These 5-ingredient homemade candied pecans are quick and easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and dangerously delicious! This classic is (and always has been!) one of my very favorite holiday snacks.
I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos and helpful success tips. While the original version included a mix of pecans and almonds, this updated recipe focuses solely on candied pecans. (You can still swap in some almonds if you’d like. See Notes below!)
If there’s one snack I make on repeat every fall and holiday season, it’s these candied pecans. They’re crunchy, warmly spiced, lightly sweet, and completely irresistible whether you’re grabbing a handful straight from the pan or sprinkling them over salads, desserts, or cheese boards.
Best of all? They’re made with 5 simple pantry ingredients (plus a little water!) and come together in under an hour.
The recipe is from my mom’s friend, Sharyn. We make them every single year, and they’ve become a homemade gift-giving tradition for friends, teachers, and loved ones ever since.
Store-bought candied nuts are often cloyingly sweet or oddly sticky, but this homemade version strikes the perfect balance. Each pecan is encrusted in a crackly cinnamon-sugar shell that actually stays crisp. Once you try them fresh from cooling on the baking sheet, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
Why You’ll Love These Candied Pecans
Made with just a handful of basic ingredients
Sweet, spiced, and perfectly crunchy
EASY—no candy thermometer required
Make-ahead friendly for gifts and entertaining
Incredibly versatile—snack, topping, or garnish
Stay fresh for weeks
One reader, Rachael, commented: “I have made these nuts every year since you posted this recipe and my family and coworkers look forward to this every year. They are so good and so addicting! YUM!!!! Thank you for sharing such a yummy treat. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Bernie, commented: “I made these for Christmas, doubled the batch and gave as parting gifts. Everyone has asked for the recipe! I made more so I can take them to work. ★★★★★”
Grab These Ingredients
Pecans: Use raw, unsalted pecan halves. Their natural ridges and crevices hold onto the cinnamon-sugar coating especially well.
Egg Whites + Water: Egg whites are the key to the crisp coating. Whipping them with a small amount of water thins the mixture just enough so it evenly coats the pecans instead of clumping. As the pecans bake, the egg whites dry and set, creating a light, crackly shell.
Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and structure. Granulated sugar melts and re-crystallizes in the oven, creating that classic candied crunch.
Cinnamon: Lots of flavor!
Salt: Essential for balance.
This recipe relies on a simple (but clever!) technique to create that signature candied crunch. Whipped egg whites act as a natural binder, helping the cinnamon-sugar mixture cling evenly to each pecan. As the nuts bake, the coating slowly dries and crystallizes, forming a crisp, crackly shell instead of a sticky glaze.
Because these candied pecans are baked low and slow, the sugar sets evenly without scorching, delivering consistent results with far less hands-on time. No babysitting over a stovetop!
In Photos: How These Candied Pecans Come Together
You’ll whip egg whites and water until frothy. This takes just a couple of minutes. Then you’ll fold in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently to keep the mixture from deflating. Add the pecans and stir until each pecan is generously coated, then spread between 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Success tip we have learned over the years: Grease the parchment paper first, because these WILL stick otherwise!
The nuts take around 45 minutes in the oven. Give them a quick stir every 15 minutes so they toast evenly and do not burn.
As they cool, the coating fully sets, and this is when the pecans develop their signature crunch.
Package up the candied pecans in little treat bags for friends, munch on them while decorating holiday sugar cookies, or set them out at a holiday get-together, perhaps along with some sprinkle-loaded chocolate covered pretzels?
Tips for Success
Grease the parchment paper; otherwise the baked nuts will stick.
Stir every 15 minutes while they bake, to prevent clumping and ensure even browning.
Spread into a single layer—overcrowding leads to steaming instead of crisping. Use 2 baking sheets, or bake in batches if you only have 1.
Let them cool fully before breaking apart; they’ll continue to crisp up as they set.
Ways to Use Candied Pecans
Can I make these with different nuts?
This candied pecan recipe will work for any kind of nuts, but I prefer using pecans because the cinnamon-sugar goodness gets stuck in the pecans’ little crevices. All of the pecans’ crinkles are enveloped with a thick layer of the sweet stuff—a smooth nut does not “catch” as much coating as a pecan. That said, feel free to use a mix of nuts for a variety of textures. Almonds, cashews, macadamias—whatever you’d like to use up in your pantry—would also work as the second nut in this recipe, but make sure you use pecans as the primary base. One reader reported making delicious candied pumpkin seeds with this recipe, too!
Can I freeze candied pecans?
Yes. They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
These homemade candied pecans are sweet, warmly spiced, and perfectly crunchy. Made with just 5 simple ingredients plus water and baked (not stovetop), they’re easy to prepare and ideal for snacking, salads, charcuterie boards, and holiday gifting.
Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and lightly grease with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and water on medium-high speed until foamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and fold with a silicone spatula until combined.
Add the pecans and stir to coat completely. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the baking sheets and swap their positions in the oven.
Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. The sugar coating will continue to crisp up as it cools.
Store pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Smaller or Larger Batch: This recipe easily scales up or down. Simply halve or double all of the ingredients as needed. Whipping the egg whites and water will take slightly less or more time depending on the batch size. The oven temperature and bake time remain the same—just be sure to spread the nuts into a single layer on greased, lined baking sheets.
Using Different Nuts: Yes! This recipe works with many types of nuts, but pecans are my favorite because the cinnamon-sugar coating gets caught in all their little crinkles. A smooth nut doesn’t “catch” as much coating as a pecan does. That said, feel free to replace up to half of the pecans with another nut if you’d like. Almonds, cashews, or macadamias all work well. Just be sure pecans remain the primary nut for best texture.
