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    Home » Christmas Recipes » Air Fryer Pecans

    Published: Dec 2, 2022 · Modified: Dec 7, 2022 by sushma iyer · This post may contain affiliate links

    Air Fryer Pecans

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    Are you looking for a fabulous holiday snack or a Christmas treat? Something that's easy to make and will wow your guests? Let me introduce you to 6 mins Air Fryer Pecans - ridiculously easy and insanely delicious!!!

    pecans roasted in air fryer placed in a white bowl
    roasted pecans

    Can you roast pecans in Air Fryer?

    Yes, you can roast pecans in an air fryer! It's a super easy recipe. All you need is 3 simple ingredients and a little time.

    The best part about roasting nuts in an air fryer is that it's so easy to make them taste great, whether you use store-bought or homemade seasoning.

    All you have to do is toss the nuts with salt (or whatever seasoning you prefer or keep it plain) and put them in the air fryer for a few minutes.

    You can vary the cooking time depending on how crunchy you want your nuts to be—just keep checking them as they roast!

    And trust me roasting pecans in the air fryer is the best way to roast them - takes fairly less time than an oven or stove top and also less chances of it getting burnt.

    Do I need eggs for toasting pecans?

    You may have heard that you need eggs to toast pecans or other nuts.

    The thought behind this is that the egg white helps coat the spices.

    However, you can simply use any oil of your choice instead of eggs in an air fryer and get similar results.

    Are these Air Fryer Candied Pecans Recipe?

    No, these are not the "candied" Air Fryer Pecans recipe.

    This is a recipe for salted roasted pecans that can be used as a topping on desserts or just eaten as a snack in itself.

    They are completely sugar-free, making them ideal for people who are trying to cut down on their sugar intake also a perfect recipe for a keto and low carb diets.

    But I have got you covered with multiple ways of making roasted pecans in the air fryer for this holiday season in the post below. My favorite has to be cinnamon sugar from the list do check it out.

    Ingredients

    ingredients needed to make air fryer pecans
    ingredients needed

    Ingredient Notes

    • Pecans - prefer using pecan halves over whole or chopped pecans
    • Oil - I prefer using a cooking spray as then everything gets done in the basket of the air fryer itself. But you can very well use tsp of oil too. The details are shared in the recipe card below.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C or 360°F

    arpecans arranged in a single layer in the air fryer basket
    pecans arranged in single layer

    Step 2: Spread the coated pecans in a single layer on the inner basket of the air fryer.

    coat the pecans
    coat the pecans

    Step 3: Spray some cooking oil spray on top of the pecans followed by a good sprinkling of salt. Give it a good shake.

    Step 4: Place it in the air fryer ensuring that they are in a single layer again. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes.

    Step 5: Remove from the air fryer, and let cool in a single layer over a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper for about 5 minutes.

    Wasn't this an easy air fryer recipe? This small-batch recipe makes for a quick snack that could also double down as an easy treat for kids.

    Storage Instructions

    Think about storing only when the Pecans are completely COOLED or else there are high chances of it going soft.

    Store in a clean mason jar, zip lock bag, or any air-tight container for about 15 days at room temperature away from the sun.

    About a month in the refrigerator.

    You can also freeze them for about 3-4 months.

    How to know when pecans are done roasting?

    Since you are using the air fryer, the pecans will only take about 6-8 minutes to brown.

    Here are the typical signs to look for:

    1. When they’re done roasting, they should have a nice dark color
    2. They should smell aromatic like roasted nuts of course 😉 and not burnt.
    3. When slightly cooled take a bite and it should have the perfect crunch and not feel burnt (like you would get if you put them in an oven). It should also taste nutty.

    How to refresh or reheat stale pecans

    Not just with toasted pecans but any nut for that matter can become soft over a period of time and here is when I cannot stop raving about how handy an air fryer is to revive them.

    One easy method to prolong them from becoming soft is by storing the roasted pecans in the refrigerator. They stay crunchy for a really long time.

    But if the pecans are not crispy for you even after storing them properly here is what you can do:

    1. Follow the same process as mentioned in the recipe for fresh pecans - the only difference being the time duration.
    2. Add the pecans to the wire basket of the air fryer without overcrowding the basket.
    3. Air fry at 180°C for 3 mins checking after every minute.

    7 Top Tips

    1. Never overcrowd the inner basket of the air fryer. Add nuts in batches if doubling or tripling the recipe, so they cook evenly without sticking together or burning.
    2. You can make use of parchment paper or pre-cut parchment paper at the base for easy cleaning of the basket.
    3. Make sure to cool the nuts completely by arranging them in a single layer on parchment paper or a baking tray so that they harden and crisp up.
    4. It is also important to store the nuts only when they are cooled completely or else they will become soft.
    5. Do keep an eye on the nuts while cooking, as pecans or nuts in general can go from toasted to burnt in seconds. Every Air Fryer is different so you want to monitor it in between.
    6. If you prefer you can increase the timings by 2 more minutes to make it extra toasty.
    7. Preferably store the Air Fryer Pecans in mason jars for prolonged life.
    8. These make amazing gifts. Just pack them in little bags or cellophane bags with cute stickers or best in small mason jars and gift them to your loved ones. Also a great profitable item to be included in your christmas hampers if you are planning to make and sell them.

    Variations

    Creating variations in our Air Fryer Pecans recipe is sooooo easy..

    Just add a few spices and you would have a whole new experience altogether. Here are a few examples for you.

    1. Cinnamon Sugar

    Favourite combination isn't it? Taking the same ingredients from our Cinnamon Rolls Recipe.

    • In a small bowl combine 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt.
    • Combine well and pour this cinnamon sugar mixture over the pecans and stir to coat well.
    • Follow the instructions from the recipe card to cook.

    2. Christmas Pecans

    • In a small bowl combine together 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp All spice mix, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp Salt.
    • Combine well and pour this brown sugar mixture over the pecans, stirring to coat the pecans.
    • Instructions for cooking remain the same

    3. Air Fryer Candied Pecans

    • In a small bowl mix together 3tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp, 1 tbsp sweet maple syrup and 1/4 tsp Salt
    • Pour over pecans, stir to coat them well and follow the cooking instructions.

    4. Sweet and Spicy Pecans

    • Add 1/4 tsp Chili Powder or Smoked Paprika or Cayenne pepper to any of the above variation for sweet and spicy variation.

    You can also opt for savory flavor by adding peri peri spice mix, dried herbs etc. Grab the detailed recipe from our spiced roasted nuts post.

    How to use these Glazed Pecans

    pecans dipped in chocolate placed on baking tray
    pecans dipped in chocolate

    After you've roasted your pecans, you can use them in all sorts of ways. Here are some suggestions:

    • Use as a snack: Salted Pecans are wonderful on the go great snack. Be it in lunch boxes or after school or for road travel during the holidays or actually for any time of year. If you make the glazed pecans; the glaze is delicious and adds a bit of sweetness to the nut. Or simply dip the pecans in chocolate and enjoy them!!
    • Add to salads for additional crunch and a burst of flavor that will make the salad more exciting than ever before!
    • Use in desserts like brownies or chocolate cake, which are always better when they have pecans in them. Or simply add it as a topping on your ice-creams.. so good!!
    • You can also use frostings made with these Glazed Pecan instead of plain old sugar frosting or whipped cream—these nuts bring out all the right flavors!
    • Make ice cream with this recipe too! Either make a paste of the nuts and add it to your ice-cream base or chop them roughly and then add it to your ice-cream base. And then add some on top of ice cream for texture.
    • You can make trail mix by mixing together roasted nuts, granola, m and m's, or just about anything that you like.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you need to soak Pecans before roasting?

    No, you don't have to soak pecans before roasting. You can roast them with or without soaking them! Soaking will soften them a bit but it's not necessary for roasting. If you have time, soaking is great because it helps to tenderize the nuts but not mandatory for this recipe.

    Can you Roast Pecans in the Oven?

    Absolutely. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Toss the pecans in little oil and salt as stated in the recipe or feel free to use any flavouring of choice. Spread in a single layer over a lined baking sheet and then bake for 10 mins or until fragnant. Do stir in between to avoid it from getting burnt.
    In fact not only oven you can also roast the pecans over stove-top or in a microwave.

    Why are my Pecans not Crunchy? How do you keep it crispy?

    1. Make sure that you buy raw pecans and not roasted or salted pecans to begin with.
    2. Spread them in a single layer to roast. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket or else they wont cook evenly and would not crisp up.
    3. Allow them to cool completely and then store in the airtight container.
    4. Even after that if the pecans does not feel crunchy then it means its not roasted enough. Roast for a couple of minutes more.

    Is it better to toast pecans whole or in pieces?

    Always toast whole nuts and then chop into pieces. Toasting chopped nuts would burn easily and hence avoid that. In this case prefer toasting raw pecan halves.

    Can you overcook pecans?

    Yes very likely chances of that happening as nuts go from brown to burnt pretty quickly if left unattended. Aways stir in between and keep checking. You would get a typical burnt smell and taste when pecans are over cooked.

    Which pecans have the best flavor?

    Apparently it seems The Elliot variety is one of the most flavorful pecans. You can read more about it from this article. 

    Related Recipes:

    1. Spiced Roasted Nuts in Microwave
    2. Chocolate covered Pecans

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    Liked this recipe?Let us know by giving it a star rating
    close up image of roasted pecans placed in white bowl to fit the recipe card
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    5 from 1 vote

    These Air Fryer Pecans is a small-batch recipe that make for a quick snack also doubling down as an easy treat for kids this holiday season
    Course Snack
    Cuisine Indian
    Prep Time 2 minutes
    Cook Time 6 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 242kcal
    Author Sushma Iyer

    Ingredients

    • 140 gms Pecan Halves raw
    • Cooking Oil Spray refer notes
    • Salt

    Instructions

    • Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C or 360°F
    • Step 2: Spread the coated pecans in a single layer on the inner basket of the air fryer.
    • Step 3: Spray some cooking oil spray on top of the pecans followed by a good sprinkling of salt. Give it a good shake.
    • Step 4: Place it in the air fryer ensuring that they are in a single layer again. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes.
    • Step 5: Remove from the air fryer, and let cool in a single layer over a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper for about 5 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    1. If you do not have a cooking spray you can add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp or a little more salt to a small bowl. Add the pecans to it and stir well to coat the pecans then follow the cooking instrucitons from the recipe card.
    2. Never overcrowd the inner basket of the air fryer. Add nuts in batches if doubling or tripling the recipe, so they cook evenly without sticking together or burning.
    3. You can make use of parchment paper or pre-cut parchment paper at the base for easy cleaning of the basket.
    4. Make sure to cool the nuts completely by arranging them in a single layer on parchment paper or a baking tray so that they harden and crisp up.
    5. It is also important to store the nuts only when they are cooled completely or else they will become soft.
    6. Do keep an eye on the nuts while cooking, as pecans or nuts in general can go from toasted to burnt in seconds. Every Air Fryer is different so you want to monitor it in between.
    7. If you prefer you can increase the timings by 2 more minutes to make it extra toasty.
    8. Preferably store the Air Fryer Pecans in mason jars for prolonged life.
    9. These make amazing gifts. Just pack them in little bags or cellophane bags with cute stickers or best in small mason jars and gift them to your loved ones. Also a great profitable item to be included in your christmas hampers if you are planning to make and sell them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
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    sushma iyer spicesnflavors.com author picBaking for Passion and Baker by Profession, Hi, I am Sushma Iyer, a certified Career Baker. This space is designed in a way that anyone can bake from scratch with confidence. Overwhelmed and don't know where to start from let me guide you in this journey of HOME BAKING!!! Read more

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