# Sweet and Spicy Pecans · Easy Family Recipes
These **Sweet and Spicy Pecans** are perfect for snacking or adding texture and flavor to any recipe! The pecans are tossed in butter and sweet spices, then coated in a maple, orange, and brown sugar.
These Sweet and Spicy Pecans are a super simple recipe that yields the perfect snack or topping!
They are buttery, soft, coated in maple and orange flavor, and all the best sweet and spicy seasonings.
If you can hold off on eating them all straight off of the pan, they make a delicious addition to mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, baked brie, cereal, or oatmeal. Their warm, unique flavor adds so much to any dish!
## Why I LOVE this recipe!
– **Easy to make** – You need just a few basic ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to whip up a batch of these sweet spicy pecans.
– **One pan recipe** – No roasting required! These pecans come together **FAST** using just one skillet.
– **Perfect flavor combo** – These nuts are just the right balance of sweet and spicy…Plus, you can adjust the seasonings as you want to suit your tastes!
– **Versatile!** – Enjoy these spicy pecans as a snack, add them to a salad, layer them over mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole, sprinkle them on baked brie, mix them into roasted veggies, add them to cereal or oatmeal…Seriously, the possibilities are endless!
## Recipe Notes
This spicy candied pecans recipe is as simple as promised! Just 10 minutes of prep and a few simple ingredients for a holiday treat, quick snack, or salad topper.
In this section, I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make sweet and spicy pecans to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
## Ingredients + Substitutions
– **Pecans** – You’ll need 16 ounces, about 4 cups, of pecans, preferably pecan halves. Other kinds of nuts like walnuts or cashews can also be used.
– **Butter** – Salted or unsalted butter can be used to coat the pecans for seasoning and added flavor depth.
– **Seasonings** – A combination of salt, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper is used.
– **Brown Sugar** – Light brown sugar is recommended, but dark brown sugar can be used as well.
– **Orange Juice** – The tangy, citrusy flavor of orange pairs deliciously with the sweet and spicy flavors in this recipe.
– **Maple Syrup** – Adds an extra layer of warm, sticky sweetness.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
## Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
– **Roasted Spicy Pecans** – Skip the skillet and roast the pecans in the oven instead. Toss the pecan halves in melted butter, spices, brown sugar, and maple syrup, then bake until toasty and caramelized.
– **Sweet Chili Pecans** – Try adding a touch of chili powder for a savory flavor twist.
– **Sweet and Spicy Nuts** – This recipe is delicious with pecans, but can be used to make any sweet and spicy nut. Try it with walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, you name it.
## Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, butThe instructions for making these spicy sweet pecans can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1 – Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the pecans and stir until toasty and fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
Step 2 – Add in the salt, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne, and stir until the pecans are evenly coated.
Step 3 – Mix in the brown sugar, orange juice, and maple syrup, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture is simmering and thickened, and the pecans are fully coated.
For visual guidance, you can refer to the images provided.“`html
- Step 4 – Transfer the pecans to a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet and cool to room temperature. Serve or store!
