Alton Brown's sweet and spicy pecans are candied nuts with a kick of cayenne and cinnamon that are perfect for holiday entertaining.

Course: Sweets

Keyword: Christmas, Fall, Hacks, Holidays, Snacks, Spicy Pecans, Thanksgiving

Spiced Pecans

Name: Spiced Pecans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 3/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder; 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon dried ground orange peel; 1 pound pecan halves; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pats; 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar; 2 tablespoons water

ACTIVE TIME: 10

TOTAL TIME: 18

Yield: 1 pound

These brown sugar-glazed pecans tossed in a sweet and spicy coating make fantastic host/hostess gifts, as well as a simple snack or holiday appetizer.

Although the nuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 weeks or frozen (tightly wrapped) for up 3 months, odds are good these pecans won’t last more than a day or two.

This recipe first appeared on altonbrown.com.

Photo by Lynne Calamia

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Software

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried ground orange peel
1 pound pecan halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water

Specialized Hardware

10-12-inch cast iron or stainless skillet

ACTIVE TIME: 10

TOTAL TIME: 18

Yield: 1 pound

Procedure

Line a half sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper or foil.
Mix the salt, cumin, Chinese five spice, cayenne, cinnamon, and orange peel together in a small bowl and set aside.
Place the nuts in a 10-12-inch cast-iron or stainless skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, with a wooden spoon 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the spices until just fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds, then add the butter pats and stir to melt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sugars. Mix thoroughly to coat the nuts then add the water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved completely and the nuts look glazed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Spread the nuts onto the prepared sheet pan and separate with a spatula so that they don't dry in clumps. Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage.