Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Pecans
Warm, crunchy, sweet cinnamon sugar roasted pecans with a glossy, crisp shell and cozy spice. Perfect for holiday gifting, snacking, salads, and dessert toppings.
Ingredients
- 4 cups pecan halves about 1 lb / 454 g; raw, not roasted or salted
- 1 large egg white or 3 tablespoons pasteurized liquid egg whites
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar 100 g, packed; dark brown sugar ok for deeper flavor
- 1 1/2-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon use 2 teaspoons for bolder flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt; increase to 3/4 teaspoon for saltier-sweet nuts
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice optional, for extra warm spice
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional; add more for noticeable heat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If your pan is small, prepare two pans so the pecans can bake in a single layer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and, if using, nutmeg or allspice and cayenne pepper. Break up any clumps of brown sugar so the mixture is evenly combined. Set aside.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 1/2-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- In a large mixing bowl, add the egg white and water. Whisk or beat with a fork until frothy and slightly thickened, 30–45 seconds. You do not need stiff peaks; just a foamy texture. Whisk in the vanilla extract.1 large egg white, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the pecan halves to the egg white mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until every pecan looks lightly and evenly coated.4 cups pecan halves
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the wet pecans in 2–3 additions, tossing well between each addition. Continue stirring until all pecans are evenly covered in a sandy, sticky coating and almost no loose sugar remains in the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer the coated pecans to the prepared baking sheet. Spread them into an even, single layer, separating any large clumps so they roast and crisp evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Each time you stir, spread the pecans back into an even single layer. The coating should gradually dry out, harden, and darken slightly, and the nuts will smell toasty and cinnamon-y.
- Starting around the 25-minute mark, check more frequently. The pecans are done when the coating looks dry rather than wet or shiny and the nuts are deeply fragrant but not burned, especially around the edges of the pan.
- Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let the pecans cool completely on the pan. As they cool, the coating will crisp up into a crunchy shell. If you prefer individual pieces, break up any clusters while the nuts are still slightly warm.
- Once completely cooled, taste a few pecans. If you’d like more salty-sweet contrast, sprinkle a very small pinch of flaky sea salt over the top while the nuts are still just slightly warm, then let cool fully before storing.
Notes
Yield: about 4 cups of pecans (8–10 snack servings, more if used as a topping). Store fully cooled pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months. To re-crisp if they soften, spread on a baking sheet and warm at 275°F (135°C) for 5–8 minutes, then cool completely.
Serving ideas: snack straight from the jar, use as a salad topping with greens, goat cheese and pears, sprinkle over ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, brownies, pumpkin or sweet potato pie, or crumble over roasted sweet potatoes.
Variations:
- Pumpkin Spice: Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
- Vanilla Maple: Replace 1/4 cup of the brown sugar with maple sugar or finely ground maple flakes.
- Spicy Smoked: Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
- Orange Cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest to the sugar mixture.
- Mixed Nuts: Use a mix of pecans, walnuts, and almonds totaling about 4 cups; bake the same way. Tips: Keep oven at 300°F to prevent burning. Always line the pan with parchment or a silicone mat so the coating doesn’t stick. Taste pecans before starting to be sure they’re fresh, and adjust salt level depending on whether you’ll mainly snack on them or use them as a dessert topping.
- Pumpkin Spice: Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
- Vanilla Maple: Replace 1/4 cup of the brown sugar with maple sugar or finely ground maple flakes.
- Spicy Smoked: Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
- Orange Cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest to the sugar mixture.
- Mixed Nuts: Use a mix of pecans, walnuts, and almonds totaling about 4 cups; bake the same way. Tips: Keep oven at 300°F to prevent burning. Always line the pan with parchment or a silicone mat so the coating doesn’t stick. Taste pecans before starting to be sure they’re fresh, and adjust salt level depending on whether you’ll mainly snack on them or use them as a dessert topping.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal
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