Easy Candied Pecans

Thanks to a skillet and the stovetop, you can make these easy candied pecans in under 10 minutes. These are egg-free, gluten-free and perfect for snacking, adding to salads, other dishes, as well as cheese boards.

Watch The Video

Easy Candied Pecans Recipe Video

Candied Pecans in Under 10 Minutes

There are two popular ways to make candied nuts: baked in the oven and cooked on the stovetop. Both methods work nicely for pecans, but the quickest, easiest option is to use the stovetop. The stovetop also makes sure that these candied pecans are vegan and egg-free.

You might also enjoy our crispy baked candied pecans recipe or for another stovetop version, see our Strawberry Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts.

Candied Pecans with a brown sugar coating

These pecans are so simple, you’ll be able to make them anytime you want. Add these to salads, rice dishes, desserts or enjoy them as a snack. I also love them for adding to cheeseboards.

You can play around with the spices to really make them your own, but I love making them sweet and salty.

To make the candied pecans, simply combine sugar (I love using brown sugar) with spices, vanilla extract, and a little water. Heat everything up until it looks like a glaze, and then add the nuts.

In this recipe, we are using pecans, but other nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews will also work.

Adding pecans to brown sugar and spices for candied pecans.

Stir the nuts around the glaze and cook for a few minutes then transfer them to a baking sheet to cool. Once cool, you might need to break apart few nuts that have stuck together, but other than that, you are ready to enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

How long do candied pecans last? Candied pecans last a while when stored in an airtight container. Leave them at room temperature up to a week, in the fridge for a few weeks and in the freezer for a month, maybe more.

My pecans are sticky, what went wrong? When candied pecans are warm, they might be a bit sticky, but once they cool, the sugar coating should harden. If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer. (Watch closely when you do this to prevent the nuts from burning.)

Can I use different types of nuts in this recipe? Yes! This candied pecans recipe will work beautifully when used with most nuts. I especially love walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts.

Try adding these pecans to the following recipes:

A bowl of candied pecans.

Easy Candied Pecans

  • PREP
  • COOK
  • TOTAL

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.

Makes 2 cups

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, see notes

Pinch cayenne pepper, optional

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons orange zest, optional

2 cups (6 ounces) pecan halves

Directions

    1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

    2Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cayenne, vanilla, water, and the orange zest (optional) to a medium skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring often until the brown sugar melts into a bubbling sauce, about 1 minute.

    3Stir in the pecans so that the brown sugar sauce coats them. Cook, 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 become shiny. Watch closely as the nuts cook so that they do not burn.

    4Transfer the candied pecans to the prepared baking sheet and spread into one layer. Allow the pecans to cool down, and then break them up before serving.

    5Store cooled candied nuts in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for one week, in the refrigerator for a few weeks and in the freezer for a month, if not longer.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • 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 and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.
  • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 cup / Calories 176 / Total Fat 15.4g / Saturated Fat 1.3g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 147.4mg / Carbohydrate 10.1g / Dietary Fiber 2.4g / Total Sugars 7.5g / Protein 2g
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher
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126 comments… Leave a Review
  • Bonnie February 12, 2024, 12:38 pm

    Absolutely wonderful and so easy to make.

    Reply
    • Joanne February 14, 2024, 3:34 pm

      Wonderful! That makes me so happy!

      Reply
  • Eva January 30, 2024, 10:41 am

    Just like a previous commenter, I made these to put on a salad. My husband walked by as they were cooling and started to wolf them down because they are so tasty. Stopped him just in time: I have a few left for the salad!
    The orange zest is a must; you can really taste it. I couldn’t taste the cayenne pepper and probably used just a bit too little to give the pecans a kick.
    I will be making big batches of these for Christmas gifts this year!

    Reply
  • Mindy January 24, 2024, 5:59 pm

    These are fantastic. Made them for a salad for Christmas but everyone just wanted to eat them. The did not make it to the salad!

    Reply
  • bob December 21, 2023, 9:17 pm

    gooooooooooood

    Reply
  • Renee December 21, 2023, 6:09 pm

    These are the best candied pecans I have ever had and they’re so much easier than others that I’ve made with egg whites these are much better

    Reply
  • Wendy Whyte December 20, 2023, 2:47 am

    Fantastic Christmas presents!

    Reply
  • Sharon Kay Russo December 16, 2023, 12:38 pm

    Quick, easy & delicious. Anytime you need a quick, scrumptious snack for yourself or guests, this is it! Perfect for holidays or any occasion…even just an ordinary Saturday night.

    Reply
  • Maddy V December 15, 2023, 9:09 am

    Best recipe ever!!

    Reply
  • Lauren Valentine November 24, 2023, 11:09 am

    So easy, so perfect! I shared this recipe with my entire family. These are the easiest candied pecan I’ve ever made and the tastiest!

    Reply
  • Sarah Chellis November 22, 2023, 10:17 pm

    Made some of these and didn’t have cinnamon so substituted the cinnamon for raz al hanout blend and I do recommend. Very tasty. The star of the show is the orange zest though, adds such a nice freshness. This will be my go to pecan recipe for sure.

    Reply
  • Clair Melbin November 22, 2023, 3:20 am

    Hi! I will be making these soon, just wanted to check if the vanilla is needed.

    Reply
    • Adam November 23, 2023, 1:00 pm

      You can leave it out.

      Reply
  • Linda Mathieu November 20, 2023, 8:59 am

    Absolutely delicious and Absolutely easy. The cayenne and orange zest are excellent additions.

    Reply
  • Mary Love October 31, 2023, 8:31 am

    These are so good. I just couldn’t stop eating them. Sitting in my lift chair with a cold iced tea. I almost ate them all. Great recipe and so easy. I crisp them up just a little by putting in the oven on 300 for 10 minutes. Thank you for this easy egg free recipe. Soooo good!!!!

    Reply
  • Lucille Capuano October 19, 2023, 1:20 pm

    Love this recipe,I used all the ingredients,but doubled the pecans.Don’t like my nuts too sweet.Have made before and my girlfriends love.Little sticky,but may try oven at 250 for few minutes as u suggested in comments.

    Reply

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