Learn how to make the best Candied Pecans with this easy recipe! They’re great as an appetizer with drinks and make a wonderful homemade holiday gift. They’re also hard to resist for snacking and perfect for adding to salads and desserts.
If you love easy, snackable bites, try Sweet and Spicy Roasted Nuts, Spicy Cheese Cracker Snack Mix, and my Sweet & Nutty Snack Mix.
In This Post
I am totally obsessed with these Candied Pecans! I started making them a few years ago when I needed a quick yet elegant snack for a holiday party. Little did I know they’d become a staple I’d make all year round.
I love serving these as an easy appetizer or using them to jazz up a cheese board with homemade pimento cheese and salami chips. When the holidays roll around, I go all out making Southern candied pecans for everything from party snacks to topping off festive dishes. And as a homemade gift, trust me—this is one treat that no one will want to regift!
Why This Candied Pecan Recipe Will Be Your New Favorite
- These pecans are lovely, lightly spiced, and have a crunchy, caramelized coating that makes them downright addictive.
- The recipe only needs a few essential ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand if you’ve been doing some holiday baking.
- Candied nuts can be expensive, but this recipe is super budget-friendly.
- Forget about complicated stovetop candy-making. My recipe is baked in the oven, so you can toss the pecans in the coating, pop them in, and let the magic happen!
Candied Pecans Ingredients
- You’ll need pecan halves for this recipe.
- For the candied part, it’s a combination of white sugar, brown sugar, and an egg.
- For flavor, it’s just ground cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Recipe Variations
- Less heat: My family loves the sweetness and heat together, but if yours doesn’t, leave out the cayenne pepper.
- Nut options: this recipe will also work for walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, or peanuts.
- Mix up the spices: use spice mixes like pumpkin spice, Cajun, or Mexican blends.
Step By Step Directions
- Add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper to a large ziplock bag. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Add pecans and toss to coat.
- Pour the pecans into the bag with the sugar mixture. Toss until coated.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Toss after 20 minutes and continue to cook. Remove from oven and let cool.
Donya’s #1 Tip For Making The Best Candied Pecans
Start with fresh, high-quality pecans for the best flavor and texture. Stale or old nuts can taste bitter, so be sure to check the date or better yet, give them a quick taste test before using.
How To Use Candied Pecans In Recipes
These are delicious just to snack on, but they are also tasty in this Everyday Green Salad or Waldorf Salad. We also love to top Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes and Easy Cinnamon Rolls with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend it because it doesn’t stick as well to the pecans when baked. A liquid sweetener works better for a stovetop recipe.
No, the egg white is super important for helping the seasoning stick. A whole egg will create more scrambled eggs.
Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. They will last a bit longer, but the flavors start to diminish after the first week.
Yes! Put them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Ideas For Sweet and Spicy Pecans
Pair these candied pecans with Outrageously Good Stuffed Celery and Southern Jezebel Sauce for a full snack platter. Or enjoy them in Ambrosia Salad or on top of Southern Pineapple Casserole.
More Easy Snack Recipes
If you tried this Candied Pecans Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (option)
- 4 cups pecans halves
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a 9×11 baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large ziplock bag, add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Add in pecans and toss to coat. Pour the pecans into the bag with sugar mixture. Toss until pecans are coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake in oven for 40 minutes. Toss after 20 minutes and continue to cook. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
-
- Less heat: My family loves the sweetness and heat together, but if yours doesn’t, leave out the cayenne pepper.
-
- Nut options: this recipe will also work for walnuts cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, or peanuts.
-
- Mix up the spices: use spice mixes like pumpkin spice, Cajun, or Mexican blends.
Nutrition
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Just Me
Enjoyed these pecans on a Spinach Strawberry salad from an online website. I will make these again, they were well received by my Easter dinner guests.
B McLane
These are the best pecans I’ve ever tasted. I get compliments every time I bring them to a party. My girlfriend loves them so much. She eats them before Christmas because she can’t wait and can’t stop.
I love this! Thank you for sharing and the great rating.
Merry Christmas,
~Donya
Brenda
These are the Best pecans I have ever had. All my friends and family rave about them and want the recipe. I have made so many times.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe.
Thank you, Brenda! And I so appreciate the terrific rating.
~Donya
Annette Beach
Fabulous, simply fabulous! Became obsessed with these while living in Raleigh, almost 40 years ago. (A Yankee by birth, but with a Southern Soul.)
Hadn’t made these in a few years, knew the basic ingredients but wanted to find a written recipe. So glad I found yours. Will definitely explore your site for more of my Southern faves!
Thanks so much, and I’m thrilled you are here. I so appreciate the outstanding rating.
~Donya
Donna Ford
Donna these are fabulous! I actually made it with a combination of a few different kinds of nuts that I needed to do songwriter with! Can you tell me 1) best way to store and 2) can they be frozen. Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Thanks! Store in an airtight container. I’ve never frozen them but you can give it a try.
~Donya
Lydia perez
Best South recpies.
Donya
Hey there Lydia!
Thank you so much for your kind words of support! Southern cooking has always been a passion of mine, and being able to share these recipes is so special, it warms my heart to hear that you’ve been enjoying the dishes. If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
Brenda
These pecans are so delicious I can’t stop eating them after just a few. Whenever I make them my friends are so excited about them. Everyone wants the recipe. I don’t even know how many times I have made them, but I know the recipe by heart. SO YUMMY.
Donya
Hey there Brenda!
Wow! Thank you so much, for both your kind words and your incredible rating. I am so pleased to hear you’ve enjoyed this recipe. I completely agree, it’s one of those recipes you’ll make once and you’re hooked. Thank you so much for your support, it warms my heart to hear you and your loved ones have enjoyed it!
~Donya
Cathy Starnes
Love this recipe! So easy too. Plan to add this to my list of goodies I gift at Christmas.