Sugared Candied Pecans on Stove Top

How to make candied pecans on stove top this year. Sugared nuts are the best Christmas dessert you can snack on all day long. Just nuts and sugar makes this easy 2 ingredient snack or garnish to your favorite pie during the holidays.

How to Sugar Nuts

That’s right, this isn’t just specifically for whole or halved pecans. During the holidays you know that nuts are always a hit, as a snack or on Pecan Bundt Cake. I mean they definitely bring back memories for me. Both of my grandparents always had a big bowl of hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts in a nut cracker. Us kids had so much fun opening them up.

Those were rather plain and once we got into them we weren’t as excited to actually eat them but if these were available they’d be gone in a sec. Not only are these a fun snack, but a yummy ingredient to use in our pecan shortbread bars or crushed on top of Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes.

Quick Candied Pecans Recipe

There are many ways to make these. Some like to use the oven to bake on the sweetness, just a pot on your stovetop is what was used here. In this case ours are eggless which some people need and harder to find so we thought that route would be best.

These don’t take long to make at all. If you check out the price of them at the store around the holidays they are insane. Like triple what a package of raw pecans + some sugar out of a bag costs. Since it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish the huge price difference just doesn’t make sense.

Caramelized Pecans

First off to save some money you can find store brands, they are the same. I mean nuts are nuts, off the same trees, and processed probably in the same factory even. In some cases it is WAY cheaper to buy a bag with “broken pieces” if they are still large for this and Pecan Fudge.

You’re just going to need; nuts, white sugar, water and if you want a bit of spice then cayenne pepper. The key to getting it done well is two fold. You want to ensure the sugars are boiled long enough to dissolve the crystals, and they need to dry long enough.

Use a piece of parchment paper on top of a baking sheet or a silpat mat so they don’t stick as they come back to room temperature. These make great gifts when cooled inside cellophane bags with cute ties on them during the holidays.

Of course you can crush them and add into baked goods too like our mini banana muffins or on top of 5 ingredient monkey bread for breakfast. They store quite well if done correctly too and can be snacked on for weeks on end.

Candied Pecans No Egg on Stove

• Lime your baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. In a medium saucepan add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Place over medium heat and stir constantly.
• Bring the granulated sugar solution to a boil and boil for a good 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add nuts into the syrup, tossing to coat.
• If the syrup becomes thick too quickly, add the remaining water and stir until the sugar is crystalized on the pecan halves.
  • Pour your sugared pecans on parchment paper to cool, breaking apart if needed so they are separated.
• Allow to dry completely prior to storing in an airtight container or using on top of our Pumpkin Pecan Pie Recipe.

Stove top Candied Pecans

You can add a pinch of salt on to the top for a salty sweet taste if you like. The combination of the two flavors is really yummy. If you wanted to make them spicy there are a few options to sprinkle on the top for that as well, you may have your own choice.

How to make candied pecans spicy

Cayenne pepper works well for these and our slow cooker cajun boiled peanuts for some heat. Once you add the pecans to the baking sheet to cool, sprinkle on your seasonings at that time so it sticks nicely. Easy stovetop candied pecans recipe you can get your kids involved in too.

When gifting these you can let your imagination go wild. There are tons of different baggies out there that come with ties, but twine with a little wooden tag attached wishing someone a Merry Christmas or Easter is super cute too.

How Long will Candied Pecans Last?

If stored correctly (when they are cooled, inside sealed containers) these will last up to 3 weeks. Beyond that it is not like they will go “bad” but typically will begin to soften and not be as crunchy as they once were when fresh. Keeping all the air out is key to freshness so freezer Ziploc bags are best

You can keep in the fridge for a more even temperature. They will stay a bit drier that way than on your countertop which may be more humid and create condensation inside the bags. Every time you take a few out remember to suck the air out of the bags again when resealing and storing them. Jump to recipe and get started.