These sugared pecans have a hint of cinnamon and cloves for a delicious addition to any buffet. Serve them with an easy cheese plate or ice cream bar, or grab a handful for dessert on their own. It's impossible to eat just one!
These sweet pecans (sometimes called candied pecans) are one of our all-time favorite sweet snacks. Pecans + sugar + cinnamon = a sweet and crunchy match made in heaven.
These candied pecans feel fancy, but they're deceptively easy to make. Serve them as a delicious snack, add them to a cheese board, or use a handful for a pop of sweetness in a salad. These also make an incredible homemade gift for the holidays!
Sugared Pecan Ingredients
You only need a few staples for these candied pecans. Just mix it all up, bake away, and enjoy this versatile snack!
- Sugar - A hint of sweetness brings this recipe together!
- A few spices - Cinnamon and ground cloves lend a deep, cozy flavor to these pecans. You'll also need a pinch of salt to help the flavors pop!
- Pecans - We love using pre-cut pecan halves for snacking, but you can use smaller pecan pieces to toss into salads or baked goods!
- Egg white - This acts as a binder to help everything stick to the pecans. Save the yolk and add to your scrambled eggs the next morning.
Equipment We Used
Hand mixer. We like using a hand mixer for whipping the egg whites, because #lazy. Because the amount is so small using a blender or food processor doesn’t work as well. Whisking by hand also works great!
Silpat. We use this nonstick silicone baking mat to line our sheet pans: it lets the pecans peel right off the sheet pan after baking (no sticking!) If you don't have a nonstick baking mat, use a sheet of parchment paper instead.
Silicone zip-top bag. The easiest way to mix these ingredients is by shaking them together in a big bag. We love using our reusable, washable Mega Stasher Bag for this, but you can also use a plastic zip-top bag. It also works well to toss everything together in a large bowl with your hands or a spatula.
Riffs and Substitutions
We love this recipe with pecans, but it will also work with other nuts like walnuts, peanuts, or almonds!
Make Ahead Tips
Make these sugar coated pecans in large batches and store in airtight containers to have on hand as needed. It takes just as much time to make one batch as two! You may need to use multiple large baking sheets to get a single layer while in the oven.
Short on time? Skip whipping the egg whites and just whisk the egg white and water together until combined. While this works just fine, we prefer the airier result from whipping the whites with the water.
Saving Leftovers
As long as these are stored in a cool place (like a pantry) and are in an airtight container they will last for 3-4 months. Make sure the container is AIR TIGHT! otherwise the nuts will get stale and soft.
Sugared Pecan FAQ's
No, but we found that it ends with a much nicer sugared pecan. You can lightly ‘scramble’ the egg white and water and then toss with the nuts. They still taste amazing, but when the egg white is whipped you get an airy coating on the pecans. It only takes an extra minute or two with a mixer and we like the end result better.
These are great in a dish for snacking or on a cheese / charcuterie board. They are also great thrown into other dishes: give a rough chop and add to a chicken salad sandwich, on top of a melted brie round, chopped up for muffin topping, or in salad lettuce wraps.
While shelled pecans freeze great, we don't like to freeze sugar coated pecans. The coating sometimes has too much moisture when they thaw which can make the pecan soft.
Sugared Pecans
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 pound 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These sweet pecans have a hint of cinnamon and cloves for a perfect addition to any buffet and make a great gift! It is impossible to eat just one!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 pound pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To a large bowl, large stasher bag, or large zip lock bag add sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
- To another mixing bowl, add egg white and water. Whisk until the egg white is foamy. It will double or triple in volume. We like our hand mixer for this.
- Add the pecans to the bowl with the whipped egg whites. Mix until all the pecans are coated.
- Add the coated pecans to the container of sugar and spices. Stir or shake bag until the pecans are coated with the spice mix. There should be very little if any spices left loose.
- Spread the sugared pecans in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place sheet pan in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Stir pecans and spread out again.
- Bake another 15-20 minutes until the pecans are dry and browned - no wet egg white mixture remaining.
- Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool location like your pantry.
Notes
Keep these in an airtight container in the pantry! They are a great snack to offer unexpected guests. They are also great chopped and thrown into a salad, sandwich, on top of a melted brie, or chopped up for muffins or bread. These will last up to 4 months in a cool pantry as long as they are in an airtight container.
Substitutions. Make these pecans savory by using your favorite spice blend in place of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. For a spicier mix, try a combination of paprika, cayenne powder, chili powder, and cumin. For a more mild flavor, add an Italian seasoning mix. Get creative and use what you have!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ounce
- Calories: 234
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 76.3 mg
- Fat: 20.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.6 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegetarian, gluten free, snack
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