Making Candied Pecans at home is a lot simpler (and less expensive!) than you may think! You only need a few basic ingredients and just ten minutes to prep this sweet but perfectly spiced snack. Watch the how-to video in the recipe card for all of my tips and tricks!
Easy Candied Pecans
Few things smell better than candied pecans toasting in the oven.
This sweet treat always takes me right back to the carnivals and Amish markets of my childhood, where we’d pay top dollar for tubs of caramel corn and paper cones of sparkly, sugar coated pecans.
Little did I know that I could make those same treats at home for a fraction of the price (but in my defense, I was young, and they were really hard to resist).
My easy recipe is beautifully spiced with just the right amount of sweetness, and truly so very easy to make. Chances are, you already have all the ingredients you need in your pantry! Oh, and did I mention they make great gifts? Just wrap them up in a pretty jar or treat bag, tie it with a bow, and you’ve got a simple, but delicious homemade gift.
Let’s get started!
What You Need
You only need a few basic ingredients to make homemade candied pecans:
- Egg white. We need just one egg white (no yolk!) to help the sugar and spices stick to the pecans and give them their perfect exteriors. If you feel bad throwing away your yolk, you could always use the extra as an excuse to mix up a batch of star bread, crescent rolls, or snickerdoodles 😉.
- Vanilla extract. Use your homemade vanilla extract if you have some!
- 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!
- 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.
- Spices. I add cinnamon and allspice to my pecans, but you can just do cinnamon if that’s what you like. Some people also add a little bit of cayenne pepper to their candied nuts.
- Salt. Just a little bit of salt rounds everything out. Table salt works just fine–no need to get fancy!
SAM’S TIP: The allspice in this recipe is optional, but it does add a great flavor. I first became obsessed with the candied 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.
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!
How to Make Candied Pecans
- Vigorously whisk together your egg white, water, and vanilla for about 30 seconds/until the surface is nice and foamy.
- Add the pecans to your egg white mixture and toss them until all of the nuts are coated.
- Separately whisk together spices, salt and sugars and then pour over the pecans and stir until all of the pecans are covered with the mixture.
- Spread pecans in an even layer on your baking sheet. Bake until pecans appear dry, stirring with a spatula every 15 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! To freeze, allow the pecans to cool completely after baking, and then transfer them to an airtight container (a ziplock bag works well) where they will keep up to 2 months.
Yes! Feel free to substitute walnuts, cashews, or almonds instead of using the pecans called for (you would use the same amount of nuts as called for in the recipe). I also have shared a detailed tutorial on how to make candied walnuts!
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.
They will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, at least three weeks in the refrigerator, or up to two months in the freezer. No matter where you store them, keep in a tightly sealed, airtight container.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
How to Make Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecan halves (225g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar tightly packed, (70g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon allspice optional, see note
Recommended Equipment
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).
- Add pecans and stir until all pecans are coated in egg white.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and allspice (if using).
- 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 (150C) 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
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 ¼ 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
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sarah
Made these for a Christmas family gathering. LOVED this recipe, as did everyone else. Thank you for the hard work that goes in all the recipes you post-I definitely use your blog/recipes more than any other because the recipes here are tried and true.
I used a mason jar to stire them on the counter which made it easy and decorative for snack-grabbing. Followed recipe, will not use another one for candied pecans! Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy everyone loved the pecans, Sarah! And thank you–we truly love hearing that! Thanks for using our recipes and coming back to leave a review 😊
Katelyn
These were great – we couldn’t stop eating them! Thanks for a quick and easy recipe to use up an extra egg white. Everyone who tried them loved them, too. I lined my pan with foil and tucked it over the edges so I could stir easily and not have to clean anything up, which worked great. I also baked a full 60min (must’ve been the oven). Also I’d recommend doing step 4 first so your whisk is dry and you can reuse it for the eggs rather than dirtying it first on the eggs and breaking out another utensil for the dry ingredients.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Katelyn! We’re so happy the pecans were a hit for you. Thanks so much for trying our recipe and letting us know how you liked it 🙂
Jenifer
I lived how easily this recipe came together. I made it as holiday gifts for my neighbors. They loved the pecans. Thanks for a new holiday tradition!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
What a thoughtful thing to do, Jenifer! We’re so glad everyone loved them. 😊
Mary
The Candied Pecans were absolutely fabulous and so incredibly easy to make, in fact, I made the first large batch and my 9 year old great-grand daughter made the second large batch. We enjoyed every moment seeing this recipe come to a completed project. They make wonderful gifts and my kitchen will smell so wonderful for quite a while.
Anne Richardson
Just made these! They are a perfect blend of crunchy sweet deliciousness! Turning them every 15 minutes really does the trick. Mine were ready to come out after the third fifteen minute toss. I used my silicone baking mat to line the pan. It stayed in place and the nuts moved around smoothly every time. Thanks for the recipe! Pretty sure I’ll be making another batch soon! Merry Christmas!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they turned out well for you, Anne! Great idea with the silicone baking mat–thanks for sharing! Enjoy the pecans and have a very Merry Christmas 🙂
Meribeth
So are you tired of my 5 star reviews? Not me!! Another addiction for me to munch on. Thank you!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Meribeth! I don’t think I’ll ever tire of 5 star reviews. Thank you for the support! 🙂
Carrie
These just came out of the oven and oh my, are they delicious! Another winning recipe, Sam!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for trying our recipe, Carrie! Enjoy 😊
Christina B
I made these as a gift for my neighbor & my husband ate it all lol! Needless to say this recipe is THE BEST!! Followed it exactly. Easy & addictively delicious!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Oh no–sounds like you need to make another batch! 😉 We’re so happy they were a hit in your house, Christina! Thanks for commenting.
Cavet Smith
Another wonderful recipe!! Thank you so much
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked them, Cavet! Enjoy 🙂
Micki McDaniel
My husband loves these but he is diabetic. So I made them with Splenda brown sugar and Splenda sugar substitute along side a batch of regular sugar and brown sugar for me lol. Could not really tell the difference.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for letting us know how your substitutions worked out, Micki! We’re so happy you were both able to enjoy them. ❤️
Hillary
Decided to make your Butter Pecan cookies (which my boyfriend adores) and had the leftover egg white and enough leftover pecans to make this, and WOW. I had to actually walk out of the room because I keep eating them. So tasty and easy to make!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Hillary! They are definitely dangerously addictive! 😊
Joy
OMG!!! This is a great recipe! Super easy, delicious and addictive what else can I say 😋😊…My husband love it and this will be one of my favorite sweets.
Sam
So happy to hear the pecans were such a success, Joy! Thank you so much for commenting 🙂