Easy Vegan Candied Pecans

Hello, my chickpeas! As we get closer to fall, there are certain foods that just feel appropriate for the season. In my book, anything on the sweeter side fits that bill. Say hello to my Candied Pecans!

These are sweet, but not TOO sweet, and just crunchy enough. They are perfect to snack on as a fun little treat, or as a salad topping for a sweet crunch. Super easy to throw together, and I truly hope you give them a try!

Inspiration for Candied Pecans

I've been on a big salad kick lately, and I recently made a salad that called for candied pecans. I didn't have a go-to recipe for them yet, so I created my own and this recipe was born! 

Many candied nut recipes are VERY sweet - which is fine if that is what you are going for. But for my version, I wanted the pecan flavor to shine and simply be complimented by just enough sugary sweetness. Many candied nuts also use egg whites, so I wanted mine to be egg-free for us vegans!

After I had already started testing this recipe, a memory came to me. I had a friend in college who LOVED making candied walnuts. She gave me candied walnuts as a gift on multiple occasions, and I was always excited to stuff them in my face. Now every time I make these candied pecans I think of her and how happy her candied walnuts made me! I hope that this recipe brings as much joy to you as her candied walnut gifts always brought to me. 

Ingredients for Candied Pecans

• Pecans - an obvious ingredient! Check out the bulk foods section of your grocery store if you are having a hard time finding them! 
• Maple syrup - for some sweetness, and to act as a glue to stick all of our other ingredients to the pecans.
• Coconut sugar and cinnamon - the coconut sugar provides the rest of our sweetness, and then the cinnamon adds some fun cozy flavors!

How to make Candied Pecans

Full recipe is at the bottom of this post, but here's the basics:

1. Coat pecans in maple syrup.
2. Add a few more ingredients for flavor and mix.
3. Bake for a bit, give them a mix on the baking tray, and bake a bit longer.
4. Let cool and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

As usual, I encourage you to make this your own and experiment if you want to! Here are some ideas for you:

• Not a pecan fan? I haven't tried this specific recipe with any other nut, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. I think walnuts or almonds would also be delicious!
• Get creative with how you use these! You can use them as a topping on salads, yogurt, or even ice cream! They're also a great snack on their own!
• Like I mentioned above, my friend used to gift candied nuts all the time and they were always a favorite! For a simple gift idea for the holidays, make a big batch of these and pour them into cute jars for your friends! 
• Looking for other holiday-inspired treats? Check out my Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate or my Vegan Gingerbread Cookies next!

Enjoy!

Easy Vegan Candied Pecans

Delaney Marie

A super fun and quick recipe to make when you are craving a fun little treat with some fall vibes! Snack on these Candied Pecans on their own, or sprinkle them on salads, ice cream, or yogurt for a fun crunchy topping. You can also put them in cute jars to give as gifts for the holidays!

*Note that From Start to Finish includes 15 minutes to preheat your oven (and chop your pecans while it preheats), and then 35 minutes to complete the recipe (which mostly consists of baking the pecans and then letting them cool). There is very little hands-on time involved in this recipe!

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From Start to Finish50 minutes mins

Servings4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup pecans - roughly chopped
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoon coconut sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325 F
• Add your pecans and maple syrup to a bowl. Mix together until the pecans are evenly coated in a thin layer of the maple syrup.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Make sure they are all evenly incorporated, and be sure to break apart any clumps of coconut sugar. (By mixing these in a separate bowl, everything will be more evenly distributed when you add the mixture to the pecans).
• Add your coconut sugar mix to the pecans and stir until pecans are evenly coated.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Spread your pecans on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, mix on the baking sheet, and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until they are cooked to your liking (for me they are perfect at 8 minutes).
• Remove from oven and give one last mix on the baking sheet - this will help to prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet too much as they cool. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. As they cool they will get a little more crispy.
• Use as a topping on whatever you want, or just eat them as a snack! Enjoy!

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Happy cooking, friends! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your candied-pecan-making ways.

Stay jouyfully balanced!