Honey-Glazed, Toasted Pecans
For years, I’ve loved sweet and savory candied pecans. In the store, I’d buy them with the intent of sprucing up salads. But back home, they’d never made their way into my greens, as I‘d snack on them by the handful. Yet over time, I grew to tire of the sickly sweet, candied pecans. So, I began experimenting with sugar substitutes, like maple syrup and honey. Honey was the hands down winner, as it infused a caramelized sweetness into the pecans, which was balanced by the sprinkle of savory sea salt and the textural crunch of the toasted pecans. The only problem is that I am back to my original quandary: how do I not eat the entire batch before reserving some for my salads? Truly, they’re so good that you’ll pop them into your mouth like candy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans (halves and/or pieces)
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ t. sea salt
Directions
- Step 1 First, heat an empty nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the pan gets hot, about 1-2 minutes. Tip: it’s best to use a big enough skillet, so your pecans spread out in a single layer and don’t double up.
- Step 2 Second, measure out the pecans and add to the skillet, toasting them until they just begin to toast, approximately 3 minutes. Tip: the best way to taste the doneness is to taste the pecans since they’re already brown. Just be careful as they’re hot.
- Step 3 Third, pour in the honey to coat the pecans. Stir regularly until the pecans caramelize, about 2 minutes. The pecans are ready when golden, so be sure to take off the heat before they begin to darken. You know you’ve gone too far if your pecans turn a burnt brown.
- Step 4 Fourth, sprinkle with salt and let cool if you have time. Eat as they are or use to adorn my Citrus, Bacon & Pecan Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, see recipe under Salad.
- Step 5 Note: be sure to separate the pecans before they cool, or they will stick to each other and the plate they rest on.
These Honey-Glazed, Toasted Pecans are a prize topping for a salad or a treat in of themselves. With only three ingredients and 8 minutes to make, it will become a staple in your household as they are mine! Try them on my Citrus, Bacon & Pecan Salad with Maple Vinaigrette (recipe under Salad) or in my Bacon-Wrapped Honey and Cheese Dates (recipe under appetizer).
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serving size: 1 oz, servings per recipe: 8, calories: 233, total fat: 21 g., saturated fat: 1.8 g., cholesterol: 0 mg., sodium: 148 mg., total carbohydrate: 12.6 g., dietary fiber: 2.7 g., total sugars: 9.9 g., protein: g., calcium: 21 mg., iron: 1 mg., potassium: 126 mg., magnesium: mg., vitamin D: 0 mcg.