Candied Pecans Recipe

This easy candied pecans recipe features the perfect blend of sweet, cinnamon, and a hint of salt to make a great holiday snack or gift.

Candied pecans go by many names, like sugar and spice pecans, sugared pecans, sugar-coated pecans, and cinnamon sugar candied pecans. But no matter what you call them, this is the best candied pecans recipe. I look forward to making it every year because it is just the right blend of crunchy, sweet, cinnamon, with a hint of salt to set it all off to perfection.

Thankfully, this recipe is easy and uses five simple ingredients: pecans (of course), cinnamon, sugar, an egg, and salt. All you need to do is mix the ingredients together and then bake the candied pecans in the oven. In no time you’ll have one of my favorite holiday snacks and gifts. I love placing a handful in a festive bag or box to gift to friends, family, and teachers.

The only problem with making a candied pecans recipe is the price of pecans. If pecans are a little out of your budget, feel free to make this candied nuts recipe with other nuts as well. Candied walnuts are also delicious, and peanuts, cashews, and even almonds would be delicious when prepared this way.

Recipe Ingredients

• Sugar
• Egg
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Pecan halves (or you can substitute for any other nut or combination, like almonds, cashews, walnuts, or peanuts)

How to Make My Candied Pecans Recipe

Combine sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a small mixing bowl.

Stir that up really well.

In a mixing bowl, place your egg white and 1 tablespoon of water.

Save the yolk for something else if you like, but you won’t need it for this recipe.

Beat that egg white with an electric mixer until it is frothy.

Throw your pecan halves (or nut of your choice) into the mixing bowl with the frothy egg white. 

Stir them up until they’re coated pretty well.

Spray a rimmed and large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Taking a few raw pecans at a time, toss them into your cinnamon sugar mixture and flip them around a bit with your hand to coat and place the coated pecans on the prepared baking sheet.

Repeat until all pecans are coated.

Place this in a 325-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

TIP: Don’t cook your candied pecans any longer than this and keep an eye on them in case your oven cooks hot and they get done faster.

They will lightly brown, but you don’t want them to get dark brown.

Remove from oven, stir again, and allow to cool.

For this candied pecans recipe, you can store the bite-sized treats in gift bags, a decorated mason jar, airtight containers, or just keep them for you and your family.

These make wonderful holiday gifts come December, but I never get around to gifting them because we eat every last one! lol

 See more Christmas Candy and Gift ideas by clicking here.

Storage

One of my favorite things about this homemade candied pecans recipe is that they last a long time! When stored in an airtight container, they’ll last up to one week at room temperature or three weeks when stored in the fridge. You can also store your completely cooled pecans in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.

Recipe Notes

• You can substitute white sugar for dark or light brown sugar or even coconut sugar if you like.
• To add more flavor to your spiced candied pecans, add a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat or smoked paprika for a sweet/savory combination. Other spices you might want to add include a pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, or 1/4 teaspoon of allspice.
• You can also add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract to this recipe or 1 teaspoon of orange zest. There are so many ways to make this candied nut recipe your own!

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between candied pecans, glazed pecans, and pecan pralines?

Okay, here’s a candied nuts breakdown! Candied pecan recipes typically include egg white and white sugar, while glazed pecan recipes include brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Meanwhile, pecan pralines are basically caramelized pecans coated in a buttery brown sugar sauce.

How do you serve candied pecans?

While I’m all for using this easy candied pecans recipe for holiday snacks and gifts, there are many ways to serve homemade candied pecans, including:

• With vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
• On top of yogurt with granola or oatmeal.
• Toss them in your favorite salad, like this chicken and avocado Caprese salad.
• Sprinkle on top of your favorite seasonal cake or pie, like our no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, carrot cake, or easy pumpkin pie. 
• Add to your homemade Chex mix.
• Sprinkle on your loaded sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
• Add to your next charcuterie board.

Can I double this candied pecans recipe?

Absolutely! Don’t be afraid to double or triple the recipe and use two baking sheets in the oven. If you do this, you might want to include mixed nuts to make a delicious candied nuts treat.

Here are more great homemade holiday gifts:

Southern Plate’s Must Make Christmas Cookies

Recipe for Caramel Corn

Recipe For Spritz Cookies

Homemade Christmas Candies

Holiday Popcorn Crunch

Iced Oatmeal Cookies