15 Minute Sugared Pecans (2024)

These Quick and Easy Candied Cinnamon Sugared Pecans are delicious and perfect for snacking, salads, and gift-giving. They are coated with the perfect cinnamon and sugar mixture and will be loved by everyone who loves candied nuts.

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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I recall first seeing candied pecans at a store in the mall while I was in college. They were delicious and coated in the most delicious sugar mixture. I vowed to find a way to make them at home. The traditional method, I found here, took about an hour of baking on low. Once I became an air fryer fan, I chose to try them in there.

Well, let’s just say, it worked! And rather than baking on low and slow for about an hour, I could air fry these pecans in 15 minutes and have perfect sugar-coated pecans. These are perfect for gift-giving, topping on salads, or just snacking when you want a sweet and light snack.

I also understand not everyone has an air fryer. You can use your oven to bake them low and slow on 250 Fahrenheit for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

How to make Sugared Coated Pecans

First, separate an egg and save the yolk for later. Then place the egg white in a large bowl with water and vanilla extract and whisk until the egg white mixture is frothy. Then add the pecans and stir until they are fully coated.

Then add the white and brown sugars, cinnamon, and salt to the pecans and stir until the pecans pieces are covered.

Place in air fryer basket and spread out, it’s ok if your pecan pieces overlap a bit.

Cook on 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Once your 15 minutes are up, remove the pecans and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to cool for about 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice that the sugar will have hardened during this time.

Store, enjoy or give away.

Notes on Sugared Pecans:

• Pecan halves are a must.
• I did not spray my basket before placing the nuts in the basket. If you are concerned with sticking, use a parchment sheet liner on the bottom of your basket or lightly spray the basket with oil.
• As soon as I finish making the pecans, I place my air fryer basket in soap and water to ensure the sugar mixture does not stick and get stuck to the basket. That will avoid a harder clean up later.
• Store these nuts in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks, I use mason jars. They are perfect for gift giving.
• I haven’t tested this method yet with other nuts because I’m a true pecan lover. If you choose to experiment with other nuts, I’d check on them earlier just to make sure they don’t overcook or burn.
• The 15 minute cook time and stirring every 5 minutes is key! I usually set a timer on my phone to make sure I stir it at the right time. Your pecans will not be hard after 15 minutes, they will harden when you lay them on the parchment paper after they cool. It scientifically makes sense as the sugar will harden while it cools.
• I used my 5.3 qt air fryer to make these pecans.If using a smaller basket, you’ll likely need to cook the pecans in batches.

Looking for other quick snack recipes? Try these out:

• Air Fryer Chickpeas
• Air Fryer Apple Chips
• Air Fryer S’mores

Click here to watch the full length video tutorial for this recipe.