Candied Pecans Recipe
These honey candied pecans are crisp, toasty, and irresistibly sweet. With just a 3 simple ingredients and almost no hands-on time, they roast into golden, crunchy, perfect pecans. If you've been looking for an easy candied pecan recipe, this is the one.
Craving The Recipe Details?
What it is: Crunchy, honey-sweetened candied pecans with just 3 simple ingredients.
Why you’ll love it: Naturally sweetened with honey (not refined sugar!), these have a lighter coating that lets the pecan flavor shine through.
How to make it: Whisk egg white and water until frothy, toss pecans in the mixture, drizzle with honey, spread on a baking sheet, and bake at 200°F for 1 hour
Summarize & Save This Recipe On:
These easy candied pecans get their sweetness from honey (straight from my backyard hives) and the flavor payoff is incredible. They’re crunchy, lightly sweetened, and dangerously addictive.
Don’t get me wrong, I love pecans in all their forms. There’s something wonderful about their buttery richness, whether I’m folding them into my pumpkin sourdough bread or sprinkling them over sourdough discard brownies. They add that perfect nutty crunch to everything.
But candied pecans? They’re next level. They can transform a cheese board into something memorable, turn basic oatmeal into a treat, and make the perfect homemade gift. Around here, they rarely make it past the cooling stage.
This candied pecans recipe is dedicated to honey.
Key Ingredients
Raw pecan halves: Opt for raw, unsalted pecan halves for this recipe. If you don’t have pecans, you can actually swap in walnuts, cashews, or even almonds, or a mix!
Honey: Honey doesn't just sweeten; it adds depth, warmth, and a complexity you'll never get from plain sugar. I use honey from my own hives, so I always recommend fresh local honey from a small producer for best flavor. If that’s not an option, high quality, single source honey from the grocery store works too. Lighter, spring honey gives a a mild flavor, while darker honey is more robust.
Egg white: The egg white is essential, it acts as the “glue” that helps the honey stick to the pecans and creates that glossy coating. There’s no good substitute that achieves the same result.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Candied Pecans In The Oven
- Preheat the oven to 200f. Prepare a baking sheet with silicone mat or by lining with parchment paper.
- Whisk 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl, big enough to toss pecans in.
- Once the egg white is frothy, add 2 to 3 tablespoons honey and stir well to combine.
- Add 2 cups pecans and toss well to coat.
- Spread on baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 200f for 1 hour tossing every 20 minutes.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the tossing: Toss every 20 minutes during baking to prevent sticking and ensure even coating.
- Low and slow wins: The 200°F temperature allows the honey to caramelize slowly without burning. Honey burns much easier than sugar, so the low-and-slow method is key to perfect texture and preventing bitter, burnt flavors.
- Let them cool completely: They’ll seem soft when hot but crisp up perfectly as they cool.
- Use fresh pecans: Old or rancid nuts will ruin the flavor, taste one before starting!
Ways To Use Candied Pecans
I doubt you’ll run out of reasons to use these sweet, crunchy pecans. But just in case you do, here are some of my favorites!
- On salads: Sprinkle on top of my Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, autumn harvest salads, or any mixed green salad for crunch.
- On boards: Add to holiday cheese boards alongside aged cheddar and brie, or grazing boards along side holiday favorites like ginger snaps and Christmas crack.
- For breakfast: Sprinkle over oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, or on top of pancakes and pumpkin waffles.
- Garnish dessert: Top pumpkin pie, sous vide vanilla ice cream, or chocolate mousse.
- On the trail: Mix with dried cherries, roasted peanuts, and dark chocolate chips for a yummy trail mix.
- On roasted veg: Crumble over smoked Brussels sprouts or on top of roasted butternut squash
- In sweets: Fold into sourdough discard banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, chop and toss into sourdough discard brownies before baking
- For snacking: Honestly? They’re amazing straight from the jar… and straight off the baking tray.
Candied Pecans FAQs
Candied pecans will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks, refrigerated for 1 month, or frozen for up to 3 months
Yes! Maple syrup works beautifully and creates a similar texture. Use the same amount but the flavor will be slightly different, more maple-forward vs. the floral notes of honey.
es! Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne, or even pumpkin pie spice to the egg white mixture before adding pecans.
This usually happens if they weren’t cooled completely before storing, trapping moisture. Make sure to let them cool for at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet, and ensure they’re completely cool to the touch before transferring to a container.
More Elevated Ingredient Recipes To Love
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📖 Printable Recipe
Candied Pecans Recipe
Instructions Start Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 200f. Prepare a baking sheet with silicone mat.
- Whisk 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl big enough to toss pecans in.
- Once the egg white is frothy, add 2 to 3 tablespoons honey and stir well to combine.
- Add 2 cups pecans and toss well to coat.
- Spread on baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 200f for 1 hour and toss every 20 minutes.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Don’t skip the tossing: Toss every 20 minutes during baking to prevent sticking and ensure even coating.
- Low and slow wins: The 200°F temperature allows the honey to caramelize slowly without burning. Honey burns much easier than sugar, so the low-and-slow method is key to perfect texture and preventing bitter, burnt flavors.
- Let them cool completely: They’ll seem soft when hot but crisp up perfectly as they cool.
- Use fresh pecans: Old or rancid nuts will ruin the flavor, taste one before starting!
