This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
These pecans are super delicious and fabulous as a snack or cocktail nibble, on salads, yogurt, ice cream, desserts ... and they make a wonderful gift too!
This Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans recipe is one of those oldie but goodie recipes that got lost way back in the Café archives. I had totally forgotten about it (with over 1400 recipes, sometimes things slip a little) until I got these two emails recently:
I just made your Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans. Fantastic . . . especially when combined with the Buttermilk Maple Toffee Sauce over vanilla ice cream.
Of course these are good, but I can't believe what an incredible hit they've been with every single person I've gifted them to...family, friends and coworkers! These are going to become my annual holiday gift to everyone. Thanks so much for that!!
Intrigued, I quickly looked up the recipe, made a batch myself and was wowed by the delicious flavor, crisp, candylike coating and how crazy easy they are to make. How could I have forgotten about THIS one?
Ridiculously Easy
After seeing how quickly and easy this recipe comes together, I knew it needed to go into our Ridiculously Easy Recipe hall of fame, so I spiffed up the photos, post and recipe a bit and made a gift label to go along with everything. So here you go, a ridiculously easy, ridiculously delicious candied pecan recipe that I think will wow you too!
If you're not famililar with our Ridiculously Easy recipes, you can read all about them here but to quickly explain, they're a collection of our favorite recipes that are super easy and don't take a lot of hands-on time. My favorite way of describing this category is: "recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part".
Like that? Yep, me too!
Testing and tweaking
It took a few batches to get these pecans right. I was looking for a shiny, beautiful glaze and the first couple of tries just didn't make it. With a bit of testing and tweaking, I figured out a few little tricks to achieve the sheen I was looking for. I learned that the nuts need to be completely coated with the glaze before they go into the oven. Several little steps help me accomplish that. First, a short stint in the microwave (which thins out the syrup and molasses). A very thorough stir (one minute) after microwaving is also important. Lastly, having enough of the glaze makes a difference. After experimenting, I learned that ¼ cup of maple syrup is the perfect amount.
I love that the hands-on time (less than 5 minutes) and effort is pretty minimal with these delicious pecans (no one needs to know that). Maple, molasses and a touch of cinnamon wrap around the nuts to give a warm, wonderful flavor you can't quite put your finger on.
What to do with these Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans
I think you'll find lots of ways to use these fabulous sweet and salty nuts. Besides being an addictively delicious snack, they're also wonderful as a cocktail nibble, in salads, on yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream and they add a touch of crunchy gourmet, elegance to all kinds of other desserts. Just make plenty or hide them till you're ready to use them. Don't ask me how I know about this.
Want a super easy dessert idea that will wow everyone? Pick up some good vanilla ice cream, then whip up a batch of Microwave Caramel Sauce (the real deal) or this Ricidulously Easy Butterscotch Sauce. Scoop up the ice cream into pretty bowls, drizzle with the sauce then sprinkle your delicious sundaes with a few of these Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans - I promise, everyone will be in heaven (and you will have spent minimal time in the kitchen)!
Give them as a gift!
Need a little hostess, teacher or new-neighbor gift? Whip up a batch of these Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans, pack them up in a cellophane bag or gift box and add a pretty ribbon. They'll want to know which little gourmet market you picked them up at.
Because they make such a great gift, we've created a free printable gift tag to add to your packages. If you'd like to receive these gift labels, just scroll to the very bottom of this post and leave us a comment indicating that you'd like them. We'll email you the labels along with instructions on how to use them and links for the boxes and ribbon shown in the pictures.
So come on, whip up a batch of these Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans ASAP! You'll be deliciously happy you did!
Café Tips for making these Ridiculously Easy Maple Molasses Glazed Pecans
- This recipe calls for a microwave-safe bowl. What does that mean? Microwave-safe simply means that the bowl won't get hot or melt in the microwave. Glass, most ceramic ware and heatproof glass ware are safe in the microwave oven. The best type of bowl to use for these nuts is a 4 or 8 cup pyrex measuring cup with a handle. The handle on these types of cups doesn't get hot.
- If I'm giving these pecans as gifts, I like to pick out the prettiest pecans that aren't broken up. I save the broken ones to sprinkle over salads, oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, etc.
- If you store these nuts in an airtight container or ziplock bag, they'll stay fresh for a week to 10 days.
- Be careful when stirring these nuts, the glaze gets very hot.
- Don't skip lining your pan with foil and the greasing the foil. Otherwise the nuts will stick and make a mess.
- Work quickly in the final step as you turned the glazed nuts out onto the foil. Try to separate them as much as possible and spread them to a single layer.
Thought for the day:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups pecans
-
Preheat oven to 325˚F. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray the foil generously with nonstick cooking spray. (this will keep nuts from sticking to the pan). Layout a second piece of foil on a work surface and again spray with nonstick cooking spray. Rub each with a small piece of paper toweling to evenly coat with the oil.
-
Combine all ingredients except pecans in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Stir well.
-
Add pecans, then place bowl in the microwave and cook on high power for 1 minute. This will thin out the maple mixture to help coat the pecans better. Stir continuously for 1 minute (no cheating, you want the syrup mixture to get in every little nook and cranny of the pecans), until pecans are thoroughly coated.
-
Turn pecans out onto the prepared sheet pan, making sure to scrape out all of the maple syrup mixture as well. Spread out pecans to a single layer on the pan.
-
Place pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well to redistribute nuts then spread out again to a single layer. Bake until deep golden brown, about 8-12 minutes more. Watch them carefully towards the end as nuts can quickly burn.
-
Stir again after removing from oven then spread out to a single layer on the prepared foil on your work surgace.
-
Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container for storage.
GMN says
I'd love to make these as gifts. May I also have a copy of the tags please.
Thank you,
Gwen
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gwen, sure! They're on the way!
Rhoda says
These look wonderfully delicious. I can’t wait to purchase some pecans so I can make them as neighbor gifts. Please could you send the gift tags which will definitely put the topping to the package. Merry Christmas to all!
Chris Scheuer says
Merry Christmas to you, Rhoda! Sending the labels your way!
Debbie says
The pecans look delicious. I would love to have the labels. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, they're on the way, Debbie!
Patty Eck says
Thank you for sharing this receipt. I would love the little tag! What a wonderful hostess gift for the holidays.
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Patty, these will be a wonderful hostess gift! Sending the labels now!
Jeanne says
This recipe was so good, I immediately made another batch. I plan to give these pecans as gifts this Christmas. thank you so much. So easy and oh so good!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Jeanne! I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Rebecca says
Thank you for sharing! I slightly modified this recipe to use on peanuts (3 Tbsp of Maple Syrup & didn't thin out the maple mixture). Very pleased with the results! Delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Rebecca!
Dena says
I just made these and they are fantastic!
Morgen says
Hi Chris, I sought out this recipe as a way to include more nuts in my diet for their nutritional value. As far as sweeteners go I know that maple, molasses and cinnamon are all on the healthy side if used in moderation. However, I was wondering if baking the nuts in the oven affected their national value at all? I know that cooking many foods can reduce or eliminate the nutritional benefits that would be gained from eating them raw. Would baking affect the health benefits of pecans or other nuts like almonds and walnuts?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Morgen, that's a good question! Baking or roasting nuts has almost no effect on their nutritional value. So go ahead and enjoy!!! 🙂
Betty says
Can't wait to try these! Hope I have enough left after nibbling to give away. 🙂
Ursula H says
Chris, Is the glaze on these somewhat soft or hard like brittle? The reason I ask is that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Stuckey's Candy that was made and sold back in the 50's thru the 70's at the roadside stores mostly in the south. The company still sells some of their products on the internet but not the one I love. It was a pecan glaze that sort of looked like brittle but the glaze was clear and not completely solid. It could break like brittle or sometimes pull like a thick toffee. I don;t experiment much when I cook and I don;t make candy - so that is why I ask. I am thinking that perhaps your sauce {if made in a large quantity) would cover a single layer of pecans about almost to the top of them,
I appreciate your reply.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ursula, I remember Stuckey's but don't think I ever had that candy. The glaze is fairly hard on these pecans so I'm not sure that would work for this candy.
Jane says
Everyone thinks about eating them quickly, but how can I store them? I live in the mountains. I can & freeze
most things. Can I freeze them in plastic bags or put them in a sealed jar on a shelf?. Can I keep them for months?
Even if I can't I'll make them for all to enjoy.
Thanks, Jane
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jane,
I haven't tried to freeze these pecans but I think it should be fine. I would freeze them on a sheet pan, then when frozen slip them into a ziplock bag.
Jessica says
Of course these are good, but I can't believe what an incredible hit they've been with every single person I've gifted them to...family, friends and coworkers! These are going to become my annual holiday gift to everyone. Thanks so much for that!!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Jessica! Thanks for letting us know!
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
These pecans look irresistible! That glaze sounds incredible, I know I'd be snacking on these pecans all day long!
Wendy says
With my tree nut allergy, I almost skipped this post, but I am glad I didn't! The glaze sounds like it would be great on peanuts (which I CAN eat) too! Maple and molasses are wonderful flavors for dipping your toes at the edge of fall. Cinnamon too!
Liz says
I love, love candied pecans---and these flavors are perfect for autumn! I'd love a stash for holiday hostess gifts, too!!
Jenna says
I try to keep brown sugar-butter pecans on hand for salads especially, Chris, and will have to try your version, the maple syrup sounds divine!
Sandra Garth says
You found the perfect container for these! This is a beautiful and delicious gateway snack to fall season.
Renuka says
Hi,
Can I use walnut as well
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Renuka, I think walnuts should work fine, although I haven't tried them. I would make sure to stir them really, really, well to make sure they get coated with the syrup mixture as walnuts have even more nooks and crannies than pecans! Let us know how they turn out.
cheri says
Love these Chris, these are the real deal. I have bought them pre-made before and they were like rocks. Pinned!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
Oh Chris I want to sprinkle these guys over EVERYTHING --- starting with my morning oatmeal 🙂
Tara Williams says
Is it 2 cups of pecans for this recipe?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Tara,
Yes, it is! Thanks so much for noticing that. I’ve corrected the recipe.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
They look incredibly delicious and addictive too!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Angie, it's extremely difficult to eat just a few of them!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
What a great idea! Love the molasses and the flavours are perfect for this time of year 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Jennifer!
Monique says
I have made with MS never w/ molasses must try:) They look lovely..standalone or in salads.
Chris Scheuer says
I think you'll love the combo Monique. You don't really taste molasses, just a delicious flavor you can't quite figure out 🙂
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
These look wonderful Chris! Maple syrup and molasses - what a wonderful combination. I'm ready for fall, pumpkins, fleece jackets and cold mornings! Bring it 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Tricia, yes, maple and molasses are a delicious fall combination of flavors! I'm trying not to think about fleece jackets and cold mornings yet but I'm really looking forward to leave these steamy temps behind,
Jo Anne T says
Sounds yummy and appears doable without the microwave!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Jo Anne, yes you could definitely use the stovetop to make these. Enjoy!