These glazed sweet and spicy pecans are perfectly made with a touch of heat and are perfect for keeping on hand for salads, charcuterie boards, or snacking.

If there is a store-bought substitute for these yummy sugar & spice glazed pecans, I haven’t found one. I consider these nuts pure gold, especially in busy months when I am entertaining frequently. These are my favorite glazed nuts for salads and the perfect complement to blue cheese and gorgonzola.

This recipe works with walnuts as well as pecans.  I make sugar & spice glazed walnuts to put in Olexa’s Walnut Goat Cheese Salad Copycat Recipe.

This oven method is my favorite way to glaze nuts, as it takes less than 30 minutes (not including allowing nuts to harden). You can make these weeks ahead and freeze them. You can also make them ahead and store them in the refrigerator.

How can you use glazed nuts?

These nuts can go in so many different dishes. They are SO delicious and can be paired with almost anything. As mentioned before they go amazingly in salads, but they can be used as an ice cream topping or just eaten as a snack. They are perfect to gift to friends and loved ones around the holidays. Making a whole batch of these and giving them out is an easy and quick present that everyone will enjoy. 

How long do these glazed pecans keep?

If stored properly (in an airtight container or kept in the freezer), these glazed pecans should keep well for up to six weeks. You never know when you’ll need some extra toppings or additions to your salad! Because they can last so long, these pecans are great for preparing ahead of time. 

How can you make these pecans ahead?

As mentioned earlier, these glazed pecans can keep for up to six weeks. For the most part, you prepare the glazed pecans the same as you would but once they are out of the oven, let them cool down before they are transferred to another container. Once you’ve done that, you’re good to go! Just make sure to remember to either put them in an airtight container or in the freezer. 

How can you keep the nuts from getting soggy?

Luckily, it is super easy to keep the nuts from getting soggy. For the most part, putting the pecans in the oven will draw out a lot of the soggy-ness they would have if you didn’t put them in the oven at all. The outer layer will form a delicious crust and you won’t be able to get enough!

What brings the spice to these sweet and spicy pecans?

Cayenne pepper brings some heat to these sweet and spicy pecans. Most of the ingredients in this recipe were sweet, but the addition of cayenne peppers adds a funky new element to this recipe. Without the addition of the cayenne pepper, then this recipe would be too sweet and overpowering. The pepper adds the perfect balance that makes this dish absolutely delicious.

Can I use a different type of nut?

Absolutely! Besides pecans, walnuts are a really good nut to use for this recipe. Walnuts are equally delicious to make this recipe with, but it is up to you which nut to use in this recipe. Personally, I prefer pecans, but to each their own!

Are the pecans going to be sticky?

As soon as the pecans come out of the oven, they will be sticky. However, after letting them cool they will harden enough to be the perfect shell on the outside, with no stickiness at all! Once they have cooled down you can either serve them to guests or you could put them away for storage in the fridge. 

If you make these, I’d love to hear from you; please share your thoughts in the comments below.  As always, thanks so much for stopping by.  Be blessed, and stay savvy!

If you like this recipe, check out these as well:

• This Famous Jennifer Anniston Salad Will Make You Fall In Love With Bulgur
• This Green Beans with Shallots is Your Next Favorite Dish