Easy Candied Pecans
sandravalvassori.com
These slightly spicy, sweet and crunchy, Easy Candied Pecans are made on the stovetop in less than 10 minutes. A quick and fuss-free way to make glazed pecans that are perfect for gifting, snacking, adding to salads, cheese boards, ice cream, and so much more!
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place a 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and cayenne (if using). Stir to combine, then cook, undisturbed but watching closely, until mixture starts bubbling, about 1 minute.
- Add the pecans and using a rubber spatula, aggressively stir the pecans in the pan until they're completely coated in the glaze, about 2 minutes. At this point, they can be removed to the baking sheet but if you want them to have a really shiny glaze, continue to stir the pecans for another minute or two. If at any time the pan is getting smoky, remove it from heat, keep stirring, then place it back on the heat until done.
- As soon as the pecans look glossy, with no large visible clumps of sugar remaining, pour them onto the prepared baking sheet. Use two forks to spread them out and separate them as much as possible. As soon as they are cool enough to touch, use your hands to break them apart.
Notes
TO STORE: Candied pecans can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. You can refrigerate them if you’d like them to keep longer.
TO FREEZE: Place pecans in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.