This is one of my go-to staple recipes & I am so excited to share this with you today! Sweet or Spicy Pecans are SO easy to make! They store great and they are the perfect topper for so many things. They are also great on their own to make your handful of nuts a little more fun.
Now you can use ANY nuts or seeds you like with this recipe, it’s so versatile with only a few ingredients which is another reason I love it.
This recipe also works with all seasons! Here are some ways to use these nuts year-round
SUMMER: It makes for a great topper on your summer salads or onto grilled peaches with ice cream for a dessert. The Summer Spinach Salad Recipe features these nuts (see picture below), if you would like this recipe along with all 8 Summer Salads recipes, click here to snag the full Sensational Summer Series Blog Post).
FALL: As we transition into fall, they are a great topper to your oatmeal or cereals or a great addition to your lunchbox as a snack
WINTER: I add nutmeg into the seasonings to make a great candied holiday nut to give as gifts or roll your holiday cheese ball in these nuts.
SPRING: I swap plain nuts for these nuts in your carrot cake, crush them and sprinkle them over top of those springtime veggie side dishes (on beets & asparagus are so yummy!)
Sweet & Spicy Candied Pecans
This recipe is so versatile in that you can use any nuts or seeds you like, and you can swap seasonings out and make them yours! Use this recipe as a base recipe and have fun experimenting and adding in your own flavor combinations.
Equipment
- 1 baking pan
Ingredients
Sweet Candied Pecans
- 2 cups pecans or nuts or seeds of choice
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt or whatever salt you have on hand
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or whatever sweetener you like here (honey, cane or monk fruit all work good too)
Spicy Candied Pecans
- 2 cups pecans or nuts or seeds of choice
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika or I like the Tajin Spice here too
- 2 tbsp avocado oil I choose a higher smoke point oil here but you can use what you have.
Instructions
- Mix all your sweet ingredients in a bowl or all your spicy ingredients into a bowl. Be sure to give it a good stir so the nuts are well coated.
- Spread out your nuts evenly on a baking sheet so they are not too crowded. I do like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable oven liner to make clean-up a breeze!
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove let the nuts cool, then store them in the fridge for 2 months or freezer for 6 months in an airtight container.