Cajun Spiced Pecans (Printable)

Crunchy pecans with smoky Cajun spices. Perfect snack or salad topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Nuts

01 - 4 cups raw pecan halves

→ Spice Blend

02 - 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Coating

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine melted butter, olive oil, and brown sugar. Whisk until fully blended.
03 - Add the pecans to the bowl and toss to coat evenly with the butter mixture.
04 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
05 - Sprinkle the spice blend over the coated pecans, tossing continuously until all nuts are evenly covered with spices.
06 - Spread the seasoned pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking, until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted.
08 - Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet. The nuts will crisp up as they cool to room temperature.
09 - Transfer to an airtight container. Will keep fresh for up to 2 weeks.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They are dangerously addictive in a way that makes you hide the container from yourself
  • The spice blend hits all the right notes without being overwhelmingly hot
  • They keep for weeks which means you always have something impressive on hand for unexpected guests
02 -
  • The nuts continue cooking after you take them out so pull them when they smell fragrant not when they look done
  • Stirring halfway through is nonnegotiable because the outer edges always cook faster than the center
  • They might feel slightly soft when they first come out but will crisp up dramatically as they cool
03 -
  • Weigh your pecans if possible because volume measurements can be wildly inconsistent with nuts
  • Double the spice blend and store the extra in a small jar for the next batch
  • Let the coating mixture cool slightly before tossing with the nuts so it clings better

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