Candied Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Aquafaba)
Sugary, salty, crunchy, nutty cinnamon sugar candied pecans with more than a whisper of spice.
Give them as gifts tied with a big bow.
Strew them over salads.
Scatter them over hot fudge sundaes.
Toss them in a bowl with raisins and cranberries and serve them alongside pre-dinner drinks.
Sneak a handful at midnight.
Sneak two handfuls at midnight.
Take the jars to bed with you cause you’re tired of sneaking down the stairs.
In the beginning there were pecans. And they were good. They were very good. In fact God could have stopped there and I would have been a very happy camper. I am nuts for those varied crunchy foods that we commonly call by the name nut: almonds, cashews, peanuts but all nuts are not equal. You can substitute any nuts for this recipe and it will taste divine. If you happen to really love someone or are invited to Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday party and want to wow her then only pecans (or macadamias if you have just won the lottery) will do. Not having recently won the lottery I opted for pecans.
A quick word of warning!!!!!! All ovens are calibrated differently. Keep your eyes on these while they bake and if they get too dark take them out of the oven.
Check out my new Aquafaba page! For tips, tricks and to see all of my Aquafabulous recipes.
Sugary, crunchy nutty candied pecans with more than a whisper of spice. Perfect for gift giving.
- 4 cups pecans
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Aquafaba (liquid from cooking chickpeas)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar granulated white
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Here is the thing 1/2 cup is the smallestt increment of Aquafaba that I can whip up in my stand mixer bowl. I don't usually use the whole whipped 1/2 cup in this recipe. It depends on if I want a balance of sweet and savory or want to lean more into the sweet side. For ideas on what to use the other half for check out my aquafaba page, maybe make yourself a bowl of chocolate mousse.
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Heat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
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Place your aquafaba and cream of tartar in the bowl of your stand mixer and whip on high until still peaks form. Slowly add the sugar a tbsp at a time until it is incorporated. and stiff and glossy. Turn of the mixer You can add the whole amount of AF whip but then your resultant pecans will have more of a crunchy meringue-like coating. That makes them perfect for topping desserts like pies. If I want the nuts for salads and savory applications then I use only half the mixture and reserve the other half for another use.
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Mix the pecans through the whip, I use my hands.
Mix the salt, cinnamon and paprika in a small bowl. Pour half over the pecan/aquafaba mixture and stir gently.
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Spread the mixture over your sheet pans and sprinkle the reserves spices over the top.
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Place in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
Switch the baking sheets from top to bottom and visa versa.
Bake another 20 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Once cool break into what ever sized pieces you prefer. I like to leave some clumps but to each his own.
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These nuts will keep for a couple of weeks in an air tight container. If you plan to sneak nibbles then I would recommend you slip a desiccant package into the jar to keep the nuts crisp.
This is my ideal food, as you can snack on it while preparing it in further dishes. And can you really cook dinner without snacking through it? I can’t.
Like is in the condiments and the snacks.