Slow Cooker Candied Pecans
74 Comments Oct 17, 2024
Updated Nov 15, 2024
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Sweet, cinnamon-sugar-coated pecans made in the crockpot are perfect for snacking, gifting, or enhancing dishes like salads and desserts. These slow cooker candied pecans are worth the effort!
If you love a slow cooker candy recipe you may want to try my easy slow cooker peanut clusters or slow cooker Christmas candy.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Candied pecans are irresistibly crunchy, coated in a rich cinnamon-sugar blend. This recipe yields a generous 2 pounds, but they’ll disappear quickly! Using a crockpot allows you to effortlessly make a large batch, perfect for sharing.
Stored in an airtight container, they stay fresh for about a week and make excellent holiday gifts that also ship well. I couldn’t stop snacking on them, especially when stirring every 20 minutes. I’m pretty sure I ate half before they were even done!
I’ll definitely be making these again soon, hoping to squeeze in another batch before the holidays end.
What you need:
- Pecans: Whole pecans work best for this recipe. If you have extra pecans, make my slow cooker turtles.
- Egg whites: To get the sugars to turn into a glaze and stick to the pecans, you must use egg whites.
- Sugars and Spices: Brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Also, vanilla extract is used.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the photos}
How to make candied pecans in the slow cooker:
- The recipe starts with egg whites and vanilla extract and is whisked together until very frothy.
- Then I add this mixture over the pecans and stir until the pecans are well coated with the egg white mixture.
- Then I pour over the sugar and spices over the wet pecans.
- Then it’s time for the slow cooker to “roast” the nuts. I cook the coated pecans for 3 hours on low, stirring every 20 minutes. Doing this keeps them from burning. When the cooking time is done, pour the nuts onto a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Cool for 30 minutes before storing or packaging into bags. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
- These make fantastic snacks on their own—we love packing them in lunches or setting them out for parties.
- They’re also perfect for adding to a charcuterie board, adding a delightful homemade touch!
- Crockpot candied pecans make lovely gifts; simply place them in small bags and tie them with festive ribbons. These also travel well for sending in holiday boxes to families in other states.
- You can also use them as a topping for salads, yogurt, or even hot fudge sundaes (try my slow cooker hot fudge).
Recipe FAQs
Some recipes call for adding water at the end of the cooking time. I do not do this. I love the way the nuts are at this stage. I think the water is to make them shiny and sticky, I think they are perfect as is.
About a week in an airtight container, if they last that long! You can even freeze these, though they get a little sticky if you do.
Other Slow Cooker Desserts and Snacks:
- Slow Cooker Sea Salt Chocolate Almond Clusters
- Slow Cooker Chex Mix
- Slow Cooker Candied Almonds
- Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters
- Slow Cooker Easter Peanut Clusters
- Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Slow Cooker His and Hers Cobbler
- Slow Cooker Pecan Pie
Slow Cooker Candied Pecans
Equipment
- hand mixer for beating egg whites
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 lbs. whole pecans, unsalted
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk the egg whites and vanilla until very frothy, this may take a minute or two. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, stir until combined. Set aside.
- Put the pecans in a large bowl, pour over the eggs white and vanilla mixture. Stir until the pecans are evenly coated. Pour over the sugar mixture and stir until the pecans are coated.
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray or coat the bottom and edges with a little oil. Add the sugar coated pecans.
- Cover. Set the slow cooker to low temperature. Cook for 3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.
- When the cooking time is done, pour the nuts onto a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Cool for 30 minutes before storing or packaging into bags. Enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- These make fantastic snacks on their own—we love packing them in lunches or setting them out for parties.
- They’re also perfect for adding to a charcuterie board, adding a delightful homemade touch!
- Crockpot candied pecans make lovely gifts; simply place them in small bags and tie them with festive ribbons. These also travel well for sending in holiday boxes to families in other states.
- You can also use them as a topping for salads, yogurt, or even hot fudge sundaes.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I have read and read and read and I do NOT see any where that it tells what to set the crock pot on…LOW ? MED ? HIGH ? …………………………looks like a good receipt but no instructions on what to set the heat on.. So no I want be trying these.. Not gonna waste all the ingredients when it don’t tell you what to set the heat on.. And I don’t want UNDONE or BURNED pecans..
It’s low, and it’s in the recipe card below the images.
I made these today and had my QC Dept. (aka Mom) do a taste test. Double thumbs up! I added some chipotle chile to the sugar mix because these are going out to the East Coast for Christmas from New Mexico, the Chile Capital of the World!
Thanks for the recipe.
Sounds amazing!
Do you use raw unsalted pecans?
Yes!
My Grandmother used to make these at Christmas. I will definitely try this recipe. Thank you for sharing! Merry Christmas to you and your!
I would like to make these ahead for the holidays. Can they be frozen? For how long?
These do freeze well. I do them for about 3 months.
Amazing and addictive,I make every winter season and everyone loves them.
These are SO good! I made some as Christmas gifts for neighbors and they’re a huge hit. I’ll be making these every year now.