These addictive pecans are rich with spice but much easier to make than the traditional candied nuts.  A frothy egg white clings to the nuts to hold the sugar and spice eliminating the need for butter, oil or melted sugar.  I always have them on hand to nibble with any libation or to give away as a hostess gift with a pretty ceramic bowl.  This recipe is also great with a mixture of pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts.

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon groun cumin

1 egg white, room temperature

1 tablespoon water

1 pound pecan halves

Special Equipment: Silpat

Preheat Oven to 300°F

Mix together sugars, salt, cayenne and cinnamon; set aside.  Beat egg white until frothy but not stiff, add water and stir until combined.  Add pecans and stir to coat evenly.  Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture and stir until evenly coated.  

Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with a SilPat or parchment paper.  

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed.  Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool.  Let cool for at least hour before storing in tightly closed container such as a Mason jar.

Makes 1 pound of  Elizabeth’s Sugar and Spice Pecans a.k.a. “praline pecans.”

©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2019