Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans
The best candied pecans are also naturally sweetened! For this recipe, you'll simply toss raw pecan halves in maple syrup and bake—it's easy!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on January 6, 2026
I’m sneaking in one more holiday-worthy treat while I can! These candied pecans are one of my favorite recipes (well, they’re all my favorite) in my cookbook. I vividly recall making batch after batch after batch one night until I got this candied pecan recipe just right.
Unlike most candied pecans, which are made with refined sugar, these candied pecans are made with a reasonable amount of real maple syrup. The maple syrup condenses in the oven. After several stirs, the maple syrup forms a beautifully shiny and crisp, sweet but not sticky exterior.
Delicious maple syrup is the perfect complement to toasty pecans. For classic candied pecans, I add some vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat (optional). I’ve come up with a few more fun variations, which you’ll find below.
These candied pecans pack beautifully if you would like to make them for friends or bring them to a holiday party. They’ll help break up all the cookies on the table. They would also be a great addition to your salads and snack mixes.
Fair warning, these nuts are irresistible. When I shared these candied pecans with my boyfriend, he declared them “the only candied pecans you’ll ever want to eat.” And then I had to take the bag back from him. How about that?
How to Make the Best Candied Pecans
This recipe’s success boils down to a few key techniques. Fortunately, they’re all very easy to achieve.
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Otherwise, the maple syrup could stick to the pan instead of the pecans.
- Toss the pecans in maple syrup and your desired flavorings. Spread them across the pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter, and the nuts will burn before the maple syrup has ample time to condense. Burnt pecans make me sad.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then start stirring every 5 minutes. Stirring is important because it helps the condensed maple syrup cling to the pecans, and ensures that the pecans around the edges don’t burn.
- Let them cool. After a final stir out of the oven, let the pecans cool until they’re safe to touch. Gently tug apart any pecans that are stuck to each other, then let them cool completely. They’ll continue to crisp up as they cool.
That’s it! These candied pecans will become famous at your holiday parties.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
Candied Pecan Variations
For classic candied pecans, add a little vanilla extract, cinnamon and cayenne pepper (optional, for a little kick to balance the sweetness). In other words, use the first option listed in each ingredient line.
For pumpkin spice pecans, add a full tablespoon of pumpkin spice blend in lieu of the cinnamon. These taste like the holidays!
For bourbon pecans, add a tablespoon of bourbon instead of vanilla extract. Pecans, maple syrup and bourbon are a trio made in heaven.
Want to use other nuts? You sure can, but pecans are my favorite.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Looking for more simple holiday treats? I’ve got you covered!
Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans
The best candied pecans are also naturally sweetened! For this recipe, you’ll simply toss raw pecan halves in maple syrup and bake—it’s easy! Recipe yields 3 cups candied pecans.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice blend (for pumpkin-spiced pecans)
- Scant ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for some heat)
- 3 cups raw pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan (this is important).
- In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne (if using) and whisk until blended. Add the pecans and stir to coat.
- Dump the contents of the bowl onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out in a single layer (the maple syrup will pool on the bottom of the pan, but that’s okay).
- Bake, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are deeply golden, 23 to 26 minutes. (The maple syrup coating will be a little sticky right out of the oven, but will harden as the pecans cool.)
- Remove from the oven and stir the pecans one more time, spreading them into an even layer across the pan. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes, then, while the nuts are still warm, carefully separate any large clumps. Let the pecans cool completely on the pan.
- Candied pecans will keep for up to 2 months in a sealed bag at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe minimally adapted from my cookbook, Love Real Food.
*Salt note: I like how the large flakes of kosher salt make some bites a little saltier than others, but kosher salt’s weight varies considerably by brand. I used Diamond Crystal salt brand. If you’re using Morton kosher salt, use 1 teaspoon. If you’re using fine sea salt or regular table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter.
Change it up: See flavoring options provided within recipe. You can substitute other nuts for the pecans (it’s hard to beat pecans, though). You can also use honey in place of the maple syrup, but I really prefer the flavor of the maple syrup version. If you use honey, your nuts will probably need longer in the oven, about 30 minutes. Be sure to stir every 5 minutes as directed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is a must-have recipe! I love it! I have made it at least twice, and like to use mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds), actually. I also use cardamom instead of cinnamon. I took a batch with me on a road trip, and I’m making it again in a couple days for when friends come over to watch Hamilton :-)
That’s great, Carolyn! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for this recipe. These are delicious. It has the perfect level of sweetness. I doubled the cinnamon, used vegan butter. I will definitely be making another batch and will try the pumpkin pie spice.
I’m glad you loved them, Trina! I appreciate you sharing.
Thank you so much for all of your delicious and healthy recipes. Would you be able to switch out coconut oil for the butter in this recipe? Just wondering because you listed olive oil as a substitute and didn’t mention coconut oil. Thanks in advance.
Hi! It works best with what is listed. If you try something else, let me know how it works for you!
Hi these sound great and I can’t wait to make them. I’m always looking for recipes without processed sugar. I am a bit confused about how long to bake them for. You say bake for 10 min and then stir every 5 minutes. But how long is the total baking time?
These are the best nuts ever. I’ve tried several recipes, and your recipe is far superior. I thought I would share the first batch. But no, I eat them all myself. I am going to make batches of these as Christmas gifts. Great on salads, vegetables, or straight up as a snack. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Sunny! I appreciate your review.
The texture of this recipe was great, but the pecans are so salty I can hardly eat them. It is so disappointing.
Hi Niki, Be surer to use raw pecans to start so that way you aren’t adding more salt. Or, you can omit the salt next time. I’m sorry you didn’t love them!
So good and a great holiday gift!
The bourbon/cayenne combo is my favorite.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
They turned out wonderful and I have some for gifts this year, and people are asking me for the recipe.
I made some with bourbon and some with vanilla.
Love the candied pecans. Have been making them for a couple of years now and they are fantastic. I bake them for a couple of minutes longer than the recipie and find they don’t stick together as much.
Than you for sharing, Kirk! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed them.
These are great. Making another batch today for our company tomorrow!
I’m happy to hear you enjoy this recipe, Tish!
These are great. Making another batch today for our company tomorrow! Second batch I added a bit more bourbon and baked about three minutes longer. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Tish! I appreciate your review.
Made these and love them. I appreciate the use of maple syrup as the sweetener. They are not overly sweet like some candied nuts. Just the right balance of salt and sweet (I used coarse salt.) The maple smell is wonderful and my husband said it smelled like Thanksgiving in the house!
Great to hear, Teri! I appreciate your review.
These pecans were delicious and a big hit at a family gathering. I only used 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and it was just right. I did use less salt. My oven runs hot, so it only took 16-17 minutes. Thanks for the great recipe!
I was given these maple glazed pecans as a gift; so delicious. I had to get the recipe and I just made a double batch. Plan to share with friends and family as Christmas gifts:)
Just pulled a batch out. Didn’t have rosemary, so used butter, maple syrup, garlic salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Poured it all over pecans and pepitas. Burnt my tongue already but so worth it. I know they will be even better when they cool.
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Sarah!
These were easy, delicious, and deadly. Had to put them out of site.
Great to hear you loved them, Debra! I appreciate your review.
I made this recipe and it’s amazing! I have to restrain myself from eating the whole bowl of nuts. So good!!! They are amazing on salads too. Yum!
Your recipe is fantastic and delicious. Thank you for testing it so thoroughly. It’s 100% reliable. I used another recipe before finding yours and it didn’t work well. Thanks also for the warning about the nuts burning easily. Happy Holidays.
Thank you, Chris! I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well.
These were AMAZING! Will be my go to from now on, wat less sugar than other recipes and so crunchy. I followed the recipe fully and was glad for the salt adjustment note since i use Diamond Crystal. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Natalie! I appreciate your review.
This easy, simple ingredient recipe resulted in such tasty sweetened pecans for my salad—and snacking! It is so much easier and healthier than other recipes I have tried. A definite must have!
Oh my gosh, these are amazing! I have been making a different recipe for years, and this year really wanted something without all the sugar. The maple syrup sounded interesting, but I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Well, I followed this recipe precisely, including using the silicone mat on the pan and nothing else, and it was exactly as you said, not sticky and they come apart easily after they’ve cooled. Plus they are crispy and so darn delicious! I’m going to make a second double batch since I know my family will want to keep some for us. Thank you for a wonderful recipe and a new tradition in our family!!!
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Lori. Thank you for your review!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times, always with rave reviews. An occasional twist to the recipe, I use bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. I must exercise great restraint when I finish the batch so I’ll have enough to share. Upon second thought, sharing is overrated… GREAT RECIPE!
These are delicious. However they are extremely salty and I only added 1/2 the salt the recipe called for. I used bourbon barrel aged maple syrup.
It’s December 22nd and I’ve almost reached my limit for anything kitchen related. I thought I’d give these a try since they seemed quick and didn’t require a lot of prep or clean-up. Oh my—these pecans did not disappoint! So delicious. I only made a half batch but I’ll definitely be putting these pecans on my year-round snack list. Thanks, Kate
FWIW worked beautifully without a fat of any kind! Because I forgot about the butter until it was too late lol. Still came out amazing, everything else followed to a T!
Love these so much! I’ve been making these every year since this recipe came out. I put them in cute baggies w/ ties and give them out to co-workers and friends at Christmas time. Everyone loves them and talks about them!
Received these as a gift and wanted to make more, only did not realize
Salt measurement was for kosher salt only:( Way toooo salty.
These are exactly what I needed. Less sweet than at Silver Dollar City or candy store, but that’s ok with me. I subbed Smart Balance for butter and added a bit more cinnamon- If I make again I will add a little nutmeg too. I baked longer because I doubled the recipe- just stirred each time. The pecans tell you when they are done- the way they smell and dry out a bit. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
What an easy and delicious recipe! It has just enough sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth. Thank you.