Keto Candied Pecans (Oven and Stove Options)
By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 09/28/2020 - Last updated on 04/22/2023
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These keto candied pecans are the best sweet, crunchy topping for Fall keto salads or the perfect keto pecan candy to snack on with only 0.6 grams of net carbs per serving!
Plus, all you need to make the best keto candied pecans are 5 ingredients, so keep reading to learn more!
Are Candied Pecans Keto?
No, classic candied pecans are coated with sugar, as a result, a typical serving contains as much as 10 grams of net carbs.
Since this is too much for a typical keto diet, it’s necessary to revisit the recipe with keto-friendly ingredients if you want to enjoy the classic snack.
How To Make Keto Candied Pecans
The best way to make candied nuts – nuts coated with a sweet crystallized crunchy layer – is to use your oven.
While stove recipes are great, they never achieve the same level of crispiness, and you won’t have a thick, crunchy layer.
Ingredients
You need 5 simple ingredients to make these candied pecan pralines:
- Egg white – you must use eggs for the oven-baked candied pecan recipe. You can make this recipe egg-free only if you cook the nuts on the stove. Eggs are keto-friendly ingredients.
- Water
- Vanilla Extract
- Erythritol – don’t use xylitol. It doesn’t firm up and make food crunchy as erythritol does. I recommend brands made of pure erythritol (like Swerve) or a combo of Monk fruit and erythritol. Feel free to use white or brown crystal sweeteners. Read my review of keto-friendly sweeteners to learn more!
- Cinnamon – or pumpkin spices.
- Sea salt
Preparing The Nuts
The first step to making candied pecan in your oven is to coat each nut with a layer of egg white and water mixture.
In fact, this mix helps the sugar mixture, made of sugar-free keto sweetener and spices, to stick to the nuts in the next step.
Plus, egg whites crisp and create a thick candy layer around the nuts that makes them even more delicious.
Sugar-free Coating
Then, pour the sugar-free mixture over the nuts, and all you need is less than 2 minutes of stirring to completely coat the nuts.
The sugar-free mix must use erythritol or a combo of erythritol and monk fruit sweetener as a keto low-carb sweetener.
In fact, xylitol doesn’t crisp or firm up after baking, and it won’t create crunchy pecan nuts.
Oven Baking Pecan Nuts
First, prepare a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. This is important to prevent the candied pecans from sticking to the tray.
You can also melt some butter and brush it onto the paper to avoid having the nuts stick too much, but it’s unnecessary.
Then, I recommend always baking the nuts at low temperatures to preserve their nutrients. It means that the best oven temperature to bake pecans is 250°F (130°C).
Plus, keto candied pecans use Monk fruit or erythritol. These sugar-free sweeteners have a lower melting point than sugar.
In fact, erythritol or monk fruit erythritol blends melt at 250°F (120°C) while sugar melts at 350°F (180°C).
Therefore, to avoid the sugar-free sweetener turning brown, it is better to candy the pecans at a low temperature.
Finally, always stir the nuts constantly, every 10 minutes during the baking process, to roast them evenly on each side.
Stove method
In a large non-stick pan, over medium-high heat, add sugar-free crystal sweetener and water.
Stir constantly until the erythritol is melted and the liquid forms lots of bubbles in the center of the pan.
If you have a candy thermometer at home, you want to reach 320°F to 340°F (160°C to 180°C).
This is the temperature at which the sugar-free caramel forms.
Then, pour the pecan into the hot caramel along with cinnamon and sea salt. Reduce to low heat and stir the pecan to coat.
Transfer the coated pecan onto a large baking sheet or plate covered with parchment paper. Spread with a spatula in a single layer and cool completely.
The caramel layer around the nuts will get crunchy after 30 minutes.
This method creates clusters of pecan nuts, with a thin layer of caramel between each.
You can simply break them apart to release the candied nuts individually or serve them as a cluster.
Cooling down
The nuts will crunch after they are completely cooled down.
Remove the tray from the oven and keep the nuts on the baking tray until completely cool.
Otherwise, for faster cooling down, transfer the nuts to a cold metallic baking sheet.
Storing Candied Pecans
These keto pecan pralines must be stored in an airtight container, preferably a metallic or glass container. In fact, plastic containers soften the nuts and they won’t store as long.
Keep the container at room temperature and store for up to 3 weeks. You can also freeze the nuts and thaw them for 1 hour before at room temperature.
Stove vs. Oven Options
Both methods are great but deliver very different results in terms of taste, texture, and storage.
Pick the recipe that works the best for you. My preference is the oven version.
Oven-Candied Pecans Have
- a highly crunchy sugar coating and nuts – they taste like praline candies.
- a thick, white, matte, crystallized sugar coating.
- keep their crunch up to 3 weeks.
- take at least 1 hour to prepare – including cooling down.
Stove-Candied Pecans Have
- a thin layer of caramel.
- a shiny, sweet, lovely aspect but are not very crunchy.
- store up to 3 weeks, but the nuts soften after a few days.
- ready in less than 30 minutes.
So if you love crunchy praline candies, use the oven option.
But if you prefer a slightly crunchy nut or are allergic to eggs or vegan, use the stove option.
Vegan Pecan Candy Option
The original candied pecan recipe above is not vegan since it is using egg-white.
However, there’s another way to make candied nuts without eggs under the stove.
This is not my favorite option because the nuts won’t crunch as much, and the layer will be more like a thin shiny caramel rather than a crystallized candy crunchy layer.
But since many of you are allergic to eggs or follow a vegan keto diet, I am sharing the vegan keto recipe in this post for you too.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Can I Eat Candied Pecans?
These keto-friendly candied pecans are perfect for the holiday season.
You can use them on top of keto salad, casserole, or desserts like my keto pumpkin mousse.
How Many Carbs Are In Keto Candied Pecans?
These Keto Candied Pecans contain only 0.6 grams of net carbs per serving.
More Keto Snack Recipes
If you enjoy easy keto snacks, you’ll love these:
Have you made these gluten-free keto candied pecan yet? Share a picture of your creation with me on Instagram and leave me your comments below! I love to read your feedback on my recipes.
Did You Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page for tips, our Instagram page for inspiration, our Pinterest for saving recipes, and Flipboard to get all the new ones!
Keto Candied Pecans
Ingredients
Keto candied pecan – oven method, crunchy pralines
- 2 ¼ cups Pecans Halved
- 1 large Egg White
- ½ tablespoon Water
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Granulated Sweetener or brown erythritol, not xylitol!
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Vegan keto pecan candy – stove recipe – caramelized nuts, low crunch
- 2 ¼ cups Pecans Halved
- ¾ cup Granulated Sweetener or brown erythritol, not xylitol!
- 4 tablespoons Water
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Oven recipe – recommended for crunchy pecan pralines!
- Preheat oven to 250°F (130°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat egg white with water and vanilla vigorously until frothy.
- In another bowl, combine erythritol with cinnamon and salt. Set aside
- Stir the pecan halves into the egg mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Pour the erythritol mixture onto the pecan and toss again to coat evenly.
- Spread the coated pecans into a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 40 minutes, stirring the pecans every 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet before storing or eating.
Stove recipe
- In a skillet, over medium-high heat combine erythritol, water, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly until the liquid boils, gets brown and reaches 320°F-340°F (160°C-180°C). You can use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
- Reduce to low heat, stir in the pecan until evenly coated with the sugar-free caramel.
- Remove from heat and spread the pecan onto a flat surface (plate or benchtop) covered with a large piece of parchment paper. Don't let the pecans overlap.
- Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
Storage and freezing
- Store in a glass mason jar or metallic airtight container. Avoid plastic containers. They soften the nuts. Store for up to 3 weeks in the sealed container in the pantry.
- It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature on a plate before serving.
- Serve with salad, dessert, pancakes, or as a snack. One serving is 2 tablespoons.
Notes
Tools
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About The Author
Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook and many ebooks, and founder of Sweet As Honey.
I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I'm passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I'm also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.
I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet
Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!
All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.
Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.
I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!
Disclaimer
The recipes, instructions, and articles on this website should not be taken or used as medical advice. You must consult with your doctor before starting on a keto or low-carb diet. The nutritional data provided on Sweetashoney is to be used as indicative only.
The nutrition data is calculated using WP Recipe Maker. Net Carbs is calculated by removing the fiber and some sweeteners from the total Carbohydrates. As an example, a recipe with 10 grams of Carbs per 100 grams that contains 3 grams of erythritol and 5 grams of fiber will have a net carbs content of 2 grams. Some sweeteners are excluded because they are not metabolized.
You should always calculate the nutritional data yourself instead of relying on Sweetashoney's data. Sweetashoney and its recipes and articles are not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose, or treat any disease. Sweetashoney cannot be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or advice found on the Website.
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I made a double batch. I was worried because it looked very liquidy. Trust the process! By the third stir, they came together. These are delicious!
Wondering if this can be “baked” in Air Fryer?
Technically it’s possible but it might create a big mess. Plus if your pecans are too light, they might be blown on the resistance, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
I saw in one of your comments that pure Monkfruit wouldn’t work in these, as it wouldn’t crystalize. Would an Allulose/Monkfruit blend work in these? Would love to try them, but those are the only sweeteners I have. Thanks so much!
Allulose doesn’t crystallize much either but still provide decent result compared to Monk fruit.
Thank you Great recipe but I made one small change. I slightly pulverized my Swerve granular to help cut down on the grittiness. I’m sure I will be making this again and may even make a batch without cinnamon for our daughter who is allergic to this spice.
This is such a delicious recipe. I’ve used both pecans and walnuts with the oven version, and they are both awesome. The hard part is keeping hubby from snitching a bunch of them before they’re completely cool. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, some questions from one cook to others, if I may?
I have a few small things with the recipe that I’d like to change or adjust, if possible or…heck, even if nutty (ha!).
1. Do you think that one could combine the two methods? Could you stovetop cook the caramel and THEN pour it over the nuts and bake them on parchment in the oven, or a silicone mat? OR, perhaps you could oven-roast the nuts, in the stovetop method and then pour the caramel/glaze over the cooled, roasted nuts? Does that sound doable? To get the more-peanut-brittle sort of glaze?
2. I keep getting a similar result with Erythritol, whether I mix in some pure Stevia (1% by weight) or Monkfruit–when oven-roasted, etc. that “minty” mouthfeel comes through. I’d rather not have that if possible. I mean, it’s not terrible, but…it seems that whenever I cook with Erythritol, that cooling sensation persists. Anybody have any ideas for that?
Thank you, truly, for the recipe/techniques. Extremely helpful in my Quest for lower-cal, better foods for my husband, who needs to lose 20-30 lbs. He loves candied pecans and he’s hoovering these. Much appreciated.
Tx–Clancy
I used Swerve granulated zero calorie sweetener. I don’t like the cold taste of erythritol. Worked perfectly.
I pretty sure method 1 would work well. You can try other keto sweetener like allulose, they have almost no minty aftertaste or try brands that already combine erythritol and stevia like Lakanto or swerve.
Thanks, Carine. I already am trying about a bajillion different already-mixeds (like Lankato) and making my own (100 parts erythritol to 1 part stevia, by *weight,* which is, I might add, a pain to figure out!). Honestly, the 100-to-1, by weight, yields what I believe is the “best” sugar-like taste and baking substitution (nearly 1:1). I have an “In the Raw” all purpose–mix of 4–Erythritol, Stevia, Allulose *and* Monkfruit–to see if that gets me there. It’s expensive, but I need something fantastic for my husband who desperately needs to LOSE WEIGHT.
So, now, as I said, I’m trying to get a more…peanut-brittle-ish result. So you think that trying to cook the caramel first, then pour it and THEN roast it would work? And keeping to 250F should mean that it won’t burn, I’d think? Well, I’ll just try it. I am loath to experiment wildly–let’s face it, pecan halves are pricey to begin with and NONE of us want to waste them! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! Those of us out here in Internet Land appreciate thsoe of you who fall on your swords and develop and test these things.
I didn’t try any of your option so I can’t provide a firm answer that this will work. What I can tell is that the stove option provide a brittle like texture and I wouldn’t put it again in the oven. Up to you to try and experiment.
These were delicious. Such a great keto snack
My favorite and go to keto candied nut recipe!
It’s interchangeable with any nut you’d like to candy. So far I’ve done pecans, walnuts, almonds and peanuts! If you use parchment paper, coconut oil spray and scoop them out in little heaps you get little clusters! No need to flip just knock ten minutes off the cook time and LET COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE HANDLING!<very important. Your not going to regret trying this recipe!
These are my new go to snack! I’m not a fan of Erythritol so I only used 1/2 cup. I also added some cayenne for a kick and they came out perfect. Great recipe!
If I use Monk Fruit in the Raw and erythritol for this recipe what would be the portion sizes of each? So 1 cup of regular sugar would equal x amount of Monk Fruit and x amount of erythritol. Thank you for your help.
Do you mean monk fruit erythritol blend? These brands are 1:1 ratio replacement du sugar or erythritol. But pure Monk fruit won’t work as it won’t crystalize. Check my keto sweetener converter to help you.
OMG!!! These are so delicious and ADDICTIVE! I have to give part of every batch I make away, otherwise would eat them all myself!!! I use the oven method, and even though they look wet when you take them out of the oven, they crisp up beautifully as they cool and dry. This recipe is definitely a keeper and satisfies the cravings for sweet and crunchy! Thank you!
I L❤️VE THESE! OH MY GISH THEY ARE AMAZING! I used a combination of walnuts, sliced almonds, walnuts 1 cup & 1/4cup total. Simply the easiest, best but snack I have found by far. Thank you for killing my hurting sweet tooth.
I made regular candied pecans at Xmas- way too much suga! I came across this recipie& it’s great!! Texture is the same& taste is pretty darn close! Very good! Thanks so much!(I used the oven method)
It says 2 1/4 cups pecans halved. Does that mean 1 1/8 cups of pecans or 2 1/4 cups of pecan halves?
Pecans are always sold halves, so I am not sure what you mean by pecans. Enjoy
Super easy to make and delicious.
Have made this several times and love them. I love pecans but, my daughter is allergic.
Can this be made with walnuts?
Sure, I tried almonds and macadamia, both come out great as well
Excellent Snack
These came out absolutely delicious! My non-keto husband just at 2 handfuls and swore there was no way they could be good for you lol Thank you so much!
Do these have the “cooling effect” that a lot of products with Swerve have?
The cooling effect comes from the sweetener, erythritol always have a minty after taste. You can use allulose to avoid that. Enjoy!
Your recipe is awesome! I wish my tastebuds didn’t experience the cooling effect. I’ll try the allulose.