Maple Candied Pecans

Name: Maple Candied Pecans (Naturally Sweetened)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups shelled pecans (I like whole pecans); 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

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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.

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.

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!

Add the pecans and maple syrup to the pan and turn on the heat.
Stir as the maple syrup gently simmers and the water evaporates.
When there is no water left, dump the nuts onto a piece of waxed paper and let them cool.
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.

Maple Candied Pecans (Naturally Sweetened)

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Author: Melissa Griffiths
Total Time: 13 min
Yield: Makes 2 cups 1x

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Description

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.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups shelled pecans (I like whole pecans)
½ 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.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 8 min
Category: Snack
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Makes 2 cups

Keywords: maple candied pecan recipe, candied pecan recipe, pecan recipe, candied nut recipes, easy snack recipe, maple syrup candy recipe, cooking with pecans

pin that reads "easy candied pecans" with two images of the sugary pecans in a bowl on a towel

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 favorite popcorn recipe. Just be warned, once you start eating these maple candied pecans, it's hard to walk away.