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These candied pecans have a crackly cinnamon-sugar shell, warm toasted flavor, and only five minutes of real prep. The simple egg-white coating skips the candy thermometer, and the oven does the heavy lifting. You’re going to love them by the handful, on salads, or over vanilla ice cream.
Why You’ll Love It
- No candy thermometer needed — the egg-white coating creates a crackly cinnamon-sugar shell with no boiling syrup.
- Deep cinnamon-sugar flavor — granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt keep the coating sweet but balanced.
- Easy oven method — two bowls, a sheet pan, and stirring every 10 minutes are all it takes.
- Perfect for snacking or salads — these pecans are just as good by the handful as they are over fruit, greens, or ice cream.
Ingredient Notes
Use unsalted pecan halves here. Salted pecans can throw off the balance since there is already a teaspoon of salt in the coating. Choose a decent-looking bag and give them a sniff once the package is open. Pecans can go stale and oily, and no amount of cinnamon can fix that sad little situation.
Light brown sugar is what I usually use. If dark brown sugar is what you have, it will work just fine and makes the flavor a touch deeper, maybe a little more molasses-y. Not a bad thing at all.
For the vanilla, use real vanilla extract if you can. Imitation vanilla can taste a little sharp in something this simple. You only need half a teaspoon, so the good stuff will not bankrupt the household.
The egg white is important. It gets whisked with vanilla and water until frothy, then it helps the sugar mixture cling to every little ridge of the pecans. Don’t skip it. Melted butter creates a greasy mess.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed loosely if you’re asking me
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces unsalted pecan halves, about 4 cups
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Heat your oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Break up any stubborn brown-sugar lumps with your fingers or the back of a spoon. No need to make it flawless.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg white, vanilla extract, and water until the mixture looks frothy. It does not need to become stiff like meringue—just a good layer of bubbles and a slightly foamy look. This takes maybe a minute if whisking by hand.
Add the pecan halves to the egg-white mixture and gently toss until they are coated. Then pour in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and keep tossing until the pecans look thoroughly covered. Get down in there with a sturdy spoon or clean hands if that’s easier.
Spread the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Try not to leave them in big clumps, though a few will naturally gather together. Those clumps are delicious, by the way, but they can take a little more separating after they cool.
Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring the pecans every 10 minutes. The coating will gradually dry and harden as they bake. Don’t panic if they still look a little soft when you pull the pan out; they crisp up as they cool. Overbaking can lead to a bitter, almost-blackened pecan flavor. Not cute.
Let the pecans cool completely right on the baking sheet before transferring them to a container. Really completely. Warm candied pecans tucked into a jar will create moisture, and then all that lovely crisp coating gets tacky.
Variations
The basic recipe is plenty good, but there are a few ways to nudge it around depending on your mood. Add a little cayenne pepper—about 1/2 teaspoon—to the cinnamon-sugar mixture for a warm little kick that sneaks up on you. Those are especially good with cheese and crackers.
Pumpkin spice is nice in place of some of the cinnamon, especially if you’re putting the pecans on ice cream or using them on top of a pumpkin dessert. Smoked paprika, also about 1/2 teaspoon, makes them more sweet-and-savory.
You can use other nuts, too—walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, or a mix. The same cinnamon-sugar coating works beautifully. Pecans have that buttery softness underneath the crisp shell, but candied almonds are also delicious.
If you don’t want to heat the oven, there is a stovetop version that makes a glossy coating rather than the drier, craggy coating from the oven. Toast 1 cup pecans in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring often, then take them out. In the skillet, cook 1/2 cup brown sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons water over medium heat until bubbling. Add the pecans back in and stir gently for 3 more minutes, then spread them on parchment to cool. They’re different, but still mighty good.
There’s also a slow-cooker approach for a larger batch: 6 cups pecan halves, 3 egg whites, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk the egg whites and vanilla until frothy, coat the pecans, then stir them with the sugars and spices in the Slow Cooker. Cook on low, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes, until the pecans become difficult to stir, then spread them on parchment and let them dry for about 3 hours. Keep an eye out for black pecans—they’re burned, and they will taste terrible.
Storage & Reheating
Keep cooled candied pecans in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot. They should stay good for up to two weeks. The pantry is ideal. Do not refrigerate them unless you enjoy sticky pecans, because the fridge humidity softens the coating.
You can freeze them for up to two months, and they are surprisingly good straight from the freezer. Not tooth-cracking hard, either.
There’s no real need to reheat them. If they have softened a bit because the container wasn’t sealed properly—and that happens—spread them on a parchment-lined pan and warm them in a low oven just until they dry out again. Let them cool completely before storing them once more.
Final Notes
Pecans and cinnamon work any time the craving strikes.
There is something reassuring about stirring a tray of nuts every ten minutes. It gives the kitchen a warm, cozy feeling.
Make these for a salad if you must. Put them in jars or hide a handful in the back of the pantry for later, because some days call for that sort of thing… and some days, frankly, you just need a snack before dinner.
Candied Pecans
Ingredients Â
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed loosely
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces unsalted pecan halves about 4 cups
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
InstructionsÂ
- Heat your oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, breaking up any stubborn brown-sugar lumps with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg white, vanilla extract, and water until the mixture looks frothy with a good layer of bubbles and a slightly foamy look, about 1 minute by hand.
- Add the pecan halves to the egg-white mixture and gently toss until coated, then pour in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and keep tossing until the pecans are thoroughly covered.
- Spread the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, trying not to leave them in big clumps.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring the pecans every 10 minutes, until the coating gradually dries and hardens, remembering that they will crisp up as they cool.
- Let the pecans cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a container so the crisp coating does not turn tacky from trapped moisture.