Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

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Air fryer candied pecans are incredibly easy to make and the perfect crunch for salad, yogurt, ice cream and oatmeal bowls. These quick candied pecans are delicious and made with just simple ingredients.

This easy air fryer candied pecans recipe is an all-time favorite of mine–especially during the holidays and cooler months. Cinnamon sugar pecans are great for salads, appetizers, snacks, and a great gift for friends and family.

Made with no egg and just a handful of simple ingredients, this air fryer nuts recipe is the best, so easy, and full of magical flavors! Add these sugar-coated pecans to the table with cranberry sauce and your other favorite seasonal recipes that are just so comforting and delicious.

Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (1)

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Glazed pecans are sweet, yet spicy and can easily be customized to fit your needs! Serve these candied nuts as gifts in little bags or just to snack on around the house whenever you’re wanting nutty flavors. These nuts are great for any occasion!

Ingredients

Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (2)

Brown Sugar– Light brown sugar is used to sweeten these nuts and create that perfect candied look. Feel free to use dark brown sugar or your favorite sugar-free granulated dark sugar.

Cinnamon– Ground cinnamon is used to give these nuts warm and spicy aromas and to balance the sweetness of the sugars. If you only have cinnamon sticks, then grate those on a boxed grater.

Ginger– Ginger gives these nuts a bright flavor. I used ground ginger.

Nutmeg– Spicy ground nutmeg is the perfect addition to the cinnamon for these air fryer candied nuts and ties this recipe together. Use ground nutmeg or grate a piece of the whole nutmeg.

Maple Syrup– Sweet maple syrup adds extra natural sweetness that coats the nuts perfectly.

Water– Purified water is used to create the base for the sugar mixture.

Pecans– You will want to make sure the raw pecans are halved. Use freshly picked pecans or some from the store!

Salt– A little bit of salt is used to give this spiced nut recipe a hint of savoriness that doesn’t allow these nuts to be too sweet.

How to Make Candied Pecans in the Air Fryer

Candied nuts made in the air fryer take way less time than cooking them in the oven. This recipe is fast and a great way to satisfy your craving for candied nuts!

First, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, toss the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, water, pecans, and salt. Stir until combined.

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  • Next, pour the mixture inside the air fryer basket and air fry at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for eight minutes. Shake the basket halfway through. Cook the nuts until they are shiny and fragrant.
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  • Remove the nuts from the air fryer and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the air fryer candied pecans in a single layer onto the sheet and allow them to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.
Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (5)

Recipe Tips

  • For additional flavors or other spice ideas, you can add ½ teaspoon of dry mustard and even ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom.
  • Make sure the nuts have plenty of time to cool so they can harden.
  • For a little bit of spice, add cayenne pepper to the candied pecans mixture.
  • To make these nuts ahead of time, simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl (except the pecans) and refrigerate until ready to use.
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How Long to Cook Candied Pecans in the Air Fryer

Cook the candied pecans in the air fryer for at least eight minutes or until they are shiny and fragrant.

Cook the Candied Nuts in the Oven

To cook the pecans in the oven, preheat the oven to 250°F and bake them on a baking sheet for one hour while shaking every 15 minutes.

What to Serve with Glazed Pecans

Serve this air fryer candied nut recipe with other snacks such as popcorn, trail mix, desserts, or candies. You can also serve these sweet pecans over my healthy massaged kale and apple salad or with these air fryer plantains.

How do you Store Candied Pecans?

Store the candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for three weeks.

Can you Freeze Candied Pecans?

Yes, you can freeze these egg free candied pecans. To freeze, just transfer them to a freezer-safe storage bag or container. Freeze the nuts in the freezer for up to four months.

If you don’t want to reheat them you can place them on the counter until they come to room temperature.

How to Reheat This Recipe

  • Air Fryer – Place the air fryer candied nuts in the air fryer basket and warm at 330°F for three to five minutes until the nuts are warmed through.
  • Oven – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and warm the chilaquiles for at least fifteen minutes until crispy and hot.

Why are my Candied Pecans Sticky?

If your pecans are sticky, then they may not have had a long enough time to cook in the air fryer. The pecans will also harden as they cool.

More Air Fryer Recipes

  • Air Fryer Pecan Crusted Chicken
  • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
  • Bread Pudding in the Air Fryer
  • Simple Air Fryer Recipes
  • Air Fryer Peach Crisp Recipe
  • Easy Air Fryer French Toast Recipe
  • Air fryer mini banana bread

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Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (7)

Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

Air fryer candied pecans are incredibly easy to make and the perfect crunch for salad, yogurt, ice cream and oatmeal bowls. These quick candied pecans are delicious and made with just simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or foi.
  2. In a medium bowl toss brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, maple syrup, water, pecan, and salt until well coated.
  3. Pour the mixture inside the air fryer basket and air fry to 330ºF for 8 minutes and shake the basket halfway through. Cook the nuts until shiny and fragrant.
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat and spread the air fried nut in an even layer. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. .

Notes

  • For additional flavors or other spice ideas, you can add ½ teaspoon of dry mustard and even ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom.
  • Make sure the nuts have plenty of time to cool so they can harden.
  • For a little bit of spice, add cayenne pepper to the candied pecans mixture.
  • To make these nuts ahead of time, simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl (except the pecans) and refrigerate until ready to use.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 419Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 5g

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated​, only the sodium in the other ingredients​ is calculated.

Easy Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied pecans soggy? ›

If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.

Why do you soak pecans before roasting? ›

Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.

How do you keep candied pecans from sticking together? ›

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

How long will candied pecans keep? ›

How Long Do Candied Pecans Last? Store your candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. If you give them as a gift, be sure to include storage instructions.

Why won't my candied nuts dry? ›

If your nuts don't harden fully, that means the sugar wasn't cooked long enough and didn't caramelize. Cook the nuts longer next time!

Why didn't my pecan candy harden? ›

If you beat too long, the candy will seize and start to crumble. If you don't beat it long enough, then pralines won't set properly and will stay soft and sticky. Work quickly to drop heaping tablespoons of pecan praline mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

What is the best temperature to roast pecans? ›

Your oven is also a great tool for toasting pecans. For this method, preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake until they begin to brown and become aromatic, making sure to toss halfway through, 7 to 10 minutes.

How long do you soak pecans for? ›

Drain, Rinse, and Roast - After soaking your pecan nuts for about 8 hours, it's time to drain and rinse them. Once you're done with that, spread them over a baking sheet or dehydrator evenly to get them ready for roasting.

How do you get the bitterness out of pecans? ›

Some of the tannin and all of the corky material can be removed by washing the kernels before cooking. To "sweeten" the pecan meats (kernels), simply put the pecan kernels in a bowl and fill with lukewarm water. Stir and tumble the meats in the water for several minutes and you will see the discoloration in the water.

Why are my candied pecans still sticky? ›

Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325° F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.

Do candied pecans need to be refrigerated? ›

Candied pecans are best when stored at room temperature for about a week. If you store them in the refrigerator they can last up to three weeks. Make sure to store them in an airtight container and include storage tips if you're giving these away as gifts!

Why are my candied nuts grainy? ›

Everything you need to know about this candied pecans

If your candied nuts are turning out all grainy, one reason might be that your sugar crystalized too soon.

How do you fix soggy nuts? ›

Just toasting them in a dry pan or oven should be enough to revive them, but they'll also go in any recipe that requires nuts. We got through most of ours by toasting them with spices, to eat as nibbles or to add crunch to soups, stews and salads.

What if candied nuts are too soft? ›

If the nuts or candy coating seem 'stringy' or too soft after cooling, just pop them onto your cookie sheet & place them in the oven at 325 degrees (f), stirring gently until they crisp up. To warm these nuts up before serving, you can simply follow the oven instructions above or toss in a warm pan for a few minutes.

How do you dry wet pecans? ›

Pecans often contain excessive moisture when they first fall. The nuts should be dried before they are put in storage. Drying can usually be accomplished by placing the pecans in a shallow layer in a warm, dry area for two weeks. Adding fans and heat can speed drying.

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