Homemade Candied Pecans
These homemade candied pecans are sweet, crunchy, and perfectly spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. Made with simple pantry ingredients and baked to crisp perfection, they’re better than store-bought and ideal for snacking, salads, gifts, or holiday treats.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 3 cups raw pecan halves unsalted
- Sweet Coating
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Optional Spices
- ¼ tsp nutmeg or allspice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy.
- Whisk in vanilla extract.
- Add pecans to the egg white mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- In a separate bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, and optional spices.
- Sprinkle sugar mixture over pecans and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Spread pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on the baking sheet. Break apart any clusters once cooled.
Notes
- Pecans crisp up as they cool—don’t judge texture straight from the oven.
- Stirring during baking prevents burning and ensures even coating.
- Make sure pecans are completely cool before storing.