Maple Candied Pecans

5 from 3 votes

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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 limit with these addicting little nuts.

side view candied pecans
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Maple Candied Pecans

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.

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. Cooking the nuts slow and low doesn’t mean it takes a long time, only about 7 minutes total, but don’t forget to stir.

candied pecans on parchment

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, they’re just sweet. My husband doesn’t like maple at all and he loves these.

How to Make Candied Pecans

It couldn’t be easier!

  1. Add the pecans and maple syrup to the pan and turn on the heat.
  2. Stir as the maple syrup gently simmers and the water evaporates.
  3. When there is no water left, dump the nuts onto a piece of waxed paper and let them cool.
  4. Enjoy!
candied pecans in a bowl view from the top

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long can you keep candied pecans?

Candied pecans will last for a good amount of time. 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.

Why are my candied pecans soft?

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. 

Do I need to stir candied nuts?

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.

candied pecans on top mixed spring greens in a salad bowl

More pecan recipes:

If you’ve tried this candied pecan recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

side view candied pecans
5 from 3 votes

Maple Candied Pecans (Naturally Sweetened)

Maple Candied Pecans are the easiest snack recipe EVER! 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.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 13 minutes
Servings: 8 (Makes 2 cups)

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 2mg, Potassium: 147mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 14IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 1mg
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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.

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12 Comments

  1. 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?

  2. 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!?

  3. 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…

  4. 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!

  5. 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.

    1. 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!