Maple Pecans
Glazed with real maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon, these candied maple pecans are so easy to make even more satisfying to eat. They’re great in salads, like a pear arugula salad, and they make a great snack or treat. They’d even be perfect for gifting.
Why you’ll love these maple pecans
- After I made my pear arugula salad, I could stop eating these maple pecans. Thankfully, I had made an extra large batch so they made a pretty good snack all week.
- The perfectly balanced sweetness of these pecans will make you happy this holiday season. They’re just sweet enough, with a hint of salt and spice, and the maple syrup crystallizes as it cooks down giving these maple pecans the perfect amount of crunch, too.
- I’m thinking of making a few more batches for holiday gifts, too. They’d be adorable wrapped up with a little twine and a cute printable tag. We’ll see if I get there though, life has been very busy lately.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Pecans – You can use any pecans you want. I like to buy the pecan pieces and halves so that I get a little more surface area for maple, but whole pecans halves will work, too.
- Maple syrup – You need high-quality maple syrup for this recipe. I mean the real deal here, not pancake syrup.
- Cinnamon – You can use other spices here, like a pumpkin pie spice or even a little mix of your own. A pinch of cayenne would make these beautifully spicy.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make these maple candied pecans
Toast the pecans. Start by toasting the pecans to bring out their flavor. I do this over medium-low heat in a large skillet.
Coat with maple syrup. When the pecans are nice and toasty, add the maple syrup, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the pecans evenly.
Simmer. Next, little the maple syrup reduce oven the heat, allowing it to thicken and crystalize as it simmers. Keep an eye on the pan, and stir frequently to prevent anything from burning. Once there’s significantly less syrup in the pan, you can remove the pecans and transfer them to a large piece of parchment paper to cool.
Everything you need to know about this candied pecans
If your candied nuts are turning out all grainy, one reason might be that your sugar crystalized too soon. This could be due to not stirring frequently enough or if your heat is too high.
Yes pecans contain natural sugars, these become more pronounced when toasted – toasting also enhances the buttery, nutty flavors. This is what makes them great for baked goods and sweet treats, like ice cream sundaes or mixed into smoothies.
If your candied pecans are turning out too sticky it might be due to improper ratios of sugar/syrup to pecans in the pan and that they have been evenly coated with occasional but consistent stirring. Another common culprit is overly high heat, so keep an eye on that and adjust if needed. Also, let the pecans cool naturally — popping them in the fridge can cause the coating to become tacky.
Allow the pecans to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. If you store them in the fridge – it can extend their life, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving. You can store these sweet treats up to 2 weeks at room temperature and up to 2 months in the refrigerator.
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Maple Pecans
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Description
Glazed with real maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon, these candied maple pecans are so easy to make even more satisfying to eat. They’re great in salads and make a great snack or treat. They’d even be perfect for holiday gifting.
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 cups pecan halves, or pieces
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- Pinch of coarse salt (or sea salt)
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add pecans and begin to toast them.
- Once warmed through, add maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Stir to coat.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup has thickened and there is no excess liquid in the pan.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet (or cooling rack) to cool.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
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