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You’ll love this candied pecans stovetop recipe. The pecans are sweet and nutty with a crispy crunchy sugary coating. These candied nuts are super easy to make on the stovetop with only a few ingredients. They are perfect for a snack, as party food, or as part of your holiday charcuterie board.
After posting my wildly popular Savory Spiced Buttery Pecans recipe – which is a little more complicated and flavor-intense, I had a few reader requests for a more simple-to-make and mildly flavored sweet glazed pecans recipe.
Candied nuts are easy to make and tasty too! If you are looking for a more deelply flavored sweet candied nut then try oven toasted vegan candied pecans wtih a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
Reasons to love these stovetop candied pecans
Quick and easy to make on your stovetop with a few simple steps. No reason for a baking sheet and an hour of your time waiting and turning the nuts.
Sugary and sweet for those with a sweet tooth who don’t like the spice – (But if you like savory/sweet and spicy, do try my Savory Spicy Buttery Pecans recipe. It doesn’t disappoint!)
A big hit as part of your holiday appetizers or snack board
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Ingredients needed for these sugary candied pecans stovetop nuts
Really only a few simple ingredients are necessary! You won’t believe how easy these sugared pecans are!
granulated sugar – You can use organic sugar if you’d like.
a little water
pecan halves – Please make sure your pecan halves are nice and fresh. The flavor is not going to improve with adding sugar and cooking them. I always always give my pecans (or any nuts) a taste before using them in a recipe. It is super important in a recipe like this in which they are the main ingredient.
Can you substitute another type of nut? Pecans are my favorite and so I’ve never tried. If you do use a different type of nut with success, please let me know.
How to make this ridiculously easy stovetop candied pecans recipe
The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the baking sheet
Prepare a rimmed baking sheet (or something similar) with parchment paper. You are not actually going to cook the pecans on the baking sheet but only let them sit, dry, cool, and develop. So anything similar to a large baking sheet will do. You will need parchment paper though, or perhaps a silicone mat so that the sugar sticky pecans won’t stick to the bottom of the pan while they are drying and cooling.
Step 2: Melt and boil the sugar
Make your sugared pecans in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the sugar and only one tablespoon of water (not the full two tablespoons). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring the sugar/water mixture to a boil and allow the mixture to boil for two minutes, stirring the whole time while it boils.
Note: You will only need to add the second tablespoon of water if necessary. See the step below.
Step 3: Add the pecans
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pecan halves, tossing to coat well. If the syrup becomes too thick too quickly before allowing for an even coating, add the remaining water and stir until the sugar is crystalized on the pecans and the pecans are evenly coated.
Final step: Let the pecans rest
And bring your patience! Transfer the sugared pecan halves to the prepared baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer. Break the pecans apart if they have become stuck together in clumps. The pecans should be in individual pieces as much as possible.
Allow the sugared pecans to dry completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. This might take a couple of hours depending on the humidity of your kitchen.
For some other tasty party snack ideas from Veggie Fun Kitchen, try:
These candied pecans are perfect to serve as a party snack for your special events. If you are looking for some other tasty party food snacks you might want to try the following plant-based/vegan options.
BBQ Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Scotcheroos – peanut butter rice Krispy treats
Creamy Vegan Canoli Dip
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Easy Texas Caviar
Pistachio Pesto
Seasoned Popcorn with Everything Bagel
Fresh Fruit Salsa with Watermellon and Mango
Tableside Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
The printable recipe card
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Candied Pecans Stovetop Recipe
Stovetop candied pecans are sweet and nutty with a crispy crunchy sugary coating. These candied nuts are super easy to make on the stovetop with only a few ingredients. They are perfect for a snack, as party food, or on your holiday charcuterie board.
Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and one tablespoon of water (not the full two tablespoons). Place over medium heat and stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Allow to boil for two minutes, stirring while it boils.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pecan halves, tossing to coat. If the syrup becomes too thick too quickly before allowing for an even coating, add the remaining water and stir until the sugar is crystalized on the pecans and the pecans are evenly coated.
Transfer the sugared pecan halves to the prepared baking sheet, placing in a single layer. Break the pecans apart if they have become stuck together.
Allow the sugared pecans to dry completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
To add more flavor to the sugared pecans, toast them prior to adding to the hot sugar mixture. You can also add up to one teaspoon of any flavored food extract to the sugar and water. Some options include: vanilla extract, butter extract, maple extract, or orange extract. You can also stir in a little cayenne pepper to make spicy nuts.
Why are my candied pecans soft and sticky? If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.
Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.
Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.
You can remove the pecans to a baking sheet to cool faster if you like. Stir them every 10 minutes or so to avoid them clumping together, or you can just break them apart with a spatula or your hands later. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.
If you happen to have pecans in their shells, remember that 1 pound equals 3 cups shelled, about 4 cups pecan halves, and about 3 3/4 cups chopped nuts. Equivalents to know when using shelled pecans are that 1 pound equals 4 cups and 1 cup of pecan halves equals 3/4 cup chopped.
For a pound of nutmeat, you will need 2½ pounds of in-shell pecans. In order to help you maintain the highest quality pecan meats, we have developed the following guide to help you understand the best way to handle and store your pecans.
Wait until the water boils.Then, bring the boil to a simmer by slightly turning down the heat.Add your pecans and keep them in the simmering water for up to 15 minutes. Drain them and place them on an unlined baking sheet to cool.
sometimes I have no idea why they won't harden. But if your pralines are still gooey after 30-40 minutes, you may have to scrape them back into the pan and heat them again. Add a tablespoon of milk, melt the sugar, and as before, stir constantly while you bring them to a boil.
They should have a firm, almost crunchy texture and a rich golden or amber color. On the flip side, bad pecans may show signs of spoilage, such as a rancid smell, a shriveled appearance, or a soft and rubbery texture.
As the two ingredients whip together, the sugar starts to dissolve, creating tiny air pockets within the butter. These tiny bubbles of trapped air puff up cakes and other baked goods, creating lighter, fluffier, and moister desserts.
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.
Humidity above these values can cause kernel molding and pecan texture deterioration (pecans become soft and rubber-like), whereas lower humidities will cause excessive drying. In-shell pecan kernels will darken under high humidity as a result of the tannic acid being dissolved from the shell lining.
If you don't plan on eating your candied pecans right away, you may want to consider storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Refrigeration can keep the pecans fresh for up to three months, while freezing can extend their shelf life for up to six months.
To Store: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. To Freeze: They freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Place the pecans and salt in a large glass or stainless steel bowl along with 8 cups of water. The pecans will swell during the soaking process, so you want enough water to keep them covered.
Leave them on the counter to soak for 4-8 hours. ...
After they are done soaking, drain and rinse in a colander.
I started doing some research, and I found a little-known trick to making pecans taste sweeter: Soaking and rinsing the shelled nuts in lukewarm water before roasting removes the tannins and pieces of corky material that can cause pecans to taste bitter.
It is true that nuts contain phytic acid, or phytates, which can bind with minerals, making them unavailable to the body. But while soaking nuts in salted water may reduce phytic acid levels, the amount of phytates in nuts is too small to cause a mineral deficiency in either children or adults.
Your oven is also a great tool for toasting pecans. For this method, preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake until they begin to brown and become aromatic, making sure to toss halfway through, 7 to 10 minutes.
Why are pecans bad for dogs? These nuts are toxic for dogs. Eating them can result in pets becoming sick and needing immediate veterinary care. “The reason pecans are considered toxic is that they contain a compound called juglone, also found in walnuts, that is harmful to dogs,” advises Dr.
Pecans are a type of tree nut that's rich in several key nutrients, including fiber, copper, thiamine, and zinc. They've been associated with many potential health benefits, including improved blood sugar control, heart health, and brain function.
But with a food processor and ten minutes of time, you can make your own flour substitute for much cheaper and have the option to make it as fine or as course as you would like it to be. This recipe is for a one to one ration, meaning if you processes one cup of pecan meal, you will be left with one cup of pecan flour.
Humidity above these values can cause kernel molding and pecan texture deterioration (pecans become soft and rubber-like), whereas lower humidities will cause excessive drying. In-shell pecan kernels will darken under high humidity as a result of the tannic acid being dissolved from the shell lining.
Pecan pie filling is extremely liquidy when it first goes into the oven, as it's primarily just sugar, corn syrup, and eggs (though you can use maple syrup as an ingredient swap if you're not keen on corn syrup). As such, you have to cook the pecan pie long enough for this liquid to develop a custard-like consistency.
Don't under bake the candied almonds, and be sure to turn them every 20 minutes. And perhaps the most important tip: let the cool before digging in! As they cool, they'll firm up and get crunchier. So if you taste one fresh from the oven, don't be alarmed if it's still a bit soft.
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Introduction: My name is Virgilio Hermann JD, I am a fine, gifted, beautiful, encouraging, kind, talented, zealous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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