Air Fryer Pecans That Are Super Fast To Make

Name: Air Fryer Pecans That Are Super Fast To Make
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup of Raw Pecan Halves; 1 Teaspoon Oil: Grapeseed oil (or other oil); 0.25 Teaspoon Salt, or to Taste; 1.5 Tablespoon Maple Syrup; 0.5 - 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon; 0.5 - 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon; 0.5 Teaspoon Chili Powder; 0.175 to 0.25 Cayenne Pepper Powder

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Air Fryer Pecans are the best way to make is decadent holiday treat. Candied pecans have never been faster! Just mix everything in a bowl and then add your coated pecans to an air fryer. They'll be done in 10 minutes or less.

Hey Internet, if you're reading this, it's likely that time of year again. The leaves have left the trees and it's getting cold again. The holidays are soon and you need some easy snacks, maybe even to use as gifts.

A classic snack for this time is candied pecans. Toasting some raw pecan halves with oil, salt, sugar, and spices makes for the perfect snack or gift. The problem is that they can take a while to make and they can be quite messy. Normally, you'll have to pre-heat an oven, get out a lined baking sheet, and then wait for them to finish cooking in the oven. Or you have to make it in a skillet and it leaves a sticky mess for you to clean up.

These methods work, but they could be much better.

That's were our air fryers come in. They are such a more simple method. Air fryers are tiny convection ovens that fit on your countertop. They are way faster than an oven, both when warming up and for the overall cook time. So we decided to try cooking our candied pecans in one of our air fryers as a quick snack.

And we have to say, air fryer candied pecans are so much better! With just a little parchment paper in your air fryer basket, you get a mess free recipe that takes less time than either of the other methods. It's an easy way to make a sweet snack (or spicy) for Christmas morning.

We just love our air fryers, here are a few of our favorite air fryer recipes: Crispy Butter Beans, Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets, Air Fryer Pizza, Air Fryer Gnocchi, and our Sweet Air Fryer Toasted Sandwich.

Anyway, back to these amazing candied pecans.

This super easy recipe has several versions for you to enjoy. There's a super simple salt and oil recipe, a sweet and salty version, and a sweet and spicy one! Plus, they're easy to customize, so make your own versions.

Why You'll Love This Easy Air Fryer Recipe

Easy Snack: with an air fryer, it's easy to make this a small-batch recipe.
Great Topping: This holiday staple goes great in pies (they'd really amp up a classic pecan pie!), on top of grain bowls, on sweet potatoes (like on top of my sweet potato casserole, yum!) on ice cream, and other desserts!
Holiday Gift-Giving: Candied pecans are the perfect recipe to wrap up and give to others this holiday season. Plus, they are vegan candied pecans, so just about anyone can enjoy them.
Healthy Snack: You'll love these wholesome snacks and they're far healthier than store bought snacks like potato chips or candy. They provide the perfect crunch and they're totally delicious!

Ingredients

Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutritional information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

Base Recipe

1 Cup of Raw Pecan Halves
1 Teaspoon Oil: Grapeseed oil works great in the air fryer.
0.25 Teaspoon Salt, or to Taste

Sweet and Salty Version

Add these to the base recipe

1.5 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
0.5 - 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Sweet and Spicy

Add these to the base recipe instead if you want it spicy!

1.5 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
0.5 - 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
0.5 Teaspoon Chili Powder
0.175 to 0.25 Cayenne Pepper Powder

Substitutions and Other Customizations

Maple Syrup: ½ tablespoon brown sugar will be great mixed into the raw pecans. You should premix the brown sugar with the other spices you plan to use to get a cinnamon sugar mixture to evenly coat your pecans. You also replace the maple syrup with agave.
Grapeseed Oil: Given the cooking temperatures of the recipe, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil should all work well.
Vanilla: You could add some vanilla flavoring to your sweet and salty version. Try using vanilla bean paste as it not as chemically tasting as vanilla extract.
Soy Sauce: Try this yummy condiment as the salty in your sweet and salty version!
Cocoa Powder: Add a little chocolatey goodness to your air fryer pecans!

How to Make Your Air Fryer Pecans Recipe

Mix: Add all your ingredients to a large bowl. Toss pecans together until ingredients are fully incorporated.
Prepare Air Fryer: Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside your air fryer basket. Make sure the parchment goes up the walls of your basket at least a quarter inch as this will contain the liquids as they cook.
Cook: Add the pecans to the prepared air fryer in a single layer. Set the air fryer's temperature to 350 F (175 C). Cook for 5-6 minutes. At the 3 minute mark, give the contents a good stir to help keep the pecans evenly covered. You can always cook them a little longer if you like your candied pecans extra toasty.
Serve: Let the pecans cool and then either eat or store.

Storage Instructions

Let the nuts cool, then add them an air-tight container or zip lock bag. They can last a week unrefrigerated and a few weeks if they are refrigerated. So you can make them in advanced as a gift to the sweet tooth (or savory tooth) in your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these in the oven?

Yes! Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). If you prefer to bake your candied pecans on a cookie sheet, spread out your nut mixture in a single layer on a lined tray and bake until they are no longer sticky. This can take anywhere from 20-40 minutes. Make sure you are stirring and rotating the tray every 10 minutes to keep the pecans from burning or cooking unevenly.

What about in a skillet?

Yes. You'll need to baby sit them. Place them on a medium to medium-low heat and stir frequently.

Is it OK to put parchment paper in an air fryer?

Yes! We do this all the time. It's a great way to keep the inside of the basket of the air fryer clean.

Can I use pecan pieces?

Technically yes! But the smaller ones may burn, so keep an eye on them! The smaller pieces would make a lovely topping for things like my apple pie chia pudding, just saying.

Can I use other nuts instead of pecans?

Yup, this recipe should work well with walnuts, almonds, cashews, or even peanuts! Make sure to keep an eye on the time, though, because I haven't tested this recipe with any other nuts and they might require a different cooking time.

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