These Maple Pecans made in just 15 minutes, roasted in the oven. With only 3 ingredients, these butter-free, oil-free, candied pecans are sweetened with maple syrup. Simple and foolproof! The perfect topping for salads, bowls, or serve as a healthy snack, or gift a jar of them!
Here’s a simple recipe that goes way back to our old restaurant days that comes in handy, especially during the holidays—maple-roasted, Candied Pecans.
What I love about Maple Pecans
- Besides the simple ingredients, they only take one minute of hands-on time, before baking in the oven. Yep, one!
- Maple Pecans are roasted in the oven, so they bake very evenly.
- Maple Pecans contain no butter or sugar!
- Maple Pecans have may uses! Toss into salads or bowls, crush and sprinkle over entrees, desserts, or oatmeal, serve on a cheese board , or a healthy snack. They also make a cute hostess gift, packaged in a jar, and labeled. So simple, so tasty, and vegan! The uses are endless.
Ingredients in Maple Pecans
- Pecans -Raw pecan halves work best here.
- Maple Syrup -only use Real maple syrup, as imitation syrup will not harden and you’ll end up with a mess!
- Salt (and optional pepper)
- Optional- add spices if you like! Chinese 5 spice, Moroccan (cumin and cinnamon), Mexican ( add Taco Seasoning) or Garam Masala!
*See recipe card for detailed ingredients.
How to make Maple Pecans
Step one: Toss the pecans with real maple syrup. Add a pinch of salt. If you like pepper, add pepper too.
Step two: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step Three: Bake at 350F for 12- 14 minutes until deeply caramelized.
Step Four: Toss them when they first come out of the oven. Then let them cool completely. They will harden into the most delicious, crunchy, nutty, earthy, goodness!
Variations on Maple Pecans
These are fully customizable. Spice them up to your heart’s content!
- zaatar
- Chinese five-spice
- garam masala
- chipotle-cumin!
- smoked paprika
- sesame seeds ( use a tablespoon or more!)
- curry powder
- cinnamon and cumin
- Chia seeds
Just to name a few!
You’ve seen these a million times here on blog in various recipes, with different spice combinations… just wanted to create a special post for this.
Ways to use Maple Pecans
- Butternut Risotto with Leeks (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
- Pear Salad with Vanilla Fig Dressing
- Fig Arugula Salad with Pecans
- Winter Cheese and Charcuterie Board
- Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Kale, Apples and Maple Pecans
I hope you enjoy this very basic recipe for maple pecans that may be very handy here in the next few weeks. Can’t wait to hear how you adapt them!
Cheers!
More recipes you may enjoy!
- Maple-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Wok-Seared Cashews with Scallions and Sesame
- Maple Pecan Scones
- Maple Roasted Yams with Pecans
Maple Pecans
- Prep Time: 1
- Cook Time: 14
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: snack
- Method: roasted
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Maple-Roasted Candied Pecans made in just 15 minutes in the Oven with only 3 ingredients! Oil-free, Vegan and totally foolproof! The BEST recipe that comes out perfect every time!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and optional pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Toss the pecans in a bowl with the maple syrup and salt and optional pepper.
- Place pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Place on the middle rack for 7 minutes, and STIR. Continue roasting 3-7 minutes, until golden and caramelized. TIP: You want the nuts to toast a bit, and the maple syrup to carmelize (so that it hardens when cooled) so watch like a hawk to prevent burning- yet aim for the full 14 minutes.
- Remove from oven and toss. Let cool completely. Break apart. Store in jar, or bowl on the counter for easy snacking.
Notes
Only REAL maple syrup works here. Do not use imitation, or you will end up with a mess.
Feel free to add spices! 1-2 teaspoons of any of the following work great:
- Five-spice
- Zaatar
- garam masala
- curry powder
- Chipotle and cumin ( 1/2 teaspoon each)
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
- cinnamon
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 146.5 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.5 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
As noted by FAH, this absolutely is easier than stovetop. Has turned out great every time. For simple adaptation, I do add a couple of teaspoons of melted butter and a bit of vanilla, or just whatever seems to go with salad that night. Seems pretty fool-proof!
Awesome Chirstin!
Do you think you could sub honey for the maple syrup?
Hi Ashely, I have not tried this with honey. It hardens at a different temperature than maple, so not sure if the baking time would work here.
Easy to make but even easier to eat!!
Great to hear!
There is always a jar of these delicious pecans in my pantry. Great snack. Great on salads. And there make a great gift! After trying numerous combinations of spices, one of my favorites is Chinese five spice (star anise, clove, cinnamon, fennel & black pepper) with a little extra cinnamon.
I love these with Chinese Five Spice! So tasty! Glad you are enjoying Robin!
I’ve been making these for years (made them for christmas presents once, with scotch) and I find it easier to get them exactly right on the stovetop in a steel or iron skillet. Flavour is much enhanced with combination of a little butter, and a tiny hint of garlic, or a splash of scotch, especially double casked or sherry casked ones. Bowmore Mariner was always the best one for this but it’s pretty pricy these days.
Yes, butter often makes many things better. 🙂 But if you haven’t tried them this way- the pure simplicity of it, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. In my restaurant and catering days, we could make huge batches in the oven. Vegan- and still so tasty.
Ok, (just letting you know), this is what I see:
Ok, not earth shattering but this is what I see:
NUTRITION
Serving Size: Calories: 143Sugar: 4.8 gSodium: 97.7 mgFat: 13.1 gSaturated Fat: 1.1 gCarbohydrates: 7 gFiber: 1.7 gProtein: 1.7 gCholesterol: 0 mg
Ok, weird, not sure what happened there- it should be OK now. 🙂
Sorry but I am not seeing the actual “serving size” on the nutritional info.
Opps! Ok it is fixed now. I changed it from 6 servings to 4 x 1/4 cup servings.
Hello! Love this recipe! Use it on my morning oatmeal, mashed sweet potatoes, salads and more! Looking for the nutrition measurement – am I missing it?
Thank you!
So happy you are enjoying this Stacy! The nutritional info is at the very bottom of the recipe card- see it?
Made these with local New Mexico pecans. Added some ras el hanout I just brought back from Morocco. Divine! Adding this to my holiday gift baskets.
Perfect Jennifer!
Love this recipe so easy and delicious.
Yay, glad you are enjoying Peggy!
These are absolutely delicious! Be careful–they are addicting. 🙂 I’ve made these and given to friends who love them too.
They ARE addicting! Glad you like them. 🙂
made these for the butternut leek risotto–it makes it even more festive. For sure set timer and watch them, they go browner faster then I thought they would. Lucky for me my husband doesn’t mind them a bit burnt! A great recpie though for adding something special to a dish.
Thanks Frances! Glad the extra toasty nuts didn’t go to waste!
I’ve made these multiple times for salads, bowls or snacks and they are a simole yet spectacular addition/treat! Definitely need to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
Thanks Ana- and yes, I always try to set a timer, because I’ve forgotten them so many times!
On My first batch, I followed the recipe exactly. Even though I had pure maple syrup, it was runny and I did not get the favor I wanted for snacking. Second batch, I boiled my maple syrup down some so that it was thicker, darker, and richer flavor. I found that it stuck better to the pecans and then I sprinkled a small bit of cinnamon mixed with maple sugar that I had recently purchased. Now I have that maple flavor I love and miss so much. Midwest commercial maple syrup isn’t like what we had, when I was a kid, from Vermont!
Hey Becky- it sounds like your first batch did not bake long enough. I would suggest try baking it a little longer until the nuts are toasty and the maple thickens and gets sticky in the oven. At this point, it will harden when cooled. You really shouldn’t have to boil down the maple- but i do like the addition of cinnamon.