This easy recipe for Savory Spiced Pecans is the perfect sweet and spicy snack for the holiday season. Raw pecans are tossed in butter, maple syrup, and Cajun seasoning then baked in the oven to toasted deliciousness. Enjoy these roasted nuts on their own, add to salads, soups, and baked goods, or give as a DIY gift!
Every year we visit my grandparents in a little town outside of New Orleans, Louisiana for Christmas.
And every time my Nanny always has a big batch of her famous Cajun spiced pecans waiting for us to devour.
She packages them up in one of her vintage Christmas tins, alongside others full of her pecan pralines and icebox cookies. (Also more widely known as Pecan Sandies.)
A little sweet bite of a cookie – and then a handful of savory pecans – sweet, salty, repeat.
So this year I decided to take her savory roasted pecans recipe and give them just a little bit of a makeover. Encompassing that sweet and salty flavor all in one tasty bite.
I’m a glutton for punishment. And you must be, too.
Because lemme’ tell you, you’ll keep wanting to go back for more and more of these morsels!
(If you’re more of a sweet kind of spiced nuts guy or gal, then you’ll want to hop on over and take a look at these Cinnamon Sugar Spiced Pecans.)
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this savory spiced pecan recipe include:
- Pecans. You’ll need 1 pound of whole, raw (not roasted) pecans for the recipe below. Choose either a lighter or a darker variety that you enjoy the taste of before roasting.
- Butter. Melted butter helps to coat the pecans with the spice mix. You can also use a vegan buttery stick or even oil if you are dairy-free or vegan.
- Sweetener. While this ingredient is optional, a little bit of pure maple syrup helps to balance out the savory notes of the spices. You can also substitute this with honey, agave nectar, or even monk fruit extract if on a keto diet.
- Chili Powder. This warm spice makes up the bulk of the Cajun mix. Make sure you select a MILD chili powder and not a spicy one for the best results.
- Paprika. Regular paprika, and not smoked, was tested in this recipe. If you’d like to get a little creative, you can swap out a portion with a smoked paprika to change it up a bit.
- Cayenne Pepper. This is where the spicy kick comes in! If you prefer a milder roasted nut, simply leave this ingredient out. If you like your pecans on the spicy side, add the larger amount suggested.
- Garlic Powder. Make sure you don’t skip this one. A bit of garlic powder goes a long way in complimenting the other rich spices.
- Cinnamon. A very earthy spice that will keep your taste buds guessing. Don’t overdo it though as you just need a little bit!
How to Make Spiced Pecans
The basic steps for making spiced pecans are simple to follow:
Make the Coating
Whisk together the melted butter or oil, syrup, and all of the seasonings in a large bowl until well combined.
Toss the Nuts
Add the pecans to the bowl and mix until all of the nuts are evenly coated.
Bake in Oven
Spread the pecans in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the nuts are toasted and aromatic. Toss nuts halfway through roasting.
The lower oven temperature will allow the pecans to roast low and slow. This results in a more robust, naturally nutty flavor.
Cool and Serve
Remove from the oven and allow the nut to come to room temperature before serving. The pecans will appear pretty sticky when you first pull them out, but once they are cooled completely they should harden up.
Add them to your favorite salads, munch on them for a snack, or package up as a cute DIY food gift.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can mix up your spices well before you need them. Or, this entire recipe can be made a week ahead of time.
- To Store: Keep the spiced pecans in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can use a plastic storage container or Christmas tin. You can also refrigerate them to extend the shelf life up to 3-4 weeks. However, the taste and texture will be slightly affected if refrigerated.
- To Freeze: You can freeze these pecans for up to 3 to 6 months, but the texture won’t be the same upon thawing.
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free and vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-Free: Swap out the butter for a plant-based butter alternative or oil.
- Vegan: Use oil or a butter alternative in place of the butter.
- Keto: Omit the maple syrup or switch it for liquid monk fruit extract.
DIY Gift
These savory spiced pecans are one of the best food gifts to give for the holidays.
Not only are they naturally low-carb and gluten-free, but they can also easily be made dairy-free and vegan, too.
So just about everyone can enjoy them!
To make these into a mason jar gift:
- Add to a glass 8-ounce or 16-ounce mason jar.
- Tie a pretty ribbon around the neck of the jar.
- Optional: Attach a hand written recipe to the ribbon or a name tag.
FAQs
Not all recipes are gluten-free since they may have flour as an ingredient. However, the recipe you will find below is completely gluten-free and can be served to anyone with Celiac’s disease.
It is not necessary to soak pecans before roasting but you certainly can. Just make sure to dry them thoroughly before seasoning and cooking.
First and foremost roasted pecans are great as a snack all on their own. They are also wonderful mixed into salads, baked into breads, or use them to garnish soups.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Take a test. Make sure you enjoy the taste of the raw pecans before seasoning and roasting.
- Balance it out. Create the perfect sweet and savory combo by using maple syrup.
- Change it up. Swap out some of the paprika for smoked to enhance the flavor.
- Line the sheet. Use parchment paper for crispy nuts and easy cleanup.
- The nose knows. Smell for an aromatic scent as this will indicate the nuts are done.
What to Serve with Spiced Pecans
There are so many ways to enjoy these pecans!
Besides as a simple snack by themselves, you can top this Fall Harvest Salad or Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese with them.
You can also take your Sweet Potato Casserole up a level with spiced pecans.
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Savory Spiced Pecans
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. pecans raw
- 4 Tbsp. butter melted*
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup*
- 1 ½ tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ¼ – ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt to taste
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Whisk together melted butter or oil, syrup, and seasonings in a large bowl.
- Add pecans and toss until well coated.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pecans out in a single layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until nuts are toasted and aromatic. Toss nuts halfway through roasting.
- Let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: You can mix up your spices well before you need them. Or, this entire recipe can be made a week ahead of time.
- To Store: Keep the spiced pecans in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can use a plastic storage container or Christmas tin. You can also refrigerate them to extend the shelf life up to 3-4 weeks. However, the taste and texture will be slightly affected if refrigerated.
- To Freeze: You can freeze these pecans for up to 3 to 6 months, but the texture won’t be the same upon thawing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fwiw,
Pecans are my favorite nut; can’t bake without them.
I have stored frozen pecans for over a year and never noticed a negative.
Cheers – can’t wait to make your recipe!
Pecans are simply the BEST! Can’t wait to hear what you think when you make this recipe- it’s one of our family’s favorites!
Curious if this would work with premade Cajun seasoning?
A great question, Marci! While yes, you CAN replace the seasoning mix with a store-bought one, a lot of them have a TON of added sodium. So to be safe, just check the label to make sure they don’t have too much added salt!
It’s good but needs salt
Thank you for trying the recipe. There is 1 1/4 tsp. salt included, but feel free to adjust to taste if you prefer more!
Delicious. I added some cumin
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Sounds tasty. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I’m making these tonight for the first time to take to a night of dominoes with the ladies! I can’t wait to see how they turn out. I’ll letby’all know and snap a picture.
I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Unique well balanced flavors and texture is perfect. Great for nut mix salads and charcuterie boards
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Linda! These would be delicious on a charcuterie board. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Super delicious and very easy to make. I made these and after making them I decided to package and give as gifts to friends in gift packages that I was creating. I just used pint size Mason jars with tight fitting lids and got great feedback on such a simple gift!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! They make awesome gifts. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Excellent! I used cinnamon infused real maple syrup that was produced locally. It really amplified the flavor.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jortman! That sounds incredible. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I broke my dominant arm last Christmas and instead of making cookies I was able to use my good arm to make these. Although my family missed my cookies we found this delicious receipe. Now I make them as party favors at every family event. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this with me, Jeanne! I’m so sorry to hear about your arm last Christmas, but I’m glad you found this recipe and could still make something special for your family. It warms my heart to know it’s now a part of your family events as party favors! Wishing you all the best and lots more happy cooking! ♡London
Made these last year and they were such a hit I had to make again this year.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Laura! These are a yearly tradition at my house, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
These are addicting! So yummy I don’t think I can give any away 😉
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Teri! These are addicting to me, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!