Candied Pecans Recipe (Easy Oven-Baked!)
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My easy, oven-baked candied pecans recipe makes perfectly crisp, sweet pecans coated in a sparkly cinnamon-sugar spiced crust. Inspired by the candied pecans sold at my local Amish market, my recipe uses just a touch of allspice for extra-special flavor. They’re simple to make and perfect for snacking, gifting, or topping salads or desserts! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Baked Candied Pecans Recipe
This easy candied pecans recipe is inspired by the sparkly, sugar-coated pecans from the local Amish market I’ve been frequenting since I was a child. While there are many things to love about the markets (shoofly pie, soft pretzels, and whoopie pies galore, a true dessert-lover’s dream!) I always loved the paper cones of sparkly, sugar-coated (and, honestly, over-priced) pecans. They are perfectly spiced with cinnamon and allspice, deliciously crisp, and truly so very easy to make.
Why This Recipe WORKS
- Oven-baked for best results. Not only is there no standing over the stove or worrying over burning sugar, but baking the pecans low and slow in the oven helps ensure a more consistent bake. The pecans turn out crisp and perfectly cooked this way. The bake time is also mostly passive, with just a few brief stirs required to make sure everything cooks as evenly as possible.
- Crisp, sugary coating. Using an egg white makes all the difference and ensures the sugary coating clings evenly to the nuts. This recipe is perfect for using up a leftover egg white from making cinnamon cookies or apple blondies!
- Extra-special flavor. Cinnamon and a touch of allspice give the pecans their signature flavor, inspired by the ones sold at festivals and Amish markets.
- Great for gifting! This recipe makes 2 cups of candied pecans, but it easily doubles or even triples for gifts, parties, or snacking.
As an added bonus, this recipe will make your house smell amazing–better than any fall candle you could buy at the store!
Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients to make this recipe, and most (if not all) are probably in your pantry already.
- Pecans. You’ll need two cups of pecan halves. This recipe works well with pretty much any kind of nut though, so if you aren’t a fan of pecans or just want to mix things up, give it a try.
- Cinnamon and allspice. I add and recommend both, but you can just use cinnamon if you don’t have allspice; I talk more about the allspice below. Some people even add a little bit of cayenne pepper to their candied nuts (like I do with my gingersnaps!).
- Sugar. We’ll use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar to make the candy coating. The blend of two sugars balances the flavor perfectly.
- Egg white. Just one egg white (don’t use the yolk!) helps the sugar and spices stick to the pecans and gives them their perfect crisp exteriors. If you feel bad throwing away your yolk, you could always use it for a batch of star bread, crescent rolls, or my snickerdoodle recipe.
- Vanilla extract. Adds richness and incredible depth of flavor.
- Salt. A little bit of salt rounds everything out. Table salt works just fine, but if you have fine sea salt that would be great, too!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Sam’s Tip
The allspice in this recipe is optional, but it does add a great flavor. I first became obsessed with the pecans sold at an Amish market near my house, and theirs are spiced with allspice, so I like to use it here. There is not a substitute spice that will give you quite the same flavor.
How to Make Candied Pecans (Step-by-Step)
- Whisk the egg white. Vigorously whisk together your egg white, water, and vanilla for about 30 seconds/until the surface is nice and foamy.
- Add the pecans and sugar/spices. Add the pecans to your egg white mixture and toss them until all of the nuts are evenly coated. Separately, whisk together the spices, salt and sugars and then pour this over the pecans and stir until all of the pecans are covered with the mixture.
- Scatter over baking sheet. Spread pecans in an even layer on your baking sheet. If you make a double batch, make sure there’s enough room so the pecans aren’t piled on top of each other (you may need a larger tray).
- Bake. Bake, stirring with a spatula every 15 minutes (so they cook evenly), until pecans look and feel dry. This usually takes a total of 45-50 minutes.
Sam’s Tip
Periodically stirring the nuts while they cook helps for even cooking, but also makes sure there are no wet egg white spots lurking under anything! Always make sure to spread everything back into one even layer when you’re done stirring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Feel free to substitute your favorite nut instead of pecans (you would use the same amount of nuts as called for in the recipe). I also have detailed tutorials on how to make candied walnuts and candied almonds!
If your pecans are sticky or soft, they simply need more time in the oven. The good news is, if you remove them from the oven and find they’re sticky after cooling, you can just return them to the oven and bake them longer. Also make sure to cool your pecans completely before storing, that way they stay nice and crisp!
While they’re similar, glazed pecans typically include some kind of syrup instead of an egg white. Because of this, they typically have a slightly different texture and flavor.
Can I Make Candied Pecan Without Egg Whites?
Yes, but not all substitutes are equal! I received this question enough times that, when I updated this post I wanted to test and address this directly.
My team and I tested three egg-free versions of this recipe, substituting the egg white and water with melted butter, plain water, and maple syrup mixed with a little water. We then compared each batch to my original egg white version to see how the flavor, texture, and sugar coating held up. Here’s what we found:
- Egg white (original recipe): Still the winner! This was the best of the four. The candy coating clung beautifully to all of the nuts and gave a crisp, substantial candy-crust. These also had the most classic and favorite flavor.
- Butter version: I had high hopes for this one, but it was very quickly ruled out, and I would not recommend butter. The sugar didn’t cling evenly or even well at all, and the flavor was surprisingly lackluster despite the richness of the butter.
- Water version: While the sugars clung quite decently here, unfortunately this had the most dull flavor of the four. I wouldn’t recommend it.
- Maple syrup version: The clear winner of the three egg-free alternatives! The nuts darkened slightly and were a bit sweeter than the original version, but in a very pleasant way. While we still all preferred the egg white version, if you don’t have an egg white or are simply trying to make these vegan, maple syrup mixed with a small splash of water is hands-down your best bet.
More Homemade Treats
Besides eating them by the handful, this candied pecans recipe works marvelously as a topping on sweet potato casserole and in my brussels sprouts salad (a must-try!).
Enjoy!
Candied Pecans Recipe (Easy & Delicious!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (225 g) pecan halves
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon allspice, optional, see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250F (120C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (see note).
- Combine egg white, water, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds (mixture should be foamy/frothy).1 large egg white, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add pecans and stir until all pecans are coated in egg white.2 cups (225 g) pecan halves
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and allspice (if using).⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar, ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ¼-½ teaspoon allspice
- Pour the sugar mixture over the pecans and stir until completely combined.
- Spread nuts in an even layer onto prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake on 250F (120C) for 45-50 minutes, removing cookie sheet from oven every 15 minutes and using a spatula to stir/flip the pecans (be sure to stir ALL of the sugar mixture as well, or it may burn to the pan). When finished baking, pecans should all appear dry.
- After baking, allow to cool at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
- Store candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
Egg white substitute/make them vegan
Using an egg white will give you the best results, but if you don’t have one or are trying to make vegan candied pecans, you can substitute a Tablespoon of maple syrup and whisk it with the teaspoon of water. They’re quite lovely this way, too! I discuss more about how I tested this version and others in more detail in the post, if you are curious.Allspice
Allspice is optional but the candied pecans that I usually buy from the Amish markets use it and it adds a nice extra touch. I typically use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon.Parchment paper
Lining your baking pan with parchment paper makes cleanup easier, but it does make it more difficult to stir the pecans. If you don’t have any parchment or prefer not to use it, you can simply bake the pecans directly on an ungreased baking sheet.Storing
Candied pecans will keep tightly sealed in an airtight container for one to two weeks. They will keep for at least three weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator and may be frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This recipe was originally published in September of 2016. While the recipe remains unchanged, I have updated the post to include more helpful notes, tips, and step-by-step pictures, as well as a video.
So easy and delicious!
I’m assuming you don’t put the dry ingredients in the bowl with all the egg white mixture. Or do you?
Hi Cathy! The sugar mixture ingredients get mixed in in step 5. 🙂
This is one of those special recipes that yields a remarkably delicious product while only using the simplest of ingredients and steps. I had recently purchased some cinnamon pecans from a favorite vendor, and I thought they were really good. Then I came across this recipe and its use of allspice. One of my favorite cookie recipes uses allspice in similar proportions, and it is a lifelong favorite in our family. So I tried this recipe just to see if the allspice would turbocharge the flavors in this context as it had with the cookie recipe. It did and more. The tastes achieved by this recipe beat my previous favorite commercial product recipe by a mile. If you have access to fresh pecans, I encourage you to try this out. Thank you for sharing it with us. The next batch I make will use 1/2 t of allspice; the first batch used 1/4 t of allspice.
These are amazing. I just finished making a batch and will definitely be making more before Christmas. I had no issue with the parchment paper. Held on to the corner with my oven mitt and tossed them around with a large serving fork. I have a new fav to add to my cookie trays. Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Elizabeth! 🙂
Hi Sam,
Quick question…does the flavour intensify over time on the nuts?I wanted to hank you for your wonderful recipes and all the hard work that goes into them! You make me look good in the kitchen… 😉 lol
Hi Tracy! I haven’t noticed the flavor intensifying with the pecans.
These are delicious! I will be giving them out to friends at Christmas! Just a note…I found that doing them on a silpat makes clean up easy without having to deal with the parchment moving around while stirring.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Chloe! 🙂