Add an exotic twist to your usual candied nut dish this year and serve up Vanilla Cardamom Candied Pecans. It’ll have everyone going “what’s that spice?” While reaching for more. . .
I am officially over December.
I know, we are only 4 days in, but I’m done. Can we just fast forward to after Christmas?
Okay fine, that’s still technically December but after December 25th, I can breathe, I can sleep peacefully and my mind won’t be running with the million and one things to do on my to-do list.
I’m grateful, I most certainly am that my first year in this crazy cookie making business has me so busy already for during the holiday season but I also think I’m a little crazy for still doing it while working a full time job.
It’s okay though, because if I can’t sleep throughout this month as my comfort coping method, then I’ll just eat these candied pecans instead.
Everyone needs an easy go-to entertaining recipe between Thanksgiving and Christmas and this year, this one is mine. It’s perfect for last minute guests when all you have at home are bags full of nuts (welcome to my house, we don’t have snacks but we do have nuts!). Perhaps you are running out to a party and don’t want to be the zillionth person bringing a bottle of wine, your host has enough, be a little different, they can keep these for themselves or put them out for everyone to snack on.
Cardamom has been my go-to spice for the last few weeks and there’s something comforting about it, plus I love the option of not instinctively reaching for cinnamon.
It’s that spice that makes you think, “what is this?” “I know I’ve had it before but I can’t put my tongue on it”. Commonly found in Scandinavian and Indian cuisine, it’s also what you taste in Chai. I think it’s perfect with vanilla and the brown sugar coating these pecans.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups pecan halves
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from half a vanilla bean
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, combine the pecans, brown sugar, cane sugar, water, butter, cardamom, sat and vanilla.
- Stir until the sugar and butter has melted and it starts to coat the pecans.
- Continue to stir and after a few minutes a thick syrup should form in the pan and over the pecans.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and heat your oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pour the pecans and any remaining syrup onto the baking sheet and spread in an even layer, making sure the pecans are not lumped together
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and the pecans should have a crisp sugared coating on the outside.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for about 1 week.
I made something like 12 pounds of candied pecans last years as holiday gifts. Didn’t hear one complaint. HA. They’re the best!!
I need to make a big batch of these for gifting…and of course, save plenty for our house too! Yum! So excited for your cookie business. Congrats!
I need more recipes for cardamom. These sound delicious!
Can someone tell me what cardamom is? Thank you
Hi Deborah – Cardamom is a popular Middler Easter and Scandinavian spice generally found in pod form, it’s either green or black but you can generally find it already ground up as well at spice stores or some place like Whole Foods. If you buy it ground, it’s usually green cardamom. The scent is spicy-sweet and very aromatic. If you’ve had chai, then you might recognize the smell. A little bit does go a long way. Hope this helps!
oooooh that’s great that business is so good but yeah I’m sure it’s INSANELY stressful!!!
These pecans remind me of those deliciously fragrant nuts they sell on the street–but better!
Oh these sounds amazing!
These would definitely not be safe if I was around. I love the vanilla and cardamom combo (I used it in my pear butter today, too). I bet the madness between now and the 25th will be so worth it…only smiles as you’re relaxing on the 26th.
Wait a minute, who complains about having too many bottles of wine?? 🙂 And I am a huge fan of cardamom. Glad to see a different kind of candied nut!
Do you use the Cardamom Pods or just the seeds? Black, green or white?
Hi Ann, sorry I should have specified and I’ll fix it in the recipe. I just use already ground cardamom.
I don’t live near a whole foods so I guess I won’t find it or the vanillabean paste????
Deborah – That’s okay! You can order everything on Amazon or this store locator from Nielsen-Massey’s website http://www.nielsenmassey.com/consumer/where-to-buy.php
If you can’t find either, you can easily swap vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract and cardamom for cinnamon. The taste will be different but they will still be delicious candied pecans in the end.
Wow I wish I would have known I could have switched ingredients but a friend of mine had the cardamom so I borrowed and I have the vanilla bean paste on the way from Amazon. I hope these are worth the aggravation I hope I like them. Thanks for all your feed back much appreciated.I am so excited to try these I love pecans.
I do think you are going to love them. My husband and I ate through these really quickly and you can use the vanilla bean paste in more recipes than just this. I use it in every recipe that would normally call for vanilla extract, as it’s a 1 to 1 swap. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and happy baking!
I am such a fan of cardamom. I’d probably eat this whole batch in one sitting. Before you know it, it will be December 26th and you’ll be getting your sleeps!
I must be like the only one who has never had a candied pecan! I am so missing out!
Sure you don’t want to do another cookie week? Awe, c’mon now. Ha. I don’t know how you do it all woman. Work, blog, cookie biz, I’d be crying in a corner somewhere.
I freaking love candied pecans. Just made a batch the other day, they just smell so awesome right. I can just imagine how wonderful these smelled and tasted. So gorgeous too.
I LOVE cardamom! I always describe it as cinnamon’s sassy younger sister. I think after seeing your recipe no one would disagree. And for the record: you’re amazing. When it’s time to relax, you’re REALLY going to enjoy yourself!
Yes, I can only imagine how busy you must be this time of year! These pecans looks delicious. I love cardamon during the winter months. I don’t think I’d be able to stop snacking on these!
I echo Kim’s comment – I really don’t know how you’re doing all of this right now. You’re superwoman! Full time job, hubby, fur-kid, smokin’ busy cookie business. I’d be curled up in a corner, sobbing into my bowl of vanilla cardamom candied pecans. Oh, who am I kidding? As if I’d have it together enough to make these on top of everything else. See? You’re amazing. Nice job with adding cardamom in here – I have a big bottle of the stuff that I need to use and this recipe is the perfect starting point!
I am addicted to candied pecans. When I make them, I barely leave my hubby some. The cardamom touch sounds sooo soo good!