Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)

by Shelley and Gretchen · May contain affiliate links

Published • Updated August 3, 2021

~ 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  

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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!

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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!

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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*

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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!

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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!

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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)!

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

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!

Glass parfait dish filled with candied pecans, with two extras lying next to it.

Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)

Yield: About 1 cup
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Spread the pecans on a piece of parchment to cool. Once cooled, you can break the nuts apart, if needed.
  5. 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 cup
Amount 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.

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Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}
Easy Candied Pecans Recipe (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!) {www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com}

219 thoughts on “Easy Candied Pecans (Just 5 Minutes and 4 Ingredients!)”

  1. First time making these. Yummy! I think this is would be great for Diabetics a handful of these is better than a candy bar.
    I’ll keep on making and sharing.

    Reply
    • Hi Debbie! Thanks so much for your sweet comment! So happy you’re enjoying these pecans! They are a snap to make – and so yummy! And you are absolutely correct – these Candied Pecans are so much healthier than a candy bar! ~Gretchen

      PS – These make a great gift, too! A cute little mason jar and a ribbon … you’ve got an instant (and delicious!) gift!!

      Reply
    • instead of sugar, we use wheylow D. My wife can’t eat sugar but this for diabetics and she has no problem. We also use it in making our jellies and jams

      Reply
  2. OK I have a serious problem with this recipe… I wanted some candied nuts for a salad I’m making tonight. I made the nuts as directed, and poured the nuts out onto my silpat to cool them. I noticed they got cool quickly, so one popped into my mouth. Before I knew it, one after the other had found their way into my mouth and I only had a few left. I honestly had no idea how this happened. They were just destined to be eaten immediately. 😉

    Reply
  3. You weren’t kidding! Pretty sure I will never slow bake nuts again… unless it’s just to remind myself not to. These are so yummy. I just barely made a quadruple batch – because of course a double batch is never enough – for the first time and tasted them and felt the need to run back to my computer and comment. Thank you thank you. The vanilla is the perfect touch to make this more like caramel with nuts inside, than a slightly sweetened nut. Thank you thank you 🙂 I will be returning for future recipes thanks to this gem.

    Reply
    • Hi Julie! Great question! My first suggestion would be to simply substitute white sugar in equal proportions (so, for this recipe, 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar). Although I haven’t tried that with this specific recipe, it technically should work just fine. The white sugar will lack some of the warm, caramel-y notes that brown sugar would offer, though, but you’ll still get the sweetness, and I think it’s definitely worth a try.

      Also, I did some quick research for you on the correct proportions for how to make your own brown sugar substitute (which basically involves adding in some molasses to white sugar in order to bring in those deeper caramel flavors. If you’re interested, here are a couple of sites you might enjoying taking a look at: Better Homes and Gardens has a brief article on how to make homemade brown sugar and suggests brown sugar substitutions here, and I found a five-star rated Homemade Brown Sugar recipe on Food.com here.

      Hope all of this helps you! Good luck! And thanks so much for reaching out to us with your question!

      😀 ~Shelley

      Reply
    • Sub the water with whipping cream or half & half. When you add the sugar and liquid, stir constantly until the mixture is caramelized – it will begin to foam before it caramelizes. Just watch it closely to prevent burning. Move to the parchment to cool. With the caramel goodness you won’t miss the brown sugar. An added bonus is that you’ll be bringing the sugar temp up high enough to get a nice crisp coating and minimizing the potential for goo.

      Reply

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