These Bourbon Candied Pecans take pecans to a whole new level! So easy to make and incredibly delicious! Perfect to snack on use them to top salads!
Salad Toppings
Last week, I remade an old recipe post, Chicken Cutlets with Strawberry Avocado Salsa (new photos coming soon!) The next day, I decided I wanted to turn the rest of the chicken and the salsa into a salad. I had some blueberries in the fridge that would be perfect.
All I needed was a yummy salad topping.
Looking around, I spotted a bag of pecans. Candied nuts are one of my favorite salad toppings and they would be so good on this fruit and chicken salad. Making candied pecans is so easy, but I wondered if there was a way to kick it up a notch.
Turns out there is! I paged through several cookbooks and magazines for ideas and found in an old 2014 Donna Hay magazine a recipe for Pavlova topped with whiskey pecans! The pecans sounded like they would be amazing on my salad!
Ingredients in Bourbon Candied Pecans
- Toasted Pecans - since you are cooking these on the stove and not in the oven, you want to give them a quick toast first. You can do it right in the pan that you are going to cook them in. Just turn the heat to medium high and add the pecans. Stirring them, keep an eye on them, they can from toasted to dark quickly.
- Sugar - white, superfine if you can find it.
- Light Brown Sugar
- Vanilla Extract - I used my Homemade Vanilla Extract.
- Bourbon - or whiskey.
How to Make Candied Pecans
- Step 1 - Gather Your Ingredients - pecans, brown sugar, white sugar, whiskey, and vanilla extract.
- Step 2 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add all the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 6-7 minutes or until golden and syrupy. Stir during the last minute.
- Step 3 - Quickly spoon out the pecans onto the parchment lined baking sheet and spread them out as best you can. Let cool and then break apart.
Bourbon Candied Pecans
That's it, that's all there is to making these amazingly delicious candied pecans. We used them on that salad and then I put the rest in a container sitting on the counter. They make a great snack and would be perfect on an appetizer tray.
These are the best candied pecans and would also make great gifts! I'll have to remember to share these around Christmas time - because a jar of these and a bottle of bourbon would make some of my friends and family very happy!
These Candied Pecans Would be Great On
Roasted Beets and Blood Orange Salad
Shrimp, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
Spinach, Beet and Lentil Salad
If you make Bourbon Candied Pecans, I would love it if you would tag and follow me on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Bourbon Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans toasted
- 2 tablespoons white sugar superfine
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup bourbon
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Put a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add pecans, both sugars, vanilla extract and bourbon in the pan. Stir to combine.
- Let cook for about 6-7 minutes. It will begin to boil and turn a dark amber color. Stir at the very end.
- Quickly pour out the pecans onto the baking sheet and spread them as best you can. Let them cool and then break apart.
- Store in an airtight jar.
Notes
Nutrition
Paula Pawloski says
Hi Pam
I want to make these for gifts, can I just quadruple the recipe so it doesn’t take forever to make larger portions?
Thanks, Paula
Paulari98@yaahoo.com
Pam Greer says
I don't really see why you couldn't except that it's a little trickier to handle the boiling sugar when you've got a lot. Just be extra careful.
Kelly says
How long do these need to cook/cure? Mine are still sticky…
Pam Greer says
I let mine air dry for a few hours and they were a little sticky, but good.
kallee says
I love candied pecans in salad. These look delicious.
Pam Greer says
They are delicious!
Nancy says
Wonderful recipe! Adding some nice, sweet crunch to a summer salad sounds like a delicious idea! Beautiful photos too.
Pam Greer says
Thank you! It definitely adds a sweet crunch to a summer salad!
Mikayla says
This sounds great! Every time I've attempted to candy nuts something goes wacky on me. I'll be givinf your recipe a try!
Pam Greer says
Yes, it is surprisingly easy!
Luci's Morsels says
Ooh! I just love candied pecans (and bourbon when I'm not pregnant)! These look so easy. I might put them on ice cream all summer!!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
What a delicious recipe, Pam! I can only imagine how many uses you can get from these delicious pecans. In a salad would be superb.
Pam Greer says
They are my new favorite salad topping!
Sara says
Oh my goodness. I am drooling over these pictures. I love pecans for a snack!
Courtney | Love & Good Stuff says
I am a big fan of both crunchy salad toppings and bourbon - these sound right up my alley!