6 Minute Candied Pecans on Stovetop is chewy, crisp, salty, not-too-sweet and highly addictive!! They are perfect as snack or on salads, ice cream, yogurt, pancakes and as a homemade gift.
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Continuing our Holiday vibes with a candied pecans made in stovetop which is a variation to our 5 Minute Caramel Walnuts recipe! This is so easy and delicious used in so many ways.
I love making quick and easy sugared pecans during holiday months. They are great for topping on salads, as a snack, breakfast and desserts. My favorite part is that it is ready in under 6 minutes, made with brown sugar (check out more brown sugar desserts), without cinnamon and uses no eggs, making it great for vegetarians.
This is a basic recipe, so feel free to play around with your favorite spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger to really make them your own. I love making them sweet and salty.
They are also incredibly easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients (water and salt not counted), naturally gluten-free and once you start snacking on these, it’s going to be hard to stop!
Stovetop Candied Pecans
- Under 5 ingredients
- Ready in under 6 minutes
- No Eggs
- Made in skillet
- No oven
- Can be made Vegan / Dairy Free
- Gluten Free
- Delicious as a snack
- Topping for Yogurt/Pancakes/Salads
Ingredients
Pecans – Raw pecan halves
Sugar – This recipe uses both golden brown sugar for lovely caramel flavor and white sugar at the end for a sweet crunch.
Butter – Unsalted butter (reduce salt if using salted butter) or use coconut oil to make it vegan / dairy free.
How to make easy candied pecans?
This is a simple recipe and is made in just a few minutes
Cook in a skillet – Add pecans, brown sugar, water, butter and salt into a medium non-stick skillet, cook on high heat, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
When most of moisture evaporates, continue cooking on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until all moisture evaportes and then the nuts turn darker and glossy.
Cool – Transfer nuts to a parchment paper and spread around to seperate the nuts. Sprinkle more salt on top. Cool completely to harden.
Toss in sugar – Seperate the nuts and toss them in white sugar. Store in a sealed container.
brown sugar, pecans and butter in a skillet. 
Bubbling pecans with caramel in a skillet on stovetop.
Expert tips
Non-stick skillet is a must.
Double the recipe – Simply double the ingredients and cook in a larger non-stick skillet.
Heat should be high for the first 4 minutes and medium-high for the remaining time.
The caramel gets very hot, so please make sure to not have children or pets around the stove top when making these nuts.
White sugar – This helps the nuts stay separate and gives a lovely sweet taste.
Make it vegan / Dairy Free – Use 1 tablespoon coconut oil instead of butter
Use raw pecans and not toasted nuts.
How to serve?
- Great as a snack
- Homemade Holiday gift
- On cheese boards
- With Ice creams
- Top pancakes or waffles
- With Yogurt or Oatmeal
- For Salads (Skip the final step of tossing in white sugar)
How to store?
Store brown sugar glazed pecans in a sealed container for up to a week
Variations
- Toss ground cinnamon along with white sugar
- Give a spicy kick –> Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the white sugar
- Make it spicy —> Mix your favorite spices like pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove or ginger.
Frequently asked questions
Candied pecans are good for a week, when stored in an airtight container at room temperature and in the freezer for a month.
When you remove nuts right after the moisture evaporates then they tend to not get as crispy and stays soft even after cooling to room temperature. So, make sure to cook them until they turn darker and glossy.
This recipe works well with walnuts.
How to package for a gift?
Wrap skillet candied pecans in a clear cellophane and then tie with a pretty ribbon <—- Great for teachers / friends / family.
Try adding these to the following recipes:
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Date Walnut Chocolate Balls
- Almond Butter pancakes
- Oatmeal in air fryer
- Bread Pudding
- Pumpkin Belgian Waffles
- Apple Oatmeal
More Holiday recipes
- Snowball Cookies
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- Coffee and Chocolate Drink
- Cookie Dough with Almond Flour
- Brownie Bites
- Red Velvet Mug Cake
- Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Stovetop Candied Pecans with Brown Sugar
6 Minute Candied Pecans on Stovetop is chewy, crisp, salty and highly addictive!! They are perfect as snack or on salads, ice cream, yogurt, pancakes and as a homemade gift.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pecan halves
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon golden Brown Sugar (both packed)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt, divided
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
Instructions
1. Place a piece of parchment on a dinner plate (approximately the size of the plate) or any other heat proof plate. Set aside.
2. Place pecans, brown sugar, water, butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium (9 to 10 inches) non-stick skillet.
Notes
Non-stick skillet is a must.
Double the recipe – Simply double the ingredients and cook in a larger non-stick skillet.
Salted butter - Reduce salt if using salted butter
Use room temperature or cold butter.
Heat should be high for the first 4 minutes and medium-high for the remaining time.
The caramel gets very hot, so please make sure to not have children or pets around the stove top when making these nuts.
White sugar – This helps the nuts stay separate and give a lovely sweet crunch.
Make it vegan / Dairy Free – Use 1 tablespoon coconut oil instead of butter
Use raw pecans and not toasted nuts.
Mix ground cinnamon along with white sugar to make cinnamon candied pecans
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is a product of online calculator such as Nutrifox.com.. Although Kitchen at Hoskins attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their fact sources and algorithms. Under no circumstances will Kitchen at Hoskins be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the nutritional information. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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