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These Candied Pecans are such a delicious snack option! They’re easy to make, good to grab on the go, and perfect for the holidays.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Candied Pecans

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! My mom and I have been cooking up a storm this week. Just like we always do when we get together! If we’re not hitting the sales, we can’t seem to stay out of the kitchen. Here’s another one of my favorite holiday treats from my mom. I am in love with these sweet, cinnamon-y, roasted pecans. They are so completely dangerous to have around the house! I can’t stop munching on these little mini sugar bombs. :)

Pecans are good for you.. right?

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

These are so easy to make. All you need are pecans, sugar, cinnamon, salt, egg whites and water.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

You need 2 egg whites for this recipe, but go ahead and save those egg yolks. I have a wonderful cookie recipe coming at you next week that calls for egg yolks. You’ll be glad you did! :)

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

How to Make Candied Pecans

Mix the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Toss in your pecans..

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

And stir to coat.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Then sprinkle it like a waterfall onto the pecans.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Stir well to coat, making sure every last morsel of pecan is covered in the cinnamon-sugar perfection. You’ll be glad you did.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Spread the sugar-glazed pecans onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake these on low heat, 225, for one hour. You’ll want to give these a stir every 15 minutes.

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

Oh man, when you open that oven, prepare to be blown away. These will make your house smell like the holidays like nothing else! :) Roasted pecans, sugar, cinnamon… Glorious. These bite-sized treats are such a fun holiday indulgence!

What did you get for Christmas this year? :) What did you give? Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! :)

Candied Sugar Glazed Pecans

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Candied Pecans

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Candied Pecans are such a delicious snack option! They’re easy to make, good to grab on the go, and perfect for the holidays.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 cups (16 oz) pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 225. In a large bowl beat the egg whites and water. Add pecans and stir to coat.
  2. Whisk together the sugar, salt and cinnamon, then pour over the pecans, stirring to coat.
  3. Spread pecans on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

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85 Responses
  1. Sharon Damon

    I make a similar recipe but I just use 1 egg white and add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tb. melted butter, stir that together and then add the pecans. I also use 3 tsp cinnamon instead of just 1. Sometimes I cut back on the cinnamon and add nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

  2. Sabine

    These (with pecans or any other nut/almonds) are in my mind for christmas already! T. All European or especially Germans reading and trying this recipe: Be careful, you need to use 100 degree Celsius only ;-)!!

    Thanks for sharing…

    Sabine

  3. ~*kristi*~

    Amanda – I know this is an older recipe, but I decided I want to make these for family this Christmas and present them in little jars. I had a question – do you know if these would work using raw almonds instead of pecans? I’m not a fan of pecans, but LOVE almonds and we are an almond family (my relatives grow them). I’m also not much of a cook, so that’s why I’m asking. I’m guessing it would be fine, but was looking for your opinion.

    Thanks!

  4. Barb

    I make these all the time. So yummy. I put the egg coated nuts in a big plastic bowl that has a lid. Then I pour in the sugar mixture. Add the lid and shake. It’s fast and easy and the nuts get coated well. Thanks, Amanda, for all the delicious recipes. But how do you stay so thin??!! :-)
    Have a great weekend, everyone!

  5. Edward

    A more straightforward way to make these is to toast the nuts in a saucepans for a few minutes keeping an eye in them so they don’t burn, and then turning them out and setting them aside. Then add some sugar to the pan (eyeball the amount depending on how many nuts you have) and add couple of table spoons of water. Bring this mixture to the boil and let cook at a high heat for a minute or two, and then stir in the nuts to make sure they are covered and a few shakes of cinnamon. As soon as you see the sugar starting to brown, stir the pan vigorously.

    Within a around 20 seconds, the nut will have taken on a sugar-frosted appearance at which point they’ll be done and you can turn out onto a tray to cool before serving.

  6. Tabitha

    HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    AMANDA~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I am not sure if U remember me from college, but it is me, TABITHA!!! LOL ;-0
    This web address site is SUPER CUTE OMG!!! U look like quite the lil’ chef!!LOL!!!!!!!
    My 4 cats LOVE 2 eat candied pecans as well so this web address is verE helpful to me lol!
    THANK YOU SO MUCH we(me and the cats) miss U!
    XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

  7. Balinda

    I made these last week and they turned out so good and went so fast I am now making a second batch for the ones who missed out on getting some.
    Thanx for the awesome recipe!

  8. AnaBel

    I made this with walnuts (because I had them on hand) and they were sooooo goood! Even my son who doesn’t like nuts couldn’t stop eating them. I too use them in salads and it makes any salad something to look forward too! Thanks for another quick, easy and yummy recipe!

  9. Bob

    These were awesome. I mixed them with walnuts. It took a little over an hour, more like an hour and 10, but definitely worth it. So easy, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

  10. Kristi B

    I have made these for years (same recipe) and everyone has loved them. This year I wanted to see how it would taste with a splash of vanilla and “OH WOW” they were the hit for co-worker gifts.

    1. Kristi B

      I added the vanilla to the egg and water mixture, then coated the nuts with the eggs and finally tossed with the sugar mixture.

  11. Suz

    Apparently, before I was born, my grandma used to make candied pecans. She was the kind of cook that never used recipes – – she either had the recipe memorized or made it up as she went along. So no one had her candied pecan recipe. I received your recipe for the candied pecans from a friend about 4 or 5 years ago. I made them for my brother. He LOVED them and said they were just like Grandma’s. So now, every year, he gets a double batch of these tastey little goodies from me!!

    And the recipe is sooo simple!! And have you noticed that if you whip the egg-white mixture up and make it a little frothy, the sugar on the pecans kind of turns into a nice cruchy glaze when they’re done?? sooo yummy – – and so worth going off the diet (a little) for!!!

    Thanks for posting this! I love your pictures!!

    Hugs ~~ Suz

  12. Jessika Reed

    I made these last night and my husband (very picky eater) can’t keep his hands off of them. Delicious! Great idea for neighbor Christmas gifts next year! Thanks for sharing.

  13. Carrie

    I think you were reading my mind with these. My new Husband loves loves loves these and I was thinking of making him some. You saved me a google! And now I don’t even have to wonder if they’ll be any good, everything we’ve tried from your site we’ve loved. Thanks!!

  14. Marie

    Oh. My. Goodness. My husband’s uncle just brought us a huge back full of pecans from his home in Texas. I’ve been scratching my head, trying to figure out what to do with them. Oh, man…I think I am going to make these RIGHT NOW!!

  15. marla {family fresh cooking}

    These sugar bombs sure do look great my friend! Happy New Year – can’t wait to see what you will be crafting & cooking in 2011! XXOO

  16. Julie B

    Amanda, Thank your for sharing this recipe…this is much simpler than the version my husband makes. We are definitely going to give this a try! Happy New Year!

  17. Sherrie

    Oh my, late as usual. But I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and I want to wish you a Happy New Year ! It is New Years Eve and I am going downstairs to put on a pan of these right now………and I am going to add almond extract to mine it’s my favorite……thank you !!

  18. Anele

    Those look HEAVENLY! I normally don’t take time to make something like this but this looks worth the effort…and of course gifting most of it so it doesn’t end up on my backside! LOL

  19. Trina

    I got a Canon Rebel T1i!!! I strive to take pics like the ones you share with us! You inspire me :)

    PS These pecans look spectacular!

  20. Martha

    What great timing you have! I’ve been thinking for about a month about finding a good candied pecan recipe…then I went and used the two bags of pecans my parents gave me from their trees in a batch of chex mix last week. Then this shows up in my inbox today! I’ve forwarded it to my mom and my sister who are both excited to try it out.

    I added a bit (ok, two capfuls) of vanilla to the wet mixture because I love vanilla. I bet they’ll be delicious!

    Thanks for sharing!!

  21. Debbie H.

    Hi, Amanda! Happy Holidays!

    I recenty made your chocolate mousse filled snickers cupcakes.
    Let me preface this by saying I am the WORST cook/baker alive. I’m a big enough person to agree with that. So, this was a big undertaking for lil ole me. I even had to purchase a piping bag! I trudged through and made them and thought they were awful. So with great hesitation I gave 12 of them to my high-school daughter to take as a treat for a party, and I took 9 of them to work. By 10:30 a.m. EVERY cupcake was gone at work. I have to admit I checked the garbage in the kitchen to see if my sneaky co-workers had hidden the once-bitten evidence. Nope. The only thing in the trash were empty cupcake holders! My daughter came home from school and said all the kids came up to her and said the cupcakes were AMAZING!! I always hate whatever I make. Please keep posting your wonderful recipes. I will continue to muddle my way through my kitchen and maybe be able to one day call myself, dare I say, a cook. I’ll keep my day job jsut in case.

  22. Crafty shell

    Oh my better half would love these he loves coated pecans. I dont know if you ever go to GA. at all, have you heard of stone mounatin pecan? Its in Stone Mountain GA. Gene’s cuz Robby owes it they have huge thumb pecans and all kinds of tasty treats, even pecan mill which is my fav its yummy on pork chops. They sale online to but its neat to go and see the plant, Gene worked there as a kid. I have been once when we was visiting and got to see the plant and try everthing…lol Here is the site if you want to check it out. http://stonemountainpecan.com/ some things are high like the pre made treats we normally just get pecans there pretty cheap they have combo packs as well.

  23. Sara

    Well for Christmas every year my mom and my sisters and I get together and we make home made doughnuts! They seriously taste better than the stuff in the store and you can make them healthier by using Whole Wheat Flour and for ours (due to my allergy) we don’t use milk! One year we even tried baking them instead of frying them in oil. They tasted even more delish!
    Another thing we shared with neighbors and friends was a poem and M&M’s. Nothing toooo exciting but ther are ALOT of people out there that are allergic to Gluten. So that worked well for them!
    I have been in the baking mode and have been doing Cake Pops. They are doing better than my first attempts (with old coating…which I didn’t know was old :() But I wish with all my young girl heart that my Cake Balls would work better. They always look like a plop of candy and not smoothe and delectable. ARGGG. Any suggestions or help? I could seriously use it!
    Happy New Year! Any fun things you’re going to be working on?

  24. Jill @ Rustic Bliss

    Yu~Meee! Thank you for sharing the recipe…I…oh and Big Daddy, can Not wait to try it out.
    Luff the use of bokeh in your pictures too. =)

  25. Charles Climer

    I’m going to try these right now. I’ve got some pecans in the freezer and I’m waiting for my refrigerator cookies to chill. Thanks! ~ : )

  26. Anna

    A dear friend gave me a bag of these for Christmas and they are totally delicious and addicting. In fact, as I sit here at the computer I am eating a warm bowl of apple-raisin oatmeal topped with these wonderful morsels. YUM!!! Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe – Now I will have to make some on my own!

  27. Demetria

    Thanks for the great recipe… YOu know these are a Southern Delight and I LOVE the way the mall smells when the man comes to sell candy cover pecans… yummy…

  28. SmittenbyBritain

    Amanda,

    My husband loves these and I always pick a bag up for him whenever I find them at a craft show. He will be thrilled when I make them for him on NYE.

    Thanks for the recipe.

    Melissa

  29. BECKY

    OMG….these look wonderful. I will have to make these for the New Years Party. What a cute bowl you have them in. I love penguins. Happy New Year!!!

  30. Lindsay

    Hey Amanda-
    These sound so yummy!!!
    I have a queztion for you…a friend of mine is having a meat free (we are all mostly vegetarian/vegan) baby shower soon. Do you know of any good recipes for quick/easy little snacks, or know of any vegetarian blogs that I could check out? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!
    Thanks and I hope you have a great New Year!! :)
    ~Lindsay (Lindzy02@gmail.com)

  31. faith

    SO glad you posted this! This saves me leg work. I will back up. I am engaged. Moved to Big Spring, Texas with my fiance into a house built in 1929. We have 5 pecan trees and I have been picking up the pecans the last two months in hopes of using them as wedding favors! I am getting married in May and this recipe along with the honey glazed one will help make my pecans yummified! And give me two kinds to offer the guest!

    1. Demetria

      oh.. that’s sounds so SWEET.. congrats on your engagement… I think that is a WONDERFUL way to save and get your favors done too

    2. Martha

      Oh, I hope your pecans in Big Spring taste as good as the pecans in my parents’ trees in Abilene! I was a little disappointed when I bought some pecans to make this recipe and they weren’t nearly as fat as the ones my parents gave me! Congrats to you!!

  32. Anna Faustini

    Good morning Amanda,
    YUM YUM, can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m sure this one will be added to my holiday recipe cookbook. We had a great Christmas with lots of treats and of course, we all ate too much, LOL! Have a great day and thanks for sharing! :)

  33. Kimberly

    Amanda,
    I thought that if you like those you might like these also:

    Praline Pecans & Cranberries

    3-1/2 cups Pecan halves
    1/4 cups light corn syrup
    1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
    2 tbls butter
    1 tea vamilla
    1/4 tea baking soda
    1-1/2 cups dried cranberries or cherries

    Preheat oven to 250
    Spray 13×9 baking pan, then cover another baking pan with foil.
    Spread peacans in single layer onto sprayed baking sheet
    Combine corn syurp and butter in a 2 cup glass measure cup of microwave safe bowl.
    Microwave at HIGH 1 mineut.
    Stir.
    Microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute or until boiling rapidly.
    Stir in vanilla and baking soda until well blended.
    Drizzle evenly over pecans, stir with wooded spoon until evenly coated.
    Bake 1 hour, stiring every 20 minutes.
    Immediatley transfer to foil lined baking sheet, spread to single layer with a lightly greased spatula.
    Cool completely.
    Break pecans apart with wooden spoon.
    Combine peacans and cranberries in large bowl.
    Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks, if they last that long!

    Makes about 5 cups.

    I have made these for gifts, I use them in salads and they are a family faviort every Christmas.

    Hope you enjoy them!

  34. Debi

    OMG!!! I will LOVE these. I’m going to make them this weekend for the New Year’s Day party that we go to. Thanks a million. Oh and thanks to #8 Lisa…..sounds like an awesome salad to me… I’m going to try that one too.
    This is such a terrific site Amanda….you do an awesome job..

  35. Leslie from San Diego

    I love candied pecans. I am going to try these and add some cayenne to the mix to make them a little bit spicy and see how they turn out. I like things that have a bit to them …sweet and hot.

    Happy Holidays.

  36. lisa

    i have been making these with that same recipe for years. They are amazing on a salad with romaine, dried cherries, plain feta or goat cheese and a sweetish vinaigrette! They also make a really nice gift as everybody LOVES them!

    1. AmyBeth

      I’ve had that salad. Yummy, but my pecans have a little bite. I use balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and a little red pepper. I’ll have to try your version. Thanks!

  37. Robin

    Amanda,

    How’d you know that I would LOVE these? :)

    BTW, would you be willing to share how you got such a lovely bokeh effect behind the penguin bowl? Did you Photoshop it in, or did you somehow make it happen “naturally” (with the tree in the background) like in the ingredients photo?

    Thank you so much!

    1. Amanda

      Hi Robin! Yep, you are right, the tree is in the background like the ingredients photo! :) The bowl is sitting right where the ingredients were, but the closer you zoom in / focus on the subject, the bigger the bokeh turns out. Check out the left sidebar for a more in depth bokeh tutorial.

  38. Pam Sattari

    Amanda – These are great in salads as well. I make something similar to this and keep them on hand in jars for snacking and salads.

  39. Florence from France

    Hummmm miam-miam !!! :o)

    I don’t know where I will get these pecans, but I will try this receipt as soon as I will get them !!!

    Oh …. it’s not funny, I’m hungry now !!!

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Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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