Easy Candied Pecans Recipe

Name: Easy Candied Pecans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 250 min
Ingredients: 4 cups pecans; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 3 tablespoons cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon salt; 3 egg whites; 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla; 3 tablespoons water

These sugary candied cinnamon pecans are so EASY to make in your slow cooker, and make a deliciously festive holiday treat!

For more make-ahead holiday desserts, check out my yummy recipes for Apple Pecan Pie, Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars, and Apple Slab Pie.

cinnamon pecans in a jar tied with a holiday ribbon

Why This Recipe Works

So so so so good — Am I eating these candied pecans as I type this? Maybe. Are pieces of sugar falling down into my keyboard and on my lap? Perhaps. When I tell you these are so delicious and addicting, take that as a warning. You may not be able to put them down once you start eating them.

Hands-free cooking — Show of hands (ha ha see what I did there?): Who loves to “set it and forget it” with a slow cooker? Always! No oven, no stove, just a slow cooker and a few easy ingredients. Plus, the clean up is easier than you might think! Honest!

Quick prep — The prep time for these homemade candied pecans is about 8 minutes. They require a quick stir for about half an hour or so to ensure even cooking. When you’re in the kitchen, walking by, just take the lid off, give it a quick stir and reward yourself with one of the best aromas ever!

Perfect for gift-giving — If you can manage to part with a few (I can’t obviously so I have to make a second and third batch) they also make the most amazing neighbor/coworker/friend gift.

Ingredients

Pecans — You can’t really make this candied pecans recipe without, well, the pecans. Use pecan halves for best results.

Sugar & brown sugar — Candied pecans require both kinds of sugar to achieve the perfect flavor balance. Brown sugar has a deeper, richer, more complex taste while white sugar caramelizes and adds that lovely texture to the pecans.

Cinnamon — Don’t skimp on the cinnamon in this holiday recipe. It’s the perfect balance against the sugar. Any store bought ground cinnamon will do.

Salt — A pinch of regular table salt helps bring all the flavors together.

Egg whites — Egg whites help the sugar and cinnamon to stick to the pecans.

Vanilla — Vanilla gives a little more flavor to the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Kind of a “behind-the-scenes” flavor.

Water — I add a bit of water to these easy homemade candied pecans when they’re done cooking to help release them from the slow cooker to make it easier to transfer them to a baking sheet to cool.

Here’s How You Make It

First, get out a large bowl and whisk together the egg whites and vanilla until it’s foamy. (photos 1-2)
Take out another bowl and combine the white and brown sugars, the cinnamon, and the salt and stir together until all the ingredients are mixed well together. Add the pecans to the egg mixture and toss to coat, then pour the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the bowl of pecans and toss to coat them well. (photos 3-5)
Transfer everything into a greased slow cooker. (photo 6)
Allow the candied pecans to cook, covered, on low for 3 1/2 hours, remembering to give them a stir every 30 minutes or so. (not pictured)
When they’re done cooking, add 3 tablespoons of water and stir, then transfer the pecans onto a lightly greased baking sheet and allow them to cool completely (this could take up to an hour or two for all of the sugar to crystalize – don’t be afraid to sneak a few!), then store in an airtight container. (photos 7-8)

Why Are My Candied Pecans Soggy?

Soggy, candied pecans are a real bummer. What’s the culprit? Did you not allow them to cook for a solid 3.5 hours? You really can’t rush this process, unfortunately.

Another reason they may become soggy is if you don’t store them in an airtight container. If they’re in a baggie, check that it doesn’t have holes in it. The best containers are glass because the tight fitting lids on them means no moisture is getting in and also the glass won’t have absorbed odors or flavors from whatever you may have stored in there previously.

Also, remember that they harden as they cool on a baking sheet. Don’t skip this step. If you take them right out of the slow cooker and don’t let them harden, the sugar won’t crystalize properly, and could result in a soggy pecan.

How Do You Keep Candied Pecans from Sticking?

The pecans will be sticky when you pour them out of the slow cooker and onto your baking sheet. However, they will harden as they cool. If you find that they are still sticky after cooling, you can pop the baking sheet in the oven at 325 and cook them for another 5-10 minutes or so, until the sugar melts and caramelizes some more. Allow this to go through a second round of cooling on the baking sheet once you take it out of the oven.

Expert Tips & Tricks

These homemade candied pecans can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
If given as gifts, I’ve found putting them in Mason jars with lids tied with a bow to be a super cute presentation, plus, the gift receiver can re-use the jar!
Do not freeze or refrigerate these easy candied pecans.