Last Updated on August 7, 2022
Our butter toffee pecans recipe is straightforward. It has a crunchy yet creamy texture and a very complex salty, sweet, and nutty flavor profile.
This makes it perfect as an everyday snack, but also as a garnish for baked goods and other confections. Oh, and did we mention that this recipe is incredibly versatile? Yes, folks, you can substitute virtually any ingredient, making this the ultimate base recipe for glazed nuts.
About Our Delicious Butter Toffee Pecans Recipe
If you like crunchy sweet treats that don’t just consist of sugar, then you will love these butter toffee glazed pecans we have for you today.
Now, you may already be thinking, “Glazed? I thought these are candies?” Well, there is a difference between glazed and candied pecans.
Glazed pecans are made with brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. This creates a delicious butter toffee flavor that candied pecans will never have. the color of these pecans is cloudy and caramel-like. And, the texture is creamy (and still crunchy) instead of sharp and overwhelmingly sweet.
So, what are candied pecans then? Those sweets are made using white sugar and an egg white (optional). Essentially, they are just melted sugar covering the nuts. The egg white is there to create a clear sugar syrup. Candied nuts have a less complex flavor and their color is uniformly clean and glossy.
Now, neither are better than the other. It comes down to what you prefer – and you can prefer both on different occasions!
These pecans have a very creamy texture thanks to the butter but are still crunchy and crisp. It is truly the best of both worlds, and even the salt helps develop a very unique flavor.
Nevertheless, today we’ll look specifically at a butter toffee pecans recipe. And we can’t wait to teach you how to make these!
What You Need To Make This Butter Toffee Pecans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (or unsalted)
- 1 cup granulated brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, optional
- 4 cups raw pecans
Equipment
- Baking pan or cookie sheet
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large saucepan or pot
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Plastic or saran wrap
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt your butter
To start, line a cookie sheet or baking tray with non-stick baking paper. You can also use a silicone mat.
Then, over low-medium heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan or pot. Don’t let the butter burn, so monitor it constantly.
Step 2: Add the sugar and flavoring
Once your butter is completely melted, add your brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Give the mixture a good whisk so that the ingredients come together.
Then, bring it to a simmer while stirring constantly. You can keep cooking the mixture over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, or until it starts turning a beautiful caramel color.
Step 3: Cover the pecans with butter toffee
Spread your pecans over the lined baking sheet. Make sure they are placed in a single layer. You don’t want uneven clumps of candy.
Then, pour your toffee mixture over the pecans. You can use your wooden spoon or spatula to stir the pecans with the toffee so they become covered uniformly. Then, again, spread the pecans into one layer.
Step 4: Leave the toffee pecans to cool
Once your pecans are beautifully coated and spread into a layer, allow them to cool at room temperature. This can take 20 minutes or up to an hour – it depends on how warm it is at room temperature.
But, do not move on to the next step if the glazed pecans aren’t rock solid and crunchy.
Step 5: Break apart the butter toffee pecan slab
Once the candy has become hard, you can break it apart and store it inside an airtight container. Keep the candy at room temperature in a cool dark place.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- Our butter toffee pecans recipe is made using salted butter. However, you can swap it out for an unsalted version. We personally just like a salty-sweet flavor profile. It’s more complex and helps bring forward the natural nutty flavor. Again, it comes down to personal preference.
- You can alter the texture of your toffee pecans by chopping the nuts into various sizes. We like slightly chopped pecans as they are generally easier to eat.
- Naturally, you can use any type of nuts for this butter toffee pecans recipe. Pecans by far (in our opinion) work best with this toffee flavor profile. But you can also use almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts.
- To adjust the color of your toffee, you can simply cook the sugar and butter mixture for a shorter or longer. In sugar works, there is a very easy way to gauge which type of candy and consistency you are creating. This is done by testing the temperature of the mixture. The higher the temperature is, the darker the color will be. You can have a look at this very in-depth article on sugar works temperatures.
- You can also chop the slab of glazed pecans into various sizes. This way, you can have a toffee pecan bar, bite-sized cluster, or sweet pecan shards or dust. This makes it easy to use this butter toffee pecan in a ton of ways including garnishings.
- The best way to store our butter toffee pecans recipe is in an airtight container. Line the container with non-stick baking paper. Then, add layers of broken-up glazed pecans inside, alternating them with more baking paper. This will make them easier to eat. And, it will also help extend their shelf life. Keep them away from heat, sunlight, and humidity.
Preparations Times And Servings For Glazed Pecans
Wrapping Things Up – Crispy Butter Toffee Pecans Recipe
If you tried our butter toffee pecans recipe, let us know how it went down in the comments. We cannot wait for you to fall in love with these salty-sweet candies as much as we did.
And, if you have any questions or new recipe suggestions, don’t hesitate to ask us too!
FAQs
What is the difference between glazed pecans and candied pecans?
Glazed nuts are made with a combination of brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Candied nuts on the other hand are often just made with white sugar and an egg. This creates an entirely different flavor, candy texture, and color for the nuts.
Why are my candied pecans grainy?
This is likely due to the fact that the sugar hasn't properly melted, or that they recrystallized during the process. So, the easiest preventative measure is to ensure the sugar is completely melted. But, you can also prevent over-agitating the sugar butter syrup to avoid sugar crystals from forming.
What is the shelf life of candied pecans?
Both candies and glazed pecans can last pretty long. If you store them properly, you can expect them to last up to 5 days without any worries - potentially even longer.
Are praline pecans the same as candied pecans?
Praline pecans are a type of candies or glazed pecan. The ultimate difference is that a praline is a glazed recipe with the addition of cream. This helps create more of a caramel than toffee.
Easy and Crunchy Butter Toffee Pecans Recipe In 20 Minutes
Equipment
- Baking pan or cookie sheet
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large saucepan or pot
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Plastic or saran wrap
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, or unsalted
- 1 cup granulated brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, optional
- 4 cups raw pecans
Instructions
- Melt your butterTo start, line a cookie sheet or baking tray with non-stick baking paper. You can also use a silicone mat.Then, over low-medium heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan or pot. Don't let the butter burn, so monitor it constantly.1 cup salted butter, or unsalted
- Add the sugar and flavoringOnce your butter is completely melted, add your brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Give the mixture a good whisk so that the ingredients come together.Then, bring it to a simmer while stirring constantly. You can keep cooking the mixture over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, or until it starts turning a beautiful caramel color.1 cup granulated brown sugar, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, optional
- Cover the pecans with butter toffeeSpread your pecans over the lined baking sheet. Make sure they are placed in a single layer. You don't want uneven clumps of candy.Then, pour your toffee mixture over the pecans. You can use your wooden spoon or spatula to stir the pecans with the toffee so they become covered uniformly. Then, again, spread the pecans into one layer.4 cups raw pecans
- Leave the toffee pecans to coolOnce your pecans are beautifully coated and spread into a layer, allow them to cool at room temperature. This can take 20 minutes or up to an hour - it depends on how warm it is at room temperature.But, do not move on to the next step if the glazed pecans aren't rock solid and crunchy.
- Break apart the butter toffee pecan slabOnce the candy has become hard, you can break it apart and store it inside an airtight container. Keep the candy at room temperature in a cool dark place.
Notes
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.