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Candied pecans

Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword candied nuts, candied pecans, cinnamon pecans, gift in a tin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Pecan halves coated in a cinnamon sugar syrup and baked until crisp. They keep well, so they work for snacking, topping salads or gifting in a tin.

Ingredients

  • About 2¾ cups pecan halves
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Warm the pecans in a 250°F oven for about 10 minutes. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.
  • Grease a large saucepan with the rest of the butter, then stir in the sugar, water, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then cover and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Without stirring, cook to 236°F (soft-ball stage). Take off the heat, stir in the vanilla, then add the warm pecans and stir until coated.
  • Spread on the pan and bake at 250°F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread on a sheet lined with waxed paper to cool.

Notes

Store airtight at room temperature up to a week, or freeze up to six months; cool completely before sealing. If sticky, bake 15 to 20 minutes more. Candy thermometer: 236°F. Contains pecans.