Honey Roasted Candied Pecans: A complete how to

 

If you are looking for an easy to do recipe, that will still surely impress your friends and family, look no further! These will certainly make a delightful treat to almost anyone. 

I like to make goodies that use foods of the season. During the end of fall and beginning of winter, pecans will literally be falling from trees. Think of a holiday meal that didn't feature pecans in some way or fashion. Honey roasted candied pecans are one of those treats that are so easy to devour in such a short amount of time. They are wholesome and can be enjoyed watching a movie with your family or outside by the fire on a cold wintry night. They are super addicting so do not be surprised if you eat the entire bag in one sitting, especially if you are sharing. You probably won't want to share these ;)

You can even use this recipe and play around a bit with your ingredients, or toppings. You can make these savory or keep them sweet, just dressed up more. You can roast these with butter and/or Worcestershire and add seasonings such as seasoning salt, garlic powder, chipotle mix, or crushed red peppers. If you prefer sweet, you can roast them in honey and switch the sugar mix to cinnamon coating. You can melt down white, dark or regular chocolate to drizzle over the top. You could even add these to an apple slice, after roasting, and dip the whole thing together in melted caramel. Seriously, the possibilities are endless. Have fun with it! 

Pecans can certainly be expensive. I highly recommend, looking in your local area, for anyone selling pecans. You will surely find a better deal by the pound. In my neck of the woods, pecan trees are in abundance, and one day we will own a few on our own land. I made friends with a few people in my local town that were selling some shelled or non-shelled. The better deal is to do the work yourself! This is a great way to involve the kids in the process. They may actually enjoy getting their frustrations out on cracking these! You can even turn it into a competition to keep those kids busy with a learning activity. 

Let's get roasting! Here's what you'll need:

1 lb shelled pecan halves

1/3 cup honey (raw is always best)

4 tbsp of granulated sugar

4 tbsp of brown sugar

1 tsp of sea salt

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Warming your honey will help you to stir and coat the pecans better, microwave in a safe bowl for just about 10 seconds. This will make the honey more runny and not as sticky.

3. Stir into the pecans until all are coated evenly.

4. Spread evenly over parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

5. Roast your pecans for 6 minutes, stir and flip as best as you can, return to the oven and continue roasting for 6 more minutes.

6. As soon as you pull these from the oven, sprinkle your sugar/brown sugar mixture, very generously, over the hot sticky pecans. Make sure to stir and flip and get every side of the pecan, completely covered. 

7. Dry these, undisturbed, for at least 30 minutes to an hour. They should be completely hardened and not sticky. 

Be sure to check out my Instagram reel linked below for a video tutorial:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1Cal8VuzbT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

You will want to store these in an airtight container in a cool dry area. These should last you about 2-3 weeks for ultimate freshness. 

These make excellent and easy gifts for anyone at any time! You can place these in cute tin cans or clear jars. Just add a little ribbon and a personalized note for the receiver. 

If you try these, let me know below, how you enjoyed them. Did you try your own spin on these? Please comment below your favorite seasonings!