Name: Chai Spiced Maple Candied Pecans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 oz pecans; 1/4 cup maple syrup (60 mL); 1/4 cup brown sugar (53 g); 1 large egg white; 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 5 whole green cardamom pods; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp cloves; 1/4 tsp allspice; 1/8 tsp whole coriander; 1/2 tsp salt

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These chai spiced maple pecan candied pecans are covered in a maple brown sugar mix with a homemade chai spice mix then toasted to crunchy sweet perfection.

Periodically I buy candied nuts, and while they always taste good, I always think, I could make these better myself.

Being a lover of spices who is also a believer that people’s food tastes boring because they’re scared of spices, I set about making these addictively delicious maple candied pecans.

The cool thing about this recipe is that it takes about 5 minutes to put together. From there, you can eat them straight off the sheet tray (shoot, I would), or package them up for an easy handmade gift.

Even better, you can chop them up straight into a recipe like my Kitchen Sink Blondies. There’s really no wrong way to eat these amazing candied pecans. Green Eggs and Pecans?–it’d probably work.

So clean out your spice jar, and let’s make a batch!

candied maple pecans in jars with cinnamon

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Chai Spiced Maple Candied Pecans

maple candied pecans in dish with cinnamon

Why you’ll come back to this recipe time and time again

Crunch: enough said. We all love it.
Spicy, with the right amount of sweetness: these are not cloying. There’s enough sweetness to make the spices dance, but not so much that you’re calling your dentist.
Easy: this is the kind of recipe you can make while 16 other things are going on.
Gorgeous: These look so pretty on a charcuterie board, or packed up in a glass jar. They’re one of those things that just look lovely. As such, they’re the perfect easy homemade gift for teachers, co-workers, friends, neighbors etc.

About chai spices and what you can use to spice your nuts if chai is not your thing

Chai is a blend of spices for tea. There’s a wide range of different spices that can make it into chai. Cinnamon is typically #1 flavor in most people’s chai blends. Beyond that, I think that ginger and cardamom should also be there. I also add cloves, allspice and coriander seeds. Some people like star anise or nutmeg or black pepper.

If you are not a fan of some of those spices, there’s plenty of other spice blends that work in this recipe. Maple and pecans both pair well with sweet and savory flavors.

Some different spice ideas if you don’t want your pecans to taste like a chai latte

Barbecue: use a mild (guajillo) or hot chile powder (chile de arbol), ground cumin, paprika and garlic powder.
Rosemary: use chopped rosemary and garlic powder and maybe some fresh thyme.
Premade spice blends: anything goes here. Ras al hanout, curry powder, Old Bay, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice.

If you’re starting to think that this recipe sounds pretty flexible, you’d be right.

Ingredients for candied maple pecans

Wet ingredients

Pecans (or your favorite nut)
Egg white: helps the spice mix stick to the pecans
Maple syrup: a classic flavor to mix with pecans
Vanilla extract: boosts the sweet flavors; omit this if you choose to make these savory

Brown sugar chai mix

Brown sugar: caramelizes on the nuts adding to the crunch.
Cinnamon: I like Ceylon for these.
Cardamom
Ginger
Allspice
Cloves
Coriander seeds
Salt: to balance the sweetness and make the spices not taste flat

Tips for making the best spiced candied nuts

Use whole spices if at all possible: I know people love spice blends because they’re easy, but the truth is that once spices are ground, they begin to lose flavor almost immediately. If you use whole spices and grind them yourself, you will be shocked by how much more flavor everything will have. I have a small coffee grinder that’s dedicated for spices. I also have a mortar and pestle that sees a lot of use. Smashing the spices in the mortar and pestle will bang out the essential oils from the spices in a way the grinder can’t, giving you even more flavor. Plus it’s nice to smash things at the end of a rough day.
Stir: stir the nuts periodically a few times during the baking process. This will help all sides of the nuts to hit the heat of the oven, making for the best caramelized edges.
Peel off the paper when the nuts are warm: despite using parchment under the nuts, if the nuts cool completely, the parchment will stick. Peel off the nuts from the parchment as soon as they’re cool enough to handle them. Once you’ve peeled them off, it’s okay for them to keep cooling on the pan.

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Things you can use your spiced maple candied pecans for

Charcuterie board: Pop these nuts on a board with creamy cheeses like Chevre or crumbly cheddars.
Gifts: Scoop nuts into pretty bags or Mason jars, and tie it up with a bow. They’re almost instant housewarming or hostess gifts.
As an ingredient: I’ve alluded to this, but any recipe you’d use a regular nut, use these instead. You’ll build mysterious layers of flavors that will make your bakes or your cooking magically more intriguing. I love these in my Kitchen Sink Blondies, Applesauce Granola, Mini Banana Breads, Loaded Oatmeal Cookies, or Pecan Sandies.
Homemade trail mix: mix these with dried cranberries, yogurt raisins, and some salted almonds for a nice Fall themed trail mix.
As an ice cream topping: boost the flavor of any of my no-churn ice cream recipes.

Chai Spiced Maple Candied Pecans

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Author: Elizabeth Farr
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 cups

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Description

Addictively crunchy candied maple pecans with alluring chai spices. Wrap these up for an easy holiday gift, or eat them out of hand, maybe with some cheese.

Ingredients

Scale

12 oz pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup (60 mL)
1/4 cup brown sugar (53 g)
1 large egg white
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
5 whole green cardamom pods
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp whole coriander
1/2 tsp salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).
Line one half sheet baking pan with parchment.
Lightly crush the cardamom pods to split the green outer part and remove the seeds. Discard the green pod pieces.
Grind the cardamom seeds with any other whole spices you’re using in a small coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. For me that includes the cloves, allspice, and coriander with the cardamom.
Mix all the spices and salt with the brown sugar.
Whip the egg white with a fork until foamy. Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Pour the pecans into the egg white mixture until coated.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and spices over the pecans and toss thoroughly.
Spread out the pecans on the prepared sheet.
Bake the nuts for 25-30 minutes, stirring the nuts 2 or 3 times until the coating becomes crunchy, the nuts are well browned, and all the moisture has evaporated.
Peel the parchment away from the nuts as soon as they’re cool enough to handle.
Store the nuts in glass jars at room temp for about a week, or freeze for up to 2 months. The nuts will taste best after about 24 hours, when the spices have had a chance to meld and develop.

Notes

Change up the spices: for a savory combo, use 2 tsp of a mild chile like guajillo chiles with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of pecan in place of the spices. You can also use only cinnamon for cinnamon maple pecans (use 2 tsp).
Use different nuts: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, or even pumpkin seeds are all delicious. If the nuts are smaller than pecans, just watch them in the oven as they will take less time to bake.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 0 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Baking building blocks
Cuisine: American