Easy Candied Pecans Recipe

This easy Candied Pecans recipe is addicting!

You’ll love nibbling on this sweet snack straight out of a mason jar but they also make a great crunchy addition on top of your favorite salads

As an added bonus these are easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry

You can use pecans or pecan pieces (or substitute almonds or walnuts). Our favorite way to eat them is on top of salads like we do in our Arugula Beet Salad with Goat Cheese.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our affiliate disclosure for details. We only recommend products to you that we love and use.

Ingredients for Easy Candied Nuts

Simple ingredients are all you need for this recipe. See the recipe card below for the full recipe quantities.

• Pecans – or pecan halves. Walnuts or almonds work very well if you would like to use a different kind of nut
• Egg white – room temperature works best and this is the binder for the seasonings
• Granulated Sugar – these pecans are sweetened with white sugar but brown sugar is a great swap
• Spice Blend – chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and salt (we use kosher salt or sea salt)

How to make Candied Pecans

These sugared nuts are easy to make and here are step-by-step instructions

• The pecans cook at a low temperature of 300˚F so that they don’t burn. Preheat your oven while you prepare the sugar and spice coating.

• Grease a large baking sheet with non-stick spray, brush the pan with oil, or use a piece of parchment paper (we use parchment for easy cleanup!)

• In a large bowl whisk the egg white mixture until frothy

• Add the pecans and stir to coat thoroughly

• Combine all of the spices in a medium bowl. Here is where you can add or subtract any of the spices to suit your tastes.

• Sprinkle the spice mixture on the pecans and stir until well coated

• Scatter the pecans in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet

• Cook for about 30-40 minutes. This time will vary depending on your oven.

• Be sure to check and stir them every 15 minutes. Shake the pan and stir each time you check on them.

• When they are done they will smell fragrant and be nicely browned.

• Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes on the pan.

• Remove from the baking sheet and let cool on paper towels, fresh parchment, or a large plate for at least 20 minutes in a single layer. Break apart any big pieces.

• NOTE: The nuts will become crunchy, due to the sugar coating, after completely cooled.

Variation ideas and how to change the spice level

This recipe is a guide but feel free to add or subtract different types of spices. You can get creative on flavor combinations.

• These have a medium heat as is, but turn up the spiciness by adding more chili powder and/or cayenne.
• If you want to add warmer Fall flavors add more cinnamon or substitute white sugar for brown sugar. An easy cinnamon sugar mixture is delicious. Or how about adding Pumpkin Pie Spice?
• Try adding curry powder instead of the other spices for an interesting twist.

How to double the recipe

You can double or triple this recipe easily which makes it great for holiday gifts!

• To make a double batch the quantity is just doubled for all ingredients.
• To make a big batch you can triple all of the ingredients, except you’ll just need to double the egg whites.
• If you double or triple just make sure everything is well coated before baking.

Gifting Candied Pecans

This easy recipe makes great gifts for the holiday season when packaged in a glass jar like we did in the picture below, or any airtight container. Be sure the jars or containers you use are airtight to keep them fresh. Perfect for last-minute gifts. They are also yummy on top of ice cream.

Take them to a party and watch them disappear!

Storing Candied Pecans

• If you aren’t going to be eating your pecans right away you can keep them in a tightly sealed container for about 5 days (although you’ll likely eat them all before that!)
• You can also seal them and keep them in the freezer so that they are ready to go whenever you have a sweet tooth or you’ve made a fresh salad.
• They will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.

Perfect for topping salads

Our favorite way to use this great recipe is to scatter them over a favorite salad. They add so much texture and just the right amount of sweetness. These easy candied pecans are a key element in our Arugula Beet Salad and in our Fresh Peach Salad with Cumin Port Wine Vinaigrette.

Try these salads or other nut recipes

• Our Honey Roasted Cashews are a fan favorite!
• We like them sprinkled on top of our Arugula Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
• Our Strawberry Spinach Salad is the perfect place for these crunchy add-ons