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Simple sugared pecans are coated in a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and then slow roasted until they are perfectly crunchy and candied.
Candied Pecans
You can bet I make a Costco run and double or triple this recipe because candied nuts are so versatile! Here are just a few reasons I keep these in the freezer year-round:
I love to make candied nuts as appetizers or an easy dessert at holiday get-togethers.
You can also bag or box them up and hand them out as gifts.
Chop them up and serve them on salads or in yogurt
Ingredients and Substitutions
The list of ingredients needed for sugared pecans is pretty short. There are a few swaps that can be made to switch things up.
Pecans. Pecans are perfect for coating with brown sugar and cinnamon, but so is pretty much every other nut! Try using walnuts or almonds too.
Brown sugar. I love the caramel flavor of brown sugar, but white sugar works well too.
Cinnamon and nutmeg. These add a little extra flavor to the pecans you can't beat. Out of either or looking to switch it up? Try ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Egg white. Used to get the sugars and spices to cling and stay on the nuts. To get the volume you need to coat all the nuts, you'll need to whip the egg white until it's foamy. Egg substitute will not do this, so do not substitute it.
MONEY SAVING TIP: If you have a bulk store membership, consider buying your nuts there. In my area, they are regularly about 30% cheaper than grocery stores.
How to Make It
Make the sugar and spice combination: grab a small bowl and stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set that mixture aside.
Beat the egg white: In a medium sized bowl, add the egg white. Vigorously beat the egg with a whisk until it becomes foamy and triples in volume.
Coat the pecans: Add the pecans to the bowl with the egg white and toss the pecans to fully coat.
Add the sugar mixture: pour the sugar mixture over the pecans and stir them to coat with the sugar. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the coated pecans in an even layer.
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Cooking Time and Temperature
Roast the sugared pecans in a 250˚ Fahrenheit oven for a full hour. Stir the nuts every 15 minutes. Don't be tempted to shorten the time. The full hour is needed to get the brown sugar to really crisp and turn into a candy coating.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 10-15 minutes before serving or storing.
Storage
Store the candied nuts in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
To make these last longer, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months!
PREP: Preheat the oven to 250˚F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
MAKE SUGAR MIXTURE: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
COAT THE NUTS: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until it is foamy. Add the pecans and toss to coat in the egg mixture. Add the sugar mixture to the nuts and toss again to coat with the sugar.
BAKE: Spread the nuts in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake in the prepared oven for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving or transferring to a container to store.
Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325° F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.
Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.
How long will candied pecans keep? They will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, at least three weeks in the refrigerator, or up to two months in the freezer. No matter where you store them, keep in a tightly sealed, airtight container.
Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.
The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts. How do you fix candied nuts that are too soft and sticky? You can place them back into the oven for 5 to 15 minutes or until they dry out more. They will continue to firm and dry out as they cool.
"Essential nutrients like iron, protein, calcium, and zinc are better absorbed by the body when you soak the nuts. The water removes the phytic acid present in acids which causes indigestion. So, soaking nuts helps in digesting them properly and reaping the benefits of these nutrients.
Pecans have two sources of bitterness -- naturally occurring tannins in the kernel and pieces of corky material from the inside of the nut which can adhere to the kernel. Some of the tannin and all of the corky material can be removed by washing the kernels before cooking.
If your candied pecans are sticky, it is likely because the sugar syrup coating has not completely hardened. The syrup may still be wet, or it may have started to crystalize. If the syrup is still wet, you can try putting the nuts in the oven for a few minutes to help the syrup harden.
If you happen to have pecans in their shells, remember that 1 pound equals 3 cups shelled, about 4 cups pecan halves, and about 3 3/4 cups chopped nuts. Equivalents to know when using shelled pecans are that 1 pound equals 4 cups and 1 cup of pecan halves equals 3/4 cup chopped.
Fresh pecans have a distinct aroma, characterized by their sweet, nutty scent. They should have a firm, almost crunchy texture and a rich golden or amber color. On the flip side, bad pecans may show signs of spoilage, such as a rancid smell, a shriveled appearance, or a soft and rubbery texture.
Sealed plastic bags are best for storing pecans in the freezer. In-shell pecans can be stored in a cool, dry place for 6 to 12 months. They can be refrigerated up to 18 months and frozen for about three years.
Storage Instructions: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. Freezing Instructions: They freeze well in an air-tight container for up to two months.
Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.
Transfer to a piece of parchment or wax paper, separate, and let cool. What if my coating is still soft/sticky after baking? If you take your nuts out of the oven and the coating is still soft/sticky, pop the tray back in the oven until the nuts are more “crispy”.
If the filling is flowing in a wavy movement from the center to the edge, your pie isn't set quite yet. Wait for the moment when the center of your pecan pie gives you just a little jiggle, like the stable but slightly wiggly movement of Jell-O when you give it a gentle shake.
Humidity above these values can cause kernel molding and pecan texture deterioration (pecans become soft and rubber-like), whereas lower humidities will cause excessive drying. In-shell pecan kernels will darken under high humidity as a result of the tannic acid being dissolved from the shell lining.
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