Name: Cinnamon Sugared Pecans (Cooks in 15 Minutes in the Air Fryer)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 egg white (from a large egg); 1 Tablespoon water; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 lb pecan halves; ½ cup granulated white sugar; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt

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These Quick and Easy Cinnamon Sugared Pecans are delicious and perfect for snacking, salads, and gift-giving. The perfect cinnamon and sugar mixture coats them, and everyone who loves candied nuts will love them.

cinnamon sugared pecans in bowl with sugared pecans in jars in background

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

I recall first seeing sugared pecans at a store in the mall while I was in college. They were delicious and coated in the most delicious sugar mixture. I vowed to find a way to make them at home. The traditional method takes about an hour of baking on low. Once I became an air fryer fan, I tried them there.

Well, let’s just say, it worked! And rather than baking on low and slow for about an hour, I could air fry these pecans in 15 minutes and have perfect sugar-coated pecans. These are perfect for gift-giving, topping on salads, or just snacking when you want a sweet and light snack.

I also understand not everyone has an air fryer. You can use your oven to bake them low and slow on 250 Fahrenheit for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

A Quick Look at the Ingredients and Tools to make this Recipe

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Pecan Halves - Pecan halves are the perfect size for this recipe. If using whole pecans, you will likely need to cook them a few minutes longer.
Egg white, water, and vanilla extract - these ingredients are used to make the cinnamon and sugar coat and stick to the pecans.
White sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt - These are the ingredients for the cinnamon and sugar coating.

ingredients for cinnamon sugared pecans on table with labels

How to make Air Fryer Sugared Pecans

First, separate an egg and use the egg white. We won't use the egg yolk in this recipe; I usually add it to a pan and fry it. Then, place the egg white in a large bowl with water and vanilla extract and whisk until the egg white mixture is frothy. Add the pecans and stir until they are fully coated.

egg white, water, and vanilla extract in bowl that has been whisked

Then add the white and brown sugars, cinnamon, and salt to the pecans and stir until the pecans pieces are covered.

Place in an air fryer basket and spread out; it’s ok if your pecan pieces overlap a bit.

cinnamon sugar pecans in air fryer basket before air frying

Cook on 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

air fried candied pecans in air fryer basket

Once your 15 minutes are up, remove the pecans and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to cool for about 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice that the sugar will have hardened during this time.

Store, enjoy, or give away.

Tanya's Top Tips

I did not spray my basket before placing the nuts in the basket. If you are concerned with sticking, use a parchment sheet liner on the bottom of your basket or lightly spray the basket with oil.
As soon as I finish making the pecans, I place my air fryer basket in soap and water to ensure the sugar mixture does not stick and get stuck to the basket. That will avoid a harder clean-up later.
While this method is tailored for pecans, it can be adapted for other nuts like almonds or walnuts, with adjustments to cooking times as needed.
The 15 minute cook time and stirring every 5 minutes is key! I usually set a timer on my phone to make sure I stir it at the right time. Your pecans will not be hard after 15 minutes, they will harden when you lay them on the parchment paper after they cool. It scientifically makes sense as the sugar will harden while it cools.
I used my 5.3 qt air fryer to make these pecans. If using a smaller basket, you'll likely need to cook the pecans in batches.

candied pecans in a bowl with cinnamon stick and pinecone around it

Storage Instructions

Store the cooled candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks.
I suggest using mason jars for storage, which also makes them suitable for gift-giving.

Looking for other quick snack recipes? Try these out:

If you have tried this or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

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4.74 from 26 votes

Cinnamon Sugared Pecans (Cooks in 15 Minutes in the Air Fryer)

These Quick and Easy Cinnamon Sugared Pecans are delicious and perfect for snacking, salads, and gift-giving. They are coated with the perfect cinnamon and sugar mixture and will be loved by everyone who loves candied nuts.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cinnamon sugared pecans, sugared pecans

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 5

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 331kcal

Author Tanya

Ingredients

1 egg white from a large egg
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lb pecan halves
½ cup granulated white sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place the egg white in a large bowl with water and vanilla extract and use a whisk to whisk until the egg white mixture is frothy. Then, add the pecans and stir until they are fully coated.
Then add the white and brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the pecans and stir until the pecans pieces are covered. Place in air fryer basket and spread out, it’s ok if your pecan pieces overlap a bit.
Air fry on 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Once your 15 minutes are up, remove the pecans and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to cool for about 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice that the sugar will have hardened in the 5 minutes.

Suggested Tools

Large Air Fryer

Parchment Liners

Video

Notes

Pecan halves are a must. Smaller pieces will need a different cook time.
I did not spray my basket before placing the nuts in the basket. If you are concerned with sticking, use a parchment sheet liner on the bottom of your basket or lightly spray the basket with oil.
Store these nuts in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks, I use mason jars. They are perfect for gift giving.
The 15 minute cook time and stirring every 5 minutes is key! I usually set a timer on my phone to make sure I stir it at the right time. Your pecans will not be hard after 15 minutes, they will harden when you lay them on the parchment paper after they cool. It scientifically makes sense as the sugar will harden while it cools.
I used my 5.3 qt air fryer to make these pecans. For smaller air fryers, halve the recipe or cook in batches.

Nutrition

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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

This post was originally published December 9, 2019. It has been updated with new information and photos.

Comments

4.74 from 26 votes (7 ratings without comment)

Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugared Pecans