These candied pecans are so versatile: enjoy them on their own or as a topping over a favorite salad or dessert.
Made of sugar and spice and everything nice, these candied pecans also have a mischievous kick of cayenne pepper (so they won’t judge you if you’re naughty or nice!). Beware of their addictive factor however, as the sweet and spicy flavors pair perfectly with the crunchy, buttery taste of roasted pecans. Before making a batch for someone special, keep a few for yourself - they will make for a great bar snack or topping on salads and desserts.
Sugar and Spice Pecans
Yield: 3 cups
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
2/3 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg white
1 tbsp. water
3 c. (12 oz.) shelled pecan halves
1) Preheat oven to 300 F / 150 C. Place a layer of aluminum foil on a large cookie sheet and reserve.
2) Combine the sugars, salt, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Mix well to remove any lumps and reserve.
3) In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white and 1 tbsp. water until the mixture becomes thick and soft peaks begin to form.
4) Add the nuts to the whisked egg white and stir to coat evenly.
5) Sprinkle the sugar mixture on the nuts and stir until well coated.
6) Lay the nuts in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and carefully stir the nuts to prevent sticking to one another. Â Allow to cool completely, and store in a dry place until ready to enjoy.
Gifting Idea:
Treat these pecans like the little gems that they are by packaging them up in pretty organza bags. Keep in a cool, dry place, as too much humidity and heat may cause the nuts to stick to one another. For best results, refrigerate the pecans for 1 hour before packaging.
While very hard to do, these little treats are best when shared!
the pepper is a great touch. Mmmmmmm.
These look amazing, Melissa. You are right - salty, sweet (and in this case - spicy!) pecans are so, so, so addicting. People LOVE to get candied nuts as gifts. Another versatile recipe - one can play with the spices or the nuts and they will still be awesome. Nice! - Shanna
P.S. I agree - these would be SO good on a salad!
Thanks Shanna! I love to put these on top of a salad with pear & gorgonzola cheese, and then dress everything with a maple vinaigrette (1/4 c. cider vinegar + 2 tbsp. maple syrup + 1/3 c. olive oil + salt and pepper to taste). It’s super tasty and I highly recommend it!
- Melissa
Melissa -
I was actually going to suggest pear and gorgonzola (and dried cherries and/or figs)! I am not kidding! Then I thought, “this chef knows how to make s salad, hehe.” Well, apparently we make the same salads. I love a maple vinaigrette. Yours sounds delicious. I think your nuts would be amazing on this salad, as well (the vinaigrette is interesting in a delicious way), which is one of my favorites:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Apple-Dried-Cherry-and-Walnut-Salad-with-Maple-Dressing-107064
Best,
Shanna
Wow - great minds think alike Shanna
That’s a delicious sounding recipe too. Thanks for sharing - I will have to try it out over the holidays!
Cheers!
Melissa
Thanks, Melissa. Be well! - Shanna
Love this recipe! I’ll be making these for sure. Just stumbled upon your blog.
Very nice…
Thanks for your comments and for stopping by - I hope you like them as much as I do!