Thanks to a skillet and the stovetop, you can make this easy candied pecans recipe in under 10 minutes. They are egg-free and gluten-free and perfect for snacking, adding to salads, other dishes, and cheeseboards.
We make these easy candied pecans a lot and love how quick they are to make on the stovetop. I love them for salads, snacks, and cheeseboards. They are perfectly sweet and a little bit salty, plus I add a little cinnamon and orange zest, making them extra delicious.
If you love this quick method for making candied pecans, you might also enjoy my method for making candied pecans in the oven. That recipe calls for egg whites, which makes them even more light and crispy.
Key Ingredients
Pecans: I use pecan halves to make this recipe, but you can easily swap the pecans for other nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts, or cashews!
Brown Sugar: I love the extra rich flavor of brown sugar with these candied pecans.
Spices: I combine cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and a little orange zest for these candied nuts. I also love a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat, but that is optional.
How to Make Candied Pecans in Under 10 Minutes
My stovetop candied pecans really are so simple to make! I add them to salads, rice dishes, and desserts, plus I love adding them to cheeseboards!
To make our sweet and salty candied pecans, you’ll combine sugar with spices, vanilla extract, and a little water in a skillet. Heat everything until it looks like a glaze, and then stir in the nuts.
Continue to stir the nuts around the glaze for a few minutes, then transfer them to a baking sheet to cool. Once cool, you might need to break apart a few nuts that have stuck together, but other than that, they are ready to enjoy!
Ways to Use Candied Pecans
My stovetop candied pecans are so simple to make! I add them to salads, desserts, and cheeseboards, and they are also amazing as a standalone snack.
Thanks to a skillet and the stovetop, you can make these easy candied pecans in under 10 minutes. This recipe can be used with other varieties of nuts, too. We especially love walnuts and cashews.
1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, water, orange zest, and cayenne to a medium skillet.
3Place the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the brown sugar melts into a bubbling sauce, about 1 minute.
4Stir in the pecans so that the brown sugar sauce coats them.
5Cook, stirring the entire time, until the pecans look candied and smell nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. As the nuts heat up in the pan, the sauce will slowly coat them and turn shiny. Watch closely as the nuts cook so that they do not burn.
6Transfer the candied pecans to the prepared baking sheet and spread them out in one layer.
7Allow the pecans to cool down and break them up before serving.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
Storing: Store cooled candied nuts in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for 1 week, in the refrigerator for a few weeks, and in the freezer for a month, if not longer.
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt makes these taste salty-sweet. If you’d prefer to not taste the salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325°F (162°C) and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.
The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition Per ServingServing Size1/4 cup/Calories176/Total Fat15.4g/Saturated Fat1.3g/Cholesterol0mg/Sodium147.4mg/Carbohydrate10.1g/Dietary Fiber2.4g/Total Sugars7.5g/Protein2g
After 45 minutes, remove them from the oven and let them rest. You can remove the pecans to a baking sheet to cool faster if you like. Stir them every 10 minutes or so to avoid them clumping together, or you can just break them apart with a spatula or your hands later. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts. How do you fix candied nuts that are too soft and sticky? You can place them back into the oven for 5 to 15 minutes or until they dry out more. They will continue to firm and dry out as they cool.
To Store: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. To Freeze: They freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt makes these taste salty-sweet. If you'd prefer to not taste the salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325°F (162°C) and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.
Place the pecans and salt in a large glass or stainless steel bowl along with 8 cups of water. The pecans will swell during the soaking process, so you want enough water to keep them covered.
Leave them on the counter to soak for 4-8 hours. ...
After they are done soaking, drain and rinse in a colander.
For a pound of nutmeat, you will need 2½ pounds of in-shell pecans. In order to help you maintain the highest quality pecan meats, we have developed the following guide to help you understand the best way to handle and store your pecans.
If you happen to have pecans in their shells, remember that 1 pound equals 3 cups shelled, about 4 cups pecan halves, and about 3 3/4 cups chopped nuts. Equivalents to know when using shelled pecans are that 1 pound equals 4 cups and 1 cup of pecan halves equals 3/4 cup chopped.
If you don't plan on eating your candied pecans right away, you may want to consider storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Refrigeration can keep the pecans fresh for up to three months, while freezing can extend their shelf life for up to six months.
Since nuts are low on the glycemic index, pecans can slow the body's absorption of carbohydrates down, which ultimately leads to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels; just ensure you're using unsalted, dry-roasted pecans and not candied pecans that can be high in sugar and added fat.
Being that pecans are the main ingredient; the snack contains essential vitamins & minerals, can aid in long-term heart health, can be enjoyed by gluten intolerant consumers, can provide a high number of antioxidants, and can supply a large amount of protein & fiber.
Pecans have a very low glycemic index, which means that eating them does not cause a spike in blood sugar, even in people with diabetes. Eating pecans can even offset the effects of higher glycemic index foods when eaten as part of the same meal.
Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.
Some of the tannin and all of the corky material can be removed by washing the kernels before cooking. To "sweeten" the pecan meats (kernels), simply put the pecan kernels in a bowl and fill with lukewarm water. Stir and tumble the meats in the water for several minutes and you will see the discoloration in the water.
Boiling pecans before cracking them can actually help prevent the shell from shattering. Here's how to boil them to loosen the shell but not cook the meat: ● Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil ● Add the pecans and let cook for 10-15 minutes ● Drain and let cool ● Get to cracking!
Such "stick? tights" are caused by drought and heat stress in September and October. Pecans require water right up until the time of shuck split to reduce this problem. Nuts sprouting in the shuck before harvest (vivipary) are also reduced by late season water and/or stress reduction.
How long will candied pecans keep? 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.
Storing: For best taste and freshness, store these tasty snacks in an airtight container, such as a glass mason jar or a vacuum-sealed plastic container. They will keep for 2-3 weeks at room temperature.
Answer: Keeping your pecans in a tightly sealed bag in a freezer is the optimal way to store pecans. However, refrigerating your pecans will also extend their shelf life.
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