Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)
~ These deliciously easy candied pecans are so lightning-fast! You’ll be making them all the time … for snacks, on salads … even as last-minute gifts! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegan (and Vegetarian) • Gluten Free •
We’re going nuts here today, friends! Wanna join us!?!?!
Nuts for salads, nut for snacks, nuts nuts nuts …
(Well … pecans, to be exact. But “we’re going pecans” just doesn’t sound the same.)
If you wanna take a quick peek before reading on, here’s a little video tutorial to give you an overview of how easy this Candied Pecan recipe is to make!
Video Tutorial
When it comes to creating healthy and delicious recipes (which is what we’re ALL about here at THK!), we adore nuts for lots of reasons, and we use them often in our recipe developing.
From a nutrition perspective, nuts are loaded with protein and healthy fats. But of course, they also have tons of great crunch and flavor, which means they’re a yummy addition to all sorts of recipes, too. Total win!
A handful of nuts is a stellar snack to help curb your hunger on a busy afternoon. And nuts are a fantastic salad topper, without the nutritional pitfalls of things like fakey-bacon bits, partially hydrogenated chow mein noodles, and white-carb (sneakily artificial) flavored croutons.
Nuts are just … better!
Want to pump up nuts’ yumminess quotient even more?
How about … candied nuts?!? (Well … candied pecans, to be exact!)
Unfortunately, store-bought versions of glazed, candied pecans often include additional, less-healthy ingredients. And homemade candied pecan recipes don’t always solve the problem – so many of those recipes involve loads of butter and added fats, and sometimes also loads of sugar or corn syrup. *SIGH*
Does it feel like you just can’t win?!?!?
Oh, but you can!
We’ve got an outstanding glazed, candied pecan recipe you’ll love!
You don’t even have to fire up your oven with this one … and we’re gonna get it done with just 4 ingredients (not including the water … ‘cuz who counts that?!?!)! Whoop! Whoop!
Too good to be true? Nope! But it is waaaaaaaaay too good! So, so good!
These pecans are quickly toasted to bring out a little extra flavor, and then tossed with just enough sweet-salty candy coating!
They’re deeee-lish as a salad topper, with just the right amount of sweetness to compliment other salad ingredients without being overpowering. We actually specifically developed this candied pecan recipe as a perfect, crunchy topping for our Salad with Goat Cheese, Pears, Candied Pecans and Maple-Balsamic Dressing.
They’re also are a fantastic snack, and perfect when you’re on the go! Our kiddos love ’em (when they can grab a handful before we eat them all ourselves)! And we love knowing that it’s a snack loaded with protein … and only a teensy bit of added sugar.
And pssssssst … if you’re ever in a jam, realizing you forgot to carefully select the most fan-tab-u-lastic hostess gift for a dinner party … know what you can do? Uh-huh … you guessed it! With just 5 minutes and a quick tango with a pretty jar and some ribbon, you’ll be granted most favored houseguest status! Yay, you (you savvy problem-solver)!
So while you’re at it … you just might wanna make two batches! These go fast!
Or, if you’re just in a nut-makin’ kinda mood, try our recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spiced Candied Pecans, too! They showcase a different cooking method, and are dressed up in favorite holiday flavors that make them perfect as party appetizers or easy hostess gifts! Mmmmmm … you’ve got options!
Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)
These deliciously EASY Candied Pecans are so quick and simple! Whip up a batch for a yummy snack, to top a salad ... even as a last-minute, homemade gift!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Make Ahead • Vegan (and Vegetarian) • Gluten Free •
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup pecan halves
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, water, vanilla, and kosher salt, stirring to combine (don't worry that the sugar and salt won't all be dissolved). Set this at-the-ready, next to your stove, as this recipe goes really quickly.
- In a medium-large saucepan over medium heat, toast pecans for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When you begin to smell a lovely, nutty aroma, they're done.
- Quickly drizzle the sugar mixture into the pan, on top of the pecans, stirring the nuts as you drizzle. Stir constantly for about 15 seconds, until the pecans are thoroughly coated in the sugar mixture. Immediately remove from heat so they don't burn.
- Spread the pecans on a piece of parchment to cool. Once cooled, you can break the nuts apart, if needed.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container. The pecans will be slightly sticky at first, but the coating hardens further within a few hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1/4 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
I’ve made several batches now of the Easy Candied Pecans & the Pumpkin Pie Spiced Candied Pecans. Yummy & oh, so easy. Thank you! I LOVE the fact there’s no egg white involved. I do bake a little at 350° since I use a TBL of maple syrup in lieu of 1 TBL of coconut sugar (in lieu of brown sugar) for the remainder of the sugar portion. SO yummy.
I will be using the Easy Candied Pecans in your salad recipe. ?
It’s so fun to hear from someone who’s tried BOTH this Candied Pecan recipe, and also our Pumpkin Pie Spiced Candied Pecans! The two recipes are designed with slightly different methods (as well as – obviously! – different flavor profiles), and I’m just delighted to hear that you love both! Thanks for dropping by to let me know, and also to offer the great info about how you switched up the recipe to incorporate maple syrup – that’s so helpful for other readers! Hope you enjoyed the holiday salad recipe, too – that’s one of our most popular recipes and definitely a reader fave! Happy holidays! ~Shelley
Hi, Peggy! Thank you so much for taking a moment to offer feedback about how our site could be more helpful for you! We actually conducted a reader survey to assess the types of info that our loyal readers want in our posts – backstories, cooking or shopping tips, etc. We try to provide a good balance of the content that readers enjoy and find most useful. If it’s still just too much to scroll through, though, you may want to try web sites like Allrecipes or Food Network that aren’t formatted as blogs with additional info incorporated into the posts – they simply offer a recipe, straight up. Hope that’s a helpful idea for you! Good luck, and thank you again for taking the time to make a suggestion!
Yummy recipe, thanks for posting. I have already tried a couple of times and they came out great. Starting a new batch now. My only problem is not finishing them all myself 🙂
Hahaha, Padma! I hear ya! Good problem to have, though, right!?!? 😉 So delighted you’re loving these – thanks for taking a moment to let us know! ~Shelley
Wait, you mean there is a way to not eat the first batch by myself before making the second batch?That is the secret I need to know.
I am using this recipe as a base recipe for everything nuts I am dong currently. The nuts can be exchanged as can sugar, spices can be played with repeatedly. It is great and Thank you for it!
So thrilled you’re loving these candied pecans (whether you eat them all by yourself or decide to share a batch or two LOL)! It really is a terrific, basic healthy candied nut recipe – so open to variations and experimentation! Have fun – and I’d love to hear about your favorite creations! 🙂 ~Shelley
Made 2 double batches with first try of this recipe. This will stay in my bin of quick fix yummy treats!!
I’m so happy to hear it, Lisa! I’m truly glad you enjoyed them, and I really appreciate that you took the time to offer such lovely feedback – that means so much! 🙂 ~Shelley