Sweet and Spicy Bourbon Candied Pecans

Name: Sweet and Spicy Bourbon Candied Pecans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Bourbon; 1 egg white; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 3 cups pecans ((pecan halves or baking pecans are what you want to look for - these are in the baking aisle))

RECIPE ↓

Candied Bourbon Pecans are salty, sweet, and just a little bit spicy. The taste of bourbon is very subtle but it gives these pecans the perfect amount of something extra to make them so delicious and addicting.

a jar of candied pecans and a yellow and white plaid napkin.

I wish I could say something about these pecans that didn't sound cheesy, but they are so delicious. Like seriously one of the yummiest snacks I have made in a long time! When I took them out of the oven, I tried one, then I ran outside and fed some to my husband and he said, "Oh... those are tasty. Like really, really tasty."

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🥘 Ingredient Notes

the ingredients in candied pecans, labeled.

Bourbon: I like to use Bulleit Bourbon or Woodford Reserve
Vanilla Extract
Egg White
Pecan Halves
Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt
Cayenne Pepper

🍽 Equipment Needed

Measuring cups/Measuring Spoons
Two mixing bowls
A baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat (or parchment paper)
A rubber spatula

🥣 How to Make It

It could not be easier to make candied pecans - and these are sweet, spicy, and so flavorful.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (and take out anything that you store in it - mine houses our cast-iron pans.)

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together bourbon, vanilla extract, and the egg white until the egg white is a little bit frothy. (Picture 1)

Stir in pecans and make sure they are fully coated in the egg/bourbon mixture. The more egg mixture on the pecans, the more the sugar can stick to them. (2)

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, and salt. (Picture 3)

Combine the sugar mixture with the egg/bourbon coated pecans then toss the pecans and make sure that the pecans are fully coated with the sugar mixture. (Picture 4)

Spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a non-stick mat - these pecans are STICKY. (Picture 5)

a process of images showing the steps to make candied pecans, steps 1 - 5.

IMPORTANT: Drop the temperature of the oven to 250°F and bake the pecans for 10 minutes. The bourbon mixture can burn if cooked at too high of a temperature, so slow and low is best!

an oven screen with a temperature of 250 degrees and a time of ten minutes.

After 10 minutes, stir the pecans, then set them back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

three images in a column showing the stages of candied pecans baking.

Do this one more time for a total of 30 minutes. You will notice the pecans will start off wet and sticky and will gradually dry out a little and the sugar will crystallize.

After the 30 minutes is up, the pecans should be mostly crystallized-looking (see photos for a better idea of what this means.)

a tray of candied pecans baking in the oven.

Let the pecans cool, then either serve them immediately or move them to an air-tight container for storage.

a baking sheet with cooked candied pecans on it.

🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Can a different kind of nuts be used in place of pecans?

Yes! You can use any kind of nuts that you want, but try to use ones that are intended for baking or are still in their "raw" state - do not use a container of almonds that are already roasted and salted as they will get double cooked and double salted. I would also recommend using whole nuts as slivered almonds, cashew pieces, etc will be really small and likely to burn quickly. Macadamia nuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, and peanuts are really good options!

Can you replace the bourbon with something non-alcoholic?

Absolutely - you can use water or fruit juice, like apple cider or apple juice. (If you use apple cider, you can add a tiny pinch of apple pie spice to get some really great fall flavors!) I saw a recipe using orange juice but I will leave that one up to you guys to experiment with - that sounds like an adventure 😉

Can you make Keto Candied Pecans with this recipe?

Yes! Just substitute the sugar for your favorite sweetener and replace the bourbon with water or sugar-free juice! (Watch more closely though, as erythritol burns faster than brown sugar!)

a jar of spilled candied pecans and a yellow and white plaid napkin.

🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

This pecans are an awesome snack but are also great as an appetizer and are a great dish to bring to a party. They are also great to keep in a jar in your kitchen - I guarantee they won't last a week!

Button linking to the Pinterest page for Southern Bytes.

🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

Store your pecans in a jar or airtight container for up to two weeks - we finish them much faster than that - but they will of course be best within the first few days.

📋 Tips

Be sure to follow the oven instructions carefully - if your oven is too hot, the pecans can burn easily.
This recipe is also really good with mixed RAW nuts - an assortment - just make sure they aren't pre-roasted or salted.
If you like spicy food, go all-in with ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. It has a little heat that lingers for a second after you finish chewing, then you are left with a sweet flavor. It might be too much for children or people who are really sensitive to spice, but we loved the heat level.

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Have you tried this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below!