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Candied Pecans Recipe

I love these candied pecans because they are not only easy to make, but they’re also a delicious snack. Make them for your next get-together with friends or family gathering. I promise that they’ll disappear quickly, so make plenty!

Candied pecans in a bowl

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Easy Pecan Recipe

Pecans are so much fun to cook with and eat! They provide a lot of texture, protein, fiber, and depth of nutty flavor to keep you coming back for more.

I have quite a few wonderful pecan recipes—all of them super easy. For example, these roasted pecans only require a few ingredients and a little bit of time in the oven.

Another thing we like to do is garnish salads with pecans. One of our favorites is this apple spinach salad with pecans.

If you’re into sweets, you’ll love these chocolate caramel pecan bars. The mix of flavors in this delightful dessert will have everyone asking for seconds.

Ingredients

You need several ingredients, but only a little bit of each one. However, if you want to make more, simply double everything.

Bowl of candied pecans

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Dash of salt
Bowl of nuts, brown sugar, sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla, water, and salt

If you want, you can increase the cinnamon to give it more of a kick. During the holidays, you can add some red hot candies to make it more festive.

If you add other candies to the sugared pecans, do so after they’ve had a chance to cool. Otherwise, you might wind up with a melty mess that will still taste good. But it won’t look so great.

Instructions

Making these candied pecans, as I already mentioned, is easy. But make sure you have everything ready because they cook quickly.

You’ll also need to stand in front of your stove for the whole 5 minutes. Walk away, and you’re likely to wind up with a burnt mess. If you’ve ever had this happen, you know that burned sugar is hard to clean up. For that reason, I like to place the wax paper on a pan and have it ready. Otherwise, you’ll have to scramble to get it set up.

First, in a large skillet, mix everything but the pecans over medium heat.

Ingredients in a pan

Dissolve the sugar and bring it to a light boil. I like to stir it while it heats up to prevent any of it burning on the pan. I’m always thinking about cleanup.

Secondly, stir in the pecans and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Make sure all of the pecans are coated in the sugar mixture. This is super easy if you keep stirring.

Pouring pecans into the boiling sugar mixture

Finally, scoop the cooked pecans onto a sheet pan covered with parchment paper or foil, separate them with the spatula, and allow them to cool. Please be careful and try not to touch them with your bare hands because they will be super hot. 

Sugar coated pecans on wax paper

Serve immediately or place in an airtight container for later. You can eat them by themselves, put them in a recipe, or use them to top your favorite dessert. I love crumbled candied pecans over vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

Candied pecans in a pan and in a bowl

Delicious but Easy Dessert Recipes

If you like to add dessert to your family meal but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, you’ll love some of these. They’re all withstood the test of time in my family, and they’re all absolutely delicious!

These lemon bars are super easy to make, and they’ve risen to the top of family favorites at our house.

Make these yummy coconut balls for a delightfully sweet treat that’s perfect for dessert or to bring to a party!

coconut balls on a plate

When it comes to desserts, I’m all over the place. I love this rocky road fudge when I’m in the mood for chocolate.

But when I want something fruity, I often turn to this delicious granola fruit crisp with a dollop of ice cream on top.

Embrace Your Inner Nuttiness

Yes, I mean that in the sweetest way! These candied pecans are so delicious you’ll want to make them often. Warning: They’re addictive.

Yield: 4 servings

Candied Pecans

Bowl of candied pecans

These candied pecans are delicious for snacking or dessert.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Dash of salt

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, mix everything but the pecans over medium heat. Dissolve the sugar and bring it to a light boil.
  2. Stir in the pecans and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Make sure all of the pecans are coated in the sugar mixture.
  3. Scoop the cooked pecans onto a sheet pan covered in parchment paper or foil, separate them, and allow them to cool. 
  4. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container for later.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 275Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 0mgSodium 42mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 3gSugar 25gProtein 2g

The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.

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