Sweet and Spicy Candied Bourbon Pecans

Sugar. Bourbon. Pecans. These suckers are dangerous.

Dangerously good.

I’m picturing them sprinkled on top of ice cream. Or arranged on top of a pumpkin cheesecake. Or heck, throw them on a salad! The possibilities are endless.

Let’s not overlook the fact that they are really good on their own, too.

They have just a touch of cayenne so you aren’t overwhelmed by the sweetness of the sugar and bourbon.

Sweet and Spicy Candied Bourbon Pecans

1 egg white
1 tablespoon bourbon
3 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or Silpat.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg white with bourbon until frothy. Stir in pecans, mixing until moistened.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cayenne until combined. Sprinkle over moistened nuts (that felt dirty), stir to combine and spread onto pan.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes stirring every ten minutes. They burn quickly so keep an eye on them!

Verdict: So tasty.
Husband’s take: Exact words? “I wish I had a beer to go with these!”
Changes I would make: Well, I’m not going to lie…a few got burnt. I’d keep a closer eye on them next time!
Difficulty: Easy. Just don’t burn them. Pecans are too expensive to go burning…trust me.

Tagged as: bourbon, cayenne, nut, party food, pecans, spicy, sugar, sweet, whiskey