneaks up a little… most smile with delight. I do warn folks ahead of time.
I replaced pecans with walnuts, excluded the cayenne pepper and made everything else the same. It was so simple to make, delicious, and amazing !!!!
I made these just as written and they are PERFECT!! Excellent balance of sweet and spicy. Super quick and easy. I made them this morning and plan to make another batch to take on a car trip next weekend. I’ll need to pack them in the trunk so I don’t eat them all before I get there! I am in love with both of your cookbooks and the blog!
💗
I made this as written and wow was it delicious. It ships well, too. I vacuum packed it and sent it to my father for Father’s Day during very hot weather. It arrived just fine and he loved it!
Thank you for a simple and wonderful tasting recipe. 🥰
Do you use raw or roasted pecans? Thanks!!
Either one is fine. Enjoy!
Delicious and easy! You are the best, Jenn!
These were exceptionally delicious! I paused when I saw confectioners sugar but they came out perfectly. Only thing I would change (allergy season/scratchy throat) is use half the cayenne. Wonderful!
It’s truly hard to believe how delicious these are being so simple to make.
Hard to stop eating! I can’t test them when I take them out of the oven because the next thing I know, I only have 1 cup of nuts. BTW, used walnuts because that’s what I had in the house.
I tried this recipe this morning exactly as its written, regrettably I didn’t get the desired results. It lacked flavor, and it came out a little too pasty. The second batch I tried with an additional 1/4 c of pecans to soak up the extra sugar mixture but still lacked flavor. I prefer the egg white alternative to just using water to give it a nice crunchy coat, and allows the flavors to come through.
These are the best pecans, better than the store bought and so easy to make. I put them in salads and on cheese boards to rave reviews. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
The BEST candied nuts ever!! I am munching on them now. Such an easy recipe to make and the end product looks and tastes impressive. Please, make the recipe as written and refrain from modifying and then commenting negatives.
I’ve made these pecans every Christmas for the last 5 years. My family requests them every year. I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit, using 2/3 cup Powdered sugar and a tsp cayenne pepper.
I used to make one batch for all, but now I make a batch for each family. So simple but soooo good!
Perfect New Year’s Eve snack – easy to make, and a great result – yum!
I have made many times but misread the recipe this time and added 4T of water instead of 4t, to try and salvage the pecans I added additional sugar and nuts, I also baked longer (20-25 min)and they did not burn, so for those who have indicated they baked longer but nuts did not burn, it could be excess water? I was trying to see if I could find a solution for my error, they still turned out but had a little bit of stickiness.They taste fine and did not want to throw out!
I am always amazed at how quickly these disappear when guests are over, they just vanish by the time you return to the platter for more! Perfect blend of slightly burnt toffee with spice and crunch, and such a quick and easy recipe to make. Thanks again Jenn, best cooking blog ever!
This is by far the best and easiest recipe ever! If you’re looking for a quick last minute gift (it’s the night before Christmas Eve and I’m too tired to make cookies) make these!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times and they are delicious! They’re so quick and easy I started experimenting with different spices- I used a tiny bit of cayenne and added nutmeg, cinnamon and rum extract for an eggnog flavored pecan. Then I added orange extract, orange zest and vanilla. These are amazing!
Hi Jenn! I’m making snack boards for Xmas this year and was planning on making these pecans, your roasted chickpeas, maple sesame kale and the bacon recipe. I will be bringing them to Christmas and to a party the following day. How far in advance can I make everything? Thanks for all!
Hi Kara, the pecans will keep nicely for a week, the kale chips for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container (make sure they’re totally cooled before you put them in a container), the bacon can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerate, but they will lose their crispy texture, and the chickpeas can be made up to 10 days ahead (see the make-ahead instructions for reheating them). Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
I decided to try these after all the good reviews, they looked easy enough. They came out sticky, so I put them back in the oven, for a total of 20 minutues! Never burned nor did they get hard. I left them out all night to see if they would harden, never did, so I’m gonna turn my oven up to 400 and try it again. Maybe my oven is not reaching the correct temputure? Pecans aren’t cheap so if this doesn’t work it was a total waste of money.
Hi Cynthia, Sorry you had a problem with these! I suspect there’s a problem with your oven temperature because these definitely should have gotten burnt if they were in your oven for 20 minutes. Here are some tips for checking to see if your oven temp is accurate.
I found when baking bread/pizza that temp was so important. I invested in an oven thermometer and found that it takes a good 30 minutes for my oven to truly get to temp. If I just went by the oven display/alert it was consistently 50-75 degrees cooler than expected when the alert signaled ready. Make sure you are at the right temp before the food goes in.
Something must be wrong with your oven!
20 extra minutes at 350’? Cookies would burn!
Try putting them in the fridge. It worked for me when my first batch was a little sticky. Hardened the pecans right up.
These are so easy we love them, I make these for my husbands coworkers and they request every year. I put them on a simple salad field greens, apple a little red onion blue cheese and a simple dressing.
Jenn, about how long do you let these cool for before removing from the parchment paper?
Hi Liz, I’d let them cool completely. Hope you enjoy!
Pecans were AWESOME✨‼ Packed ’em up & shared at a post-hike tailgate with about 15 friends where I heard “who made these; they’re amazing!” Between Candied Pecans & Matzo Crack (which I also brought along) – wow, soooo many compliments! Thanks Jenn! 👏
Absolutely wonderful. Adjust the heat for those with a sensitive palate or use cinnamon as an alternative. Easy and delicious!
I made these today and they turned out perfect, my hubby said they were moorish( English saying🇬🇧 Which means you can’t stop eating them).
Tried to post a photo, but they look just like your picture.
I have been looking for a recipe that gave you a nice glossy look and not the one of crystallized sugar. I was hoping they would turn out as pictured and they did. Absolutely the best. Quick and so tasty. This recipe is a definite 5 star keeper.