Spiced Candied Pecans (Paleo, gluten-free)

easy, healthy roasted pecans in a white bowl on a blue table runner next to a baking sheet with pecan crumbs on it

5 from 8 votes

Spiced Candied Pecans (Paleo, gluten-free)

Roasted pecans are glazed with honey and maple syrup and coated in spices for a sweet, savory and spicy (if you want) snack. They're so easy to make and are perfect as is, with cocktails or on a salad.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 270kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

2 cups / 680g / 24 oz. pecan halves
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (the darker the better)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°.
Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until toasted and fragrant, 8-10 minutes.
Pour the honey and maple syrup over them and carefully (the baking sheet will be hot) toss on the sheet until evenly coated. ⁣Spread back out in an even layer. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the spices and salt in a small bowl. ⁣
Scrape the nuts and any extra honey and maple syrup on the baking sheet into a large bowl. Toss and stir with a heat-proof spoon or spatula as you add the spice mixture a third at a time. The nuts will be sticky but just keep at it until they're all evenly coated.
Spread them out on a new, clean baking sheet. Break up any clusters as much as possible and let cool so they dry out, lose their stickiness and get all crunchy, about 10-15 minutes.

Notes

You can double the recipe and use 2 baking sheets. Be sure to swap and rotate the pans halfway through both baking times.

Substitutions and variations

You can use all honey or all maple syrup.
To make vegan candied pecans, use all maple syrup.
To make keto candied pecans, use keto sweeteners like a keto honey substitute and/or keto maple syrup substitute.
Want to make them even more interesting? Omit the honey and maple syrup and use 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses instead. This is pomegranate juice that has been reducing until thick and syrupy. It's wonderfully sweet, bright, sour and tart and works perfectly with the spices. It often has sugar added to it so if you use it the recipe will not be refined sugar-free anymore.
I wouldn't use other types of nuts for this specific recipe. Since they're all different sizes, they can bake at different times and aren't as easy to stir with the spices.
You can leave out any of the spices if you don't have them or don't like them.

How to use Spiced Candied Pecans

Eat as is for an irresistible snack.
Use some of these spiced candied pecans for a salad.
Chop some up and sprinkle over a soup.
Sprinkle over vanilla, chocolate or your favorite ice cream.
Stir some into regular or Greek yogurt.
Chop them up and sprinkle over your favorite muffins before baking.

Make ahead

These nuts will last in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

To freeze them, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on the parchment and freeze. Once they're frozen, add them to a freezer-safe container or baggie and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition