Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Stove top candied pecans are super easy to make, using only 4 ingredients and done in under 10 minutes. Great added to salads or given as a gift!

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (1)

Original recipe: January 2019 | Updated: December 2019

One of my food specialties is making unique and tasty salads that have that extra little touch of delicious perfection. One of my salad secrets is adding chopped Candied Pecans. It gets people every time!

Making candied pecans takes an extra 10ish minutes, but it is well worth that little bit of effort. They transform a great salad into an out-of-this-world salad. Trust me!

Candied Pecans are also an irresistible snack to have sitting on the counter during holiday gatherings or for any party. Try not to eat them all yourself!

And last but not least they are great gifts, especially around the holidays. Everyone loves a delicious homemade gift, right?

HOW TO MAKE STOVE TOP CANDIED PECANS

Add these sugar coated pecans to your list of easy recipes that make a regular recipe turn out to be excellent!

STEP 1

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and pecan halves and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and becomes a light brown liquid in the skillet (approximately 5 minutes).

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (2)

STEP 2

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla to the sugar mixtures; mix well.

Pour the pecans onto the lined baking sheet in a single layer. Let cool for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (3)

Chop to use in a salad or add the pecans to a serving dish for snacking!

HOW LONG DO CANDIED PECANS KEEP

When stored in an airtight container, candied pecans will last up to 2 weeks at room temperature, 4 weeks in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer.

HOW TO STORE YOUR PECANS

Once they’ve cooled, candied pecans are ready for storing. Make sure they are sealed tightly in either a plastic or glass container.

WHAT TO DO WITH STOVE TOP CANDIED PECANS

Add Candied Pecans to any or all of these delicious recipes, plus so many more!

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (4)

OTHER HOMEMADE GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

A perfect gift that’s affordable and thoughtful is a homemade one! Here’s some great DIY gifts that can be easily made to giveaway.We’ve got something for everyone!

  • Homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce – You’ll enjoy spoonfuls of this gooey homemade chocolate fudge sauce perfect for summer treats!

  • Salted Caramel Sauce – There’s just 4 ingredients needed to make your own salted caramel sauce. Top or fill your next batch of baked goods with this delicious, irresistible sauce.

  • Exfoliating Coffee Scrub – Make your own face scrub at home in minutes! This DIY recipe is the perfect any-occasion gift made with coffee and coconut oil.

  • Homemade Vanilla Extract – Make your own Vanilla Extract at home! This recipe requires only TWO ingredients and you will be so happy with the way homemade vanilla flavors your baked goods.

  • Homemade Caramels are my FAVORITE. They are chewy and gooey and sooo delicious. You won’t want to eat just one but they make a perfect treat for holiday parties OR holiday gifts!

  • Everything But The Bagel Seasoning – Make Trader Joe’s famous “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning blend at home in less than 5 minutes and for a fraction of the cost of store bought!

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (5)

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (6)

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe

Candied Pecans are super easy to make on the stove top with only 4 ingredients and in less than 10 minutes. Great when added to salads and also great for snacking or to give as gifts!

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Megan Porta

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups pecans
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sugar
    and pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and
    becomes a light brown liquid in the skillet (approximately 5 minutes).

  • Remove from the heat and add the vanilla; mix well. Pour the pecans onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Let cool for a minimum of 5 minutes. Chop to use in a salad or add the pecans to a serving dish for snacking!

Notes

  • Topping on a bowl of ice cream with some homemade hot fudge!
  • Healthy Lunch Bowl
  • Grape Pecan Summer Salad
  • Chopped Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • Break them apart and add them to a mason jar with a fun ribbon tied around the rim to give as a gift!
  • Add to the top of a pumpkin pie or as the final touch on your skillet chocolate chip cookie!

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

« Easy Crockpot Meatballs Recipe

Egg Roll in a Bowl With Coleslaw Mix Recipe »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (7)Winston millican

    Thank you for promoting pecans!

    Reply

  2. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (8)CinR

    Have you tried these using brown sugar? Would you use the same amount as the white sugar?

    Reply

    • Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (9)Megan Porta

      CinR: Brown sugar tastes incredible with these! Yep, same amount. Enjoy!
      Megan

      Reply

  3. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (10)Gaylegrey

    These are amazing!! Toffee like coating- delish!

    Reply

  4. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (11)Linda

    You are making me hungry. These look so good. I'll have to try them.

    Reply

  5. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (12)Joss

    Looks perfect! As you can see, I am hooked on your blog. Love these nuts!

    Reply

  6. Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (13)Parsley Sage

    Its official. You can make anything naughty.

    DELICIOUS!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied pecans so sticky? ›

The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts. How do you fix candied nuts that are too soft and sticky? You can place them back into the oven for 5 to 15 minutes or until they dry out more. They will continue to firm and dry out as they cool.

What is the difference between praline pecans and candied pecans? ›

What is the difference between candied pecans and pralines? Candied pecans are pecans coated in egg whites, sugar, and spices, then baked until crispy. Pralines are a drop-candy with a caramel-like base and crunchy pecans mixed in.

How do you keep candied pecans from sticking together? ›

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.

Why do you soak pecans before roasting? ›

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.

How to make candied nuts less sticky? ›

If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer. (Watch closely when you do this to prevent the nuts from burning.)

Why is my pecan candy not hardening? ›

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.

Are candied pecans still good for you? ›

While candied pecans are not necessarily healthy (they have been candied), they are a great option since candied pecans are full of healthy fats and good protein. If eaten in moderation, they are a perfect sweet treat to satisfy any craving.

What is the sweetest pecan? ›

Stuart Pecans

It has a classic taste with a slight sweetness and firm texture, pairing well with savory recipes like cheese balls and charcuterie boards. Stuart pecans grow well farther north than other pecan types. However, the Stuart tree takes eight to 10 years before it can bear any nuts.

Are praline pecans unhealthy? ›

Adding a pecan praline treat to your mid-morning brunch will do wonders for your taste buds and your mood. After all, pecan pralines are considered one of the healthier options to indulge in. Pecans are considered a superfood, packed full of vitamins and minerals most people aren't even aware of.

Why do you soak pecans in water? ›

By soaking nuts and seeds, you minimize or eliminate the nutritional inhibitors and other toxic substances as they are absorbed into the water. Without the inhibitors and toxic substances, the nutrients of the nuts and seeds are more readily available for absorption.

Why do you boil pecans before cracking? ›

Boiling pecans before cracking them can actually help prevent the shell from shattering.

Should you wash pecans before you crack them? ›

Don't wash pecans. Don't run water over them or even use a damp towel to clean them. Especially in-shell pecans.

Why do my pecans taste bitter? ›

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

What happens if you don't soak nuts? ›

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.

Why do pecans make you go to the bathroom? ›

Since Pecan nuts are fiber -packed, and 1 ounce provides 11% DV of fiber they promote good colon health and facilitate regular bowel movements.

Why is my pecan brittle sticky? ›

Whether it's during the cooking, cooling, or storage process, moisture and humidity can ruin the best batch of brittle in minutes, leaving you with a soggy, sticky mess. This is why eliminating moisture anywhere you can is our top tip on how to store peanut brittle.

Why is my pecan tree so sappy? ›

If your pecan tree has sap dripping from it, it probably isn't really sap-- although in a roundabout way it is. A seeping pecan tree is more than likely afflicted with pecan tree aphids. The seeping from the pecan trees is simply honeydew, a sweet, charming nomenclature for aphid poop.

Why is my pecan tree dripping sticky stuff? ›

You might get a fresh coating of honeydew! In fact, just about anything that walks under a pecan tree or sits near a pecan tree might be covered in this sticky coating. The real culprits behind the honeydew are aphids. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that suck sap from plant leaves.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 5815

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.