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Candied pecans or praline pecans is a recipe that turns pecan halves into an addictive sweet and salty toasted treat. The pecans first get tossed in a wet coating then a cinnamon sugar coating and toasted on a low temperature to create the perfect crunchy bite. The pecans are amazing on their own or could be used as a ridiculous topping to ice cream, cookies or cheesecake. If you’re a sweet and salty fan, you’ll want to make this recipe. I should warn you, though, it’s hard to stop eating them once you start.
Another sweet and salty crunchy recipe you should check out while you’re here is my Christmas Crack! It has racked up tens of millions of views over TikTok and Instagram. It’s my most viral recipe to date!
Tips for the Best Candied Pecans
- Use pecan halves and not pecan pieces.
- Use either a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer to beat the egg white mixture. Whisking by hand will take entirely too long.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or the pecans will stick to the sheet pan and burn.
- Don’t bake at a higher temperature or the pecans can burn. Don’t rush the baking. Also, tossing the pecans helps keep from burning. Don’t skip that step.
Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 16 oz pecan halves (4 cups)
- 1/2 c light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 egg white room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp water room temperature
Instructions
- In a dish separate egg white from yolk and allow egg white to come to room temperature. Discard the yolk.
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add egg white, water and vanilla to a stand mixer or using a hand mixer beat on high until soft peaks form.
- In a separate large bowl combine sugars, cinnamon and salt. Mix.
- Toss the pecans in the egg white mixture. Ensuring each pecan is fully coated.
- Add the wet pecans to the bowl with the cinnamon, sugar and salt mixture. Toss.
- Place in a single layer on the lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, tossing the pecans every 15 minutes.
- Let pecans rest on the sheet pan for 1 hour to come to room temperature before storing. Or serve warm.