Deliciously Simple Homemade Treat and Food Gift

These chocolate covered pecans make a delicious addition to any snack or dessert table at any time of year. With this recipe, you can make either dark or milk chocolate covered pecans, depending on what you prefer.

It’s fun to offer a variety of pecan treats on the snack table. Others I enjoy are these oven-roasted pecans and these delightfully sweet candied pecans. During the holidays, I add these pumpkin spiced pecans.

This pecan recipe is one of the easiest but yummiest snacks I’ve made since I was a teenager, decades ago. And it’s perfect for those times when you need to bring a hostess gift. Put them in a pretty jar, tie a colorful ribbon around the top, and present them when you first walk in the door.

If you see pecans on sale, pick up a bag, even if you don’t plan to use them right away. I store mine in the freezer to make them last a little longer. Then I use them in a variety of recipes, including both sweet and savory foods.

If you like sweet pecan treats, you’ll also enjoy these Rolo pretzel turtles. It’s an easy recipe that’s also quite impressive. 

Chocolate Covered Pecans Ingredients

You don’t need many ingredients to make this delicious treat. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pecan halves
• Chocolate chips (any flavor)
• Coconut oil (or heavy cream)
• Teaspoon of sea salt (optional)

I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can make this recipe with milk chocolate or even low-carb chocolate if you like. You can also use full-fat cream in place of the coconut oil. It still tastes just as good, so use whatever you have on hand.

You’ll need one or two baking sheets, a microwave-safe bowl, and either wax or parchment paper. It’s nice to also have tongs or a slotted spoon for dipping or immersing the pecans.

Or you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. This takes longer, but the results are just as good.

I love the fact that you don’t need a candy thermometer to make this. For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First preheat your oven to 325. Cover a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Put the pecan pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer. Roast them for 8 minutes.

This brings out the rich nutty flavor of the pecans. I usually try a few of these toasted pecans … because I can’t resist. They’re so good!

Remove the pecans from the oven and allow them to cool at room temperature. Set it aside.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and add the coconut oil. I used a medium-size bowl, but if you want to double this recipe, use a large bowl.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir the chips and coconut oil. Return to the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds.

Stir and repeat until all of the chips have melted. Make sure to mix the coconut oil with the chocolate.

If you choose to melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, it’s essential to stir often to keep the texture smooth. Using tongs, pick up each pecan and dip it into the chocolate.

Dip half of each pecan (or more) in the chocolate. Place the chocolate dipped pecans on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Continue until all of the nuts are coated. If you want to add some sea salt, lightly sprinkle it over the coated pecans before the chocolate has set.

Allow the chocolate to set for an hour at room temperature or 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Faster Option

If you don’t want to take the time to dip each pecan into the chocolate with tongs, you can use a slotted spoon. The best way to do this is to drop a handful of pecans into the chocolate and lift them out in spoonfuls. 

Allow the excess chocolate to drip from the slotted spoon before spreading them out on the parchment paper. Typically, chocolate-dipped pecans have some of the pecan exposed, while the ones that are fully immersed in the chocolate hide most of the nut.

This is a much messier (and not as pretty) way of doing it, but it’s also quicker. And if you’re making them for a lot of people, it’s the easiest way.

How to Serve Chocolate Covered Pecans

I typically put these delicious treats in bowls. However, there are so many different ways to enjoy them.

Here are a few:

• Top a scoop of your favorite ice cream with a handful of them.
• Use them to decorate the top of a cake.
• When you make cupcakes, top each one with a chocolate covered pecan.
• Instead of coating them yourself, put the chocolate in a fondue pot and let each person dip their own into the candy coating.

How to Store Chocolate Covered Pecans

If you have any leftover pecans, you can keep them for up to a week. You’ll need an airtight container and wax paper or parchment paper to separate the layers.

Put them in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate from melting. You can leave them out, but if you have a heater that blows on them, you might wind up with a big mess. I know this from experience.

Please feel free to share!