SPICED CANDIED PECANS

A wonderful pantry staple for me and not just for the holidays! It is fantastic on salads, compliments cheese, and is a fantastic mid-day pick-me-up snack. It will store in a cool pantry for up to 1 week or in the refrigerator for 3 weeks in an airtight jar/container. I prefer Ball jars for just about everything I store. Very important to make sure the pecans are cooled at least 2 hours prior to storing them.

Recipe inspired by David Lebovitz – I made a few tweaks
Makes 2 cups
5 tablespoons of powdered sugar
3 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
*2 cups unsalted organic pecans (my favorite source for any type of nuts or dried fruits is nuts.com)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons of water, salt, cayenne, cinnamon and pecans.
Stir well so to coat the pecans fully. If the mixture looks dry add a little more water. The mixture should be coated thickly but not watery.
Spread the nuts on the baking sheet. Bake approx. 10-12 minutes stirring a few times during baking until they are golden brown and shiny. Remove from oven and cool baking sheet.
Once cool, break up any big chunks and store in an airtight container.

Bon appétit