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Easy Candied Pecans

Easy candied pecans made with an egg-white glaze and cinnamon sugar for a crackly, glossy coating. Low-and-slow baking at 250°F gives crunchy results you can cool fully on the pan.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Easy candied pecans
  • 1 lb pecan halves
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat oven to 250°F, then line a sheet pan with parchment so the pecans won’t stick.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the egg white, water, and vanilla extract until frothy.
Coat with egg white and cinnamon sugar
  1. Toss pecan halves in the egg-white mixture until evenly coated, with no dry spots visible.
  2. Mix sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt, then toss the coated pecans with the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
Bake for crunch
  1. Spread pecans in a single layer on the parchment, arranging them so they’re not piled up.
  2. Bake for 1 hour at 250°F, stirring every 15 minutes for even, glossy caramelization.
Cool and store
  1. Cool pecans completely on the pan until crunchy, then break apart for snack-size clusters.
  2. Store cooled candied pecans airtight for best crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: keep stirring every 15 minutes so the cinnamon sugar turns crackly rather than clumping in one spot. Cool completely on the pan before sealing—warm nuts soften quickly. Store airtight in the pantry for up to 1 week (fridge up to 2 weeks); freeze up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use a 1:1 non-dairy sugar substitute that measures like sugar if you want a lower-sugar option.