Easy Candied Pecans Recipe
This Easy Candied Pecans Recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients. They are sweet, crunchy, and perfect for snacking, gifting, or adding a festive touch to your favorite holiday recipes.
If you love homemade treats, you’ll love these stovetop candied pecans. This is a classic Southern-style candy that came straight from my mother-in-law’s kitchen. I can’t remember her not ever making these or having them on hand during the holidays.
If you enjoy making or whipping up holiday gifts, you’ll have to try my praline pecan recipe, fruitcake cookies recipe, and my white chocolate chex mix recipe. All of these make delightful gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends.
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💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Few Ingredients: Just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Great for Gifting: Perfect for teachers, neighbors, or friends.
- Versatile: Add these sweet pecans to a charcuterie board, desserts, salads, or trail mix. Try my toasted pecans recipe for another variety.
🛒 Ingredients Needed for Sugared Pecans
- Sour Cream: Adds creaminess and helps create that candy coating.
- Sugar: Caramilizes the pecans.
- Vanilla: Adds flavor to this sweet dessert.
- Pecan Halves: The pecan halves coat nicely and give crunch.
📋 Making Candied Pecans
Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for making candied pecans a success every time. This easy stovetop method comes together quickly; mix, boil, coat, and cool.
Step 1: Prepare your pan. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Make the candy coating. In a medium saucepan, add sour cream and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Cook to temperature. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 6-8 minutes, or until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Stir constantly. Add the flavoring. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Step 4: Coat the pecans. Add the pecans and stir until coated with the mixture.
Step 5: Spread and cool. Spread the pecans on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Separate the pecans with a fork. Let the pecans cool completely.
Step 6: Store. Break into pieces before storing in a zip-top bag, an airtight container, or a gift bag.
💭 Pro Tips
- Use a candy thermometer to ensure the candy coating reaches the correct temperature.
- Stir consistently to keep the mixture smooth and prevent sticking.
- Work quickly when spreading the pecan. The candy coating set up fast.
- Let the candy pecans cool completely before storing.
- Use a variety of nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or cashews.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Yes. Walnuts, almonds, or cashews work well for candied nuts.
The mixture more than likely did not reach 240 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to get accurate readings. Humidity can also affect candy making. Store in an airtight container.
Yes! Add sugared pecans to a mason jar, tie with ribbon, and you have the perfect holiday treat.
More Christmas Treats Recipes
If you tried this Easy Candied Pecans Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Candied Pecans Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 3½ cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Prepare your pan. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the candy coating. In a medium saucepan, add sour cream and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Cook to temperature. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 6-8 minutes, or until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Stir constantly.
- Add the flavoring. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Coat the pecans. Add the pecans and stir well, coating the pecans completely with the mixture.
- Spread and cool. Spread the pecans on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Separate the pecans with a fork. Let the pecans cool completely.
- Store. Break into pieces before storing in a zip-top bag, an airtight container, or a gift bag.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer to ensure you are reaching 240 degrees. This is the soft-ball stage necessary to get the desired results.
- After you spread the pecans on the parchment paper, try to separate the pecans with a fork.
- Allow the candy to set for several hours to cool.
- While the sugar is still warm, the mixture/pecans will be sticky.
After they cool, you can break them into pieces and store them in an airtight container or zipper bag. - Use a variety of nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or cashews.
Can you freeze these?
Hi Susan! I have never placed these sour cream pecans in the freezer. I’m not sure how they will taste after they thaw or if the coating will stay on. If you try it, let me know. Thanks for the question.
Wow…these look addictive…looks crunchy and yum…would love to try these…
Loved the idea of sour cream pecans, I just tried roasted pecans till now. Definitely need to give it a shot.
Such a perfect one to make and share with my friends and family! I love these candied pecans!
Immediately obsessed with this sweet treat!
Wow! I’ve never heard of these. They sound really good! Definitely going to try them.
I’ve never had these, but I’m sure I would love them. They’re so easy to make and look delicious!
Oh wow! I would never think using sour cream for candied nuts. It sounds absolutely delicious! Going to try it.
I’ve never heard of sour cream candied pecans before but they look amazing!! And they look so easy too! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
They are great and very addicting!
You had me at pecans! Even better with an extra touch of sweetness. These will be a staple on my holiday table. Thank you!
You are welcome! This is just a fancy way to dress up pecans. 🙂 They are so addicting!
This looks yum! Gonna try it soon! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You are very welcome!
These look delicious and easy! I’ll definitely add them to my recipe collection. Thanks so much for sharing.
You are very welcome! I am enjoying going through my MIL recipe box and bringing her recipes back to our table.
I’ve never heard of this type of candied pecan before but they look fantastic! A little tangy and sweet. YUM!!!
They are so good and I can never eat just one– well –maybe one handful! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe for sour creme candied pecans! They look fantastic, can’t wait to try them.
You are welcome! Enjoy!