Maple Candied Pecans
on Jul 12, 2022, Updated Apr 16, 2024
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Candied Pecans are simple and made with just two ingredients, pecans and maple syrup! You can have these delicious nuts out of the pan in 15 minutes.
Candied pecans made on the stovetop are such a sweet treat that work for garnishing so many different things. They are a great addition to any salad, yogurt, cheeseboard, dessert or a yummy snack. Sky is the limit with these addicting little nuts.
Candied Pecans are perfect to throw on top of your favorite salads, to eat plain, over yogurt, ice cream and to add to oatmeal or your cinnamon caramel popcorn recipe. Just be warned, once you start eating these maple candied pecans, it’s hard to walk away.
You can’t get any easier than mixing together pecans and pure maple syrup and letting them slowly cook down together, bubbling and popping along the way, until you end up with perfect candied nuts that are naturally sweet. Your house will smell amazing and you’ll be picking them up hot to pop in your mouth as soon as you can. You’ll love how easy these maple candied pecans are to make.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: With just a few simple steps, this recipe allows you to whip up a delicious snack or topping in no time. It’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
- Healthier Option: Since these candied pecans are naturally sweetened and don’t contain any processed sugars, they offer a healthier alternative to traditional candied nuts. It’s a great option for those looking to satisfy their sweet cravings without consuming refined sugars.
- Versatility: These Maple Candied Pecans can be used in various ways – as a topping for salads, oatmeal, or yogurt, or as a standalone snack. I appreciate recipes that offer versatility in how they can be enjoyed.
Ingredients
- Pecans: Use whole pecan pieces for easier eating. (You can use pecan pieces though if you are going to throw them into a salad.)
- Real maple syrup: Don’t use the fake corn syrup kind of maple syrup here! The real stuff makes the best maple sugar! And surprisingly enough, it doesn’t have a big maple syrup flavor when the nuts are finished, they’re just sweet. My husband doesn’t like maple at all and he loves these.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Candied Pecans
Step #1. Add the pecans and maple syrup to the pan and turn on the heat.
Step #3. When there is no water left, dump the nuts onto a piece of waxed paper and let them cool.
Step #2. Stir as the maple syrup gently simmers and the water evaporates.
Step #4. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks. You can refrigerate them for about 3 weeks but in my experience they stay the best and crunchiest at room temperature. You can also store in the freezer for about a month.
Pecans could turn soft if they were stored before they were completely cooled. Make sure to let them cool for at least 20 minutes before storing in an airtight container.
Yes! They only take 7 minutes to cook but you have to constantly stir them. Burning two cups of nuts would be something to cry over.
I used a cast iron skillet to make these maple candied pecans. You’ll want to use that or a heavy bottomed pan of your own. A nice thick pan will distribute the heat well and help your nuts to candy and cook evenly without burning.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to let the pecans cool completely before storing so they stay nice and crunchy.
- As you stir, make sure that each pecan is evenly coated with the maple syrup so that each one has the same flavor and crunch.
More Snack Recipes to Consider
Maple Candied Pecans (Naturally Sweetened)
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled pecans, (I like whole pecans)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed skillet or pan, heat the pecans and maple syrup over low to medium-low heat, stirring continuously. The maple syrup will start to bubble and you’ll see the extra moisture evaporating. Keep cooking and stirring until all of the extra moisture has evaporated and the maple sure starts to crystallize and stick to the nuts. This should take 5-8 minutes. Make sure you stir the whole time so that you don’t burn the nuts.
- When the moisture is all gone turn the nuts out onto a baking mat or a piece of parchment (or waxed) paper and let the nuts cool. Enjoy just as they are or add to your favorite salads, trail mix, granola, popcorn, or dessert.
Notes
- You can add spices to this at the beginning of the cooking time if you like spiced candied nuts (like cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice!).
- The sugar in the maple syrup will crystalize and you’ll see the little chunks of it sticking to the nuts right before they are done.
- You can also add a little salt to these in the beginning, I like a little salt to my sweet nuts.
- You can use walnuts or almonds in place of the pecans if needed.
My syrup was a tiny bit stringy as they finished, but then they went a little dark and not crystalline. About 8 min. Was my medium electric heat too warm?
Yep, the temp was just a little too hot for this. Did it still taste ok?
easy simple recipe…i added a little of vanilla…way better using a kettle pan than roasting in the oven.
I love when you show up on my Google recipe searches! This was easy and delicious. Thank you!
I’m going to be busy making all your yummys. I hope your family is better. I’m a little late reading this. Lol
Yum!
Thank goodness you finally have answers! I hate to admit it but one reason I worried about having more kids was always being worried they would get sick so small. I will never get the image of Garrett at the doctor’s office in this straight jacket thing (before he was 1) out my head…I think it scared me out of more kids. I can totally understand your break downs…you handle it better than I ever would! Did you call the pediatrician who gave the virus diagnosis? Now onto the pecans…I love pecans and must give this a try…like immediately! I’ll let you know how they turn out!?
Holy cow! A momma always knows when something isn’t right! Also, this recipe looks amazing! I’m originally from New England and we usually get some real maple syrup when we visit home. We just ran out and I thought I was disappointed before…
Oh Melissa, that sounds like a nightmare! I’m so sorry!! Sending healing vibes your way!! And these nuts look divine. I’ll definitely try them out!
Hang in there…. hope all the kids are feeling better.
It is so hard to see my kids get sick. I’m so sorry to hear that your kids have been sick for so long! Praise God that someone was there to mention what it might be. I hope all goes well and they are all better really soon. The recipe looks amazing and I will have to try it.
Thank you for your kind words Amy! I hope you try that recipe, it’s an easy one that I’ve been making over and over again!