Candied Pecans Stovetop Recipe

You’ll love this candied pecans stovetop recipe. The pecans are sweet and nutty with a crispy crunchy sugary coating. These candied nuts are super easy to make on the stovetop with only a few ingredients. They are perfect for a snack, as party food, or as part of your holiday charcuterie board.

After posting my wildly popular Savory Spiced Buttery Pecans recipe – which is a little more complicated and flavor-intense, I had a few reader requests for a more simple-to-make and mildly flavored sweet glazed pecans recipe.

Candied nuts are easy to make and tasty too! If you are looking for a more deelply flavored sweet candied nut then try oven toasted vegan candied pecans wtih a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup. 

Reasons to love these stovetop candied pecans

• Quick and easy to make on your stovetop with a few simple steps. No reason for a baking sheet and an hour of your time waiting and turning the nuts.
• Sugary and sweet for those with a sweet tooth who don’t like the spice – (But if you like savory/sweet and spicy, do try my Savory Spicy Buttery Pecans recipe. It doesn’t disappoint!)
• A big hit as part of your holiday appetizers or snack board

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Ingredients needed for these sugary candied pecans stovetop nuts

Really only a few simple ingredients are necessary! You won’t believe how easy these sugared pecans are!

• granulated sugar – You can use organic sugar if you’d like.
• a little water
• pecan halves – Please make sure your pecan halves are nice and fresh. The flavor is not going to improve with adding sugar and cooking them. I always always give my pecans (or any nuts) a taste before using them in a recipe. It is super important in a recipe like this in which they are the main ingredient.
  • Can you substitute another type of nut? Pecans are my favorite and so I’ve never tried. If you do use a different type of nut with success, please let me know.

How to make this ridiculously easy stovetop candied pecans recipe

The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.

Step 1: Prepare the baking sheet

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet (or something similar) with parchment paper. You are not actually going to cook the pecans on the baking sheet but only let them sit, dry, cool, and develop. So anything similar to a large baking sheet will do. You will need parchment paper though, or perhaps a silicone mat so that the sugar sticky pecans won’t stick to the bottom of the pan while they are drying and cooling.

Step 2: Melt and boil the sugar

Make your sugared pecans in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the sugar and only one tablespoon of water (not the full two tablespoons). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring the sugar/water mixture to a boil and allow the mixture to boil for two minutes, stirring the whole time while it boils.

Note: You will only need to add the second tablespoon of water if necessary. See the step below.

Step 3: Add the pecans

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pecan halves, tossing to coat well. If the syrup becomes too thick too quickly before allowing for an even coating, add the remaining water and stir until the sugar is crystalized on the pecans and the pecans are evenly coated.

Final step: Let the pecans rest

And bring your patience! Transfer the sugared pecan halves to the prepared baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer. Break the pecans apart if they have become stuck together in clumps. The pecans should be in individual pieces as much as possible.

Allow the sugared pecans to dry completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. This might take a couple of hours depending on the humidity of your kitchen.

The printable recipe card