Candied Pecans Recipe

Prepare equipment

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Have a spatula or fork ready to separate nuts once out of the oven.

Combine wet ingredients

In a medium nonreactive skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter with the water, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Coat pecans

Add the pecan halves to the pan and toss to coat them evenly with the butter-water-vanilla mixture.

Add sugar and spices

Sprinkle the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt, and optional pinch of cayenne pepper over the coated pecans. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar begins to dissolve and wet-sugar crystals coat the nuts, about 3–5 minutes. The mixture should be glossy but not fully caramelized.

Transfer to baking sheet

Immediately pour and spread the pecans in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet, separating any clusters with a spatula or fork so they remain mostly individual pieces.

Bake to finish and crisp

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–18 minutes, stirring once halfway through (around 8–10 minutes) to ensure even toasting. Watch carefully near the end to prevent burning—the sugar should dry and the pecans should become fragrant and slightly darker.

Cool and break apart

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the pecans cool completely on the sheet (about 20–30 minutes). As they cool, the sugar coating will harden. Use your fingers or a fork to break apart any pieces that stuck together.

Store

Once fully cooled, transfer the candied pecans to an airtight container. They keep well at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or refrigerated for up to 1 month.