Slow Cooker Candied Cinnamon Pecans are a total breeze to make and will leave your house smelling absolutely delicious! Plus they double as amazing holiday gifts you can make in bulk!
Slow Cooker Candied Cinnamon Pecans are such a joy to make for the holidays. Every year I try and come up with fun new food gifts for friends that are different than your normal box of chocolates or cookies. One year I did a gingerbread trail mix and everyone was so excited to get something so unique I started looking for more fun recipes to play with. 
I’ve made many different flavored nuts in the slow cooker in the past but these Slow Cooker Candied Cinnamon Pecans have been the runaway hit of the bunch.
The only two things about the recipe that I will caution you against changing:
- Make sure you whisk the egg whites until you see lots of little frothy bubbles.
- Make sure you add the water, stir well and let cook the last thirty minutes.
The reason you don’t want to skip this step is it will result in these gorgeous shiny, glassy candied pecans: 
With just a few minutes of prep (we’re talking throwing a few ingredient in a bowl here and a quick whisk) you’ll create a fabulous snack and gift your friends will adore! 
I can also tell you, if you were to buy these in the store you’d pay 3 to 4 times more than the cost of just buying the pecan halves.
Long story short, make these Slow Cooker Candied Cinnamon Pecans, you won’t regret it! 
Tools used in the making of these Slow Cooker Candied Cinnamon Pecans:
4 Qt Slow Cooker: A perfect size to make this recipe and still have room to stir.
Baking Sheet: These are the perfect place to cool the pecans, or you can use some foil lined on the counter and sprayed with some nonstick cooking spray.
Mason Jars: I LOVE giving these as gifts to friends, I fill up these mason jars with the nuts and tie a little card to it with twine that has the recipe printed on it and a little holiday note.
Colored Twine: I am obsessed with all different colors of this twine and keep it on hand for all occasions/holidays. Green and red twines are easy enough options for the Christmas season and it is even cuter if you use two strands instead of one.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 5 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ cup Water
- Canola oil spray
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl add the egg whites and vanilla together and whisk until frothy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the pecans.
- Add in the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Spray the inside of the crockpot with canola oil spray.
- Add the pecan mixture to the slow cooker on low for 3 hours.
- Stir every hour and when the nuts are a half an hour away from done pour in the water and stir one final time.
- To ensure crispy exteriors spread the nuts out on a baking sheet to cool.
Nutrition
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Super easy and a huge hit!
I just made these and I used a combination of pecans and walnuts. Can out great. I’ve had them laying out to dry and they’re still not too crunchy but that’s ok. I had some juice leftover so I’m gonna keep it and make sticky buns using some of the pecans. I think the leftover juice is from taking the lid off to stir and letting the water on the lid go into the pot. Will be making these again. ????? Had to add more stars since 5 wasn’t enough ?
So tasty but mine didn’t get crispy, they’re quite soft. Any tips for next time?
Slow cookers can be touchy with temperatures, so I’d try cooking for another 30-45 minutes next time and see if that helps!
ALWAYS my “go to” recipe. Turns out perfect every time. I have an overabundance of walnuts, thinking of using this same recipe to make candied cinnamon walnuts, will it work or do I need to adjust the recipe?
They are fantastic. Love the ease and the results!! Can’t wait to make them again.
Soooo Good
Best gift for holidays
Can you mix in almonds with the pecans for variety??
Absolutely
Can you use pasteurized egg whites
Shouldn’t be a problem, it’s mostly just for coating the pecans so the seasonings can adhere. You should be A-ok!
My pecans that I cooked on low keep burning. Has anyone else had that problem?
The “low” setting on your slow cooker might be hotter than other slow cookers. Have you tried stirring the pecans more frequently, maybe every 20 or 30 minutes?
How long is the shelf life? Also can you dry can these for a longer shelf life?
If I was storing them for more than a few days I would keep them in the refrigerator. There is cooked egg in the recipe.
Is there a vegan substitute for the egg white, or can I leave it out completely? I realize that there will be less liquid, but. I’m not sure what to do about that?
I do have Just Egg, but it is a substitute for an entire egg. Would thst be acceptable?Thank you.
I’m so sorry, I haven’t tested any vegan alternatives.
Do you keep the crock pot covered?
Hi! Yes you would
They are so good but i cant get them to crisp and look glossy like that! Any tips?
How do yours end up looking? The egg white is what gives it the glossy look, you may not be whipping the white long enough, coating it well enough. Or possibly too many nuts for the amount of egg whites.
Can these be frozen? How long do they stay fresh after making? Starting to do my Christmas baking and seeing if this can be done now and stored.
I made and froze these last year for Christmas and they were great! I made a batch just today and something was off because they were too wet… guess I’ll make another batch and let my kids eat this one!
Made these today and they were overly wet as well, I just put them on a raised drying rack and the liquid drained to the pan underneath and they turned out perfect.
Can Stevia be substituted for the Granulated Sugar.
I haven’t tested it but if you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Can a crock pot liner be used in place of the cooking spray?
I’ve not tested it using one so I’m not sure if it would alter it or not.
I make a variety of candies nuts every Christmas. About to make these tomorrow using pecans. Have you tried this recipe with almonds or walnuts?
I haven’t but it’s an easy swap for this recipe. Enjoy!
Do I use raw pecans or toasted?
You’ll want the flavor from roasted pecans. Enjoy!
I just left a comment below but forgot to give it 5 stars, so I had to comment again. I would give it even more stars if I could!
You’re so sweet, Tina. Thanks!
I have have made these once already and am I going to make them again for Christmas. They are amazing! Easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
These were delicious the first time…I was wondering if I should leave the lid on while cooking? My were a little chewy and I thought maybe if I took the lid off that would help?
You could place a tea towel under the lid to collect any added moisture. That might help. The added water at the end of the cooking time and the fact that they’re spread out on a baking sheet should allow them to get crispy. Hope this helps for next time.
Are you cooking these on high or low? I looked and cannot see where you say this.
You’ll be cooking this on low for 3 hours. Enjoy!
Haven’t tried yet, but I can’t wait. I apologize if you’ve already answered this but…
Pecans- do they have to be freshly shelled or can I used bagged?
Either works 🙂
Would you recommend using a crockpot liner instead of the canola oil?
I’m assuming it wouldn’t stick to the bag? I’m sorry I’m not as familiar with slow cooker liner bags.
I cannot wait to make these! I’ve made candied pecans/walnuts in the oven many times before, it’s messy & time consuming, as you stir every 15 minutes! :/
I was very excited to find this crock-pot recipe! Thx!
Yes, so much easier! Enjoy!
Do I follow the recipe instructions the same way even if I half the ingredients?
Thanks!
Yes, though you might even want to use a smaller slow cooker or cut back on the cook time. You don’t want it to dry out. Good luck!
Could you make these using Splenda or trivia?
I haven’t tested it using either. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
I’ve made these twice and they go very quickly. I wanted to give them as gifts but Hubby gifted himself with them. Easy to make and the results were spectacular. I put the water instead of waiting till the end – just me. The hardest thing is keeping up with shelling the pecans!
Hi I am going to make these as wedding favors. I see the recipe yields 16 servings, what is the serving size? I will be making 180 favor boxes.
That’s such a great idea! 1/4 cup is considered 1 serving. Good luck!
The recipe lists one egg white but the instructions read egg whites? Is there only one white used or more than one? They look delicious!
Sorry for the confusion. You are only using 1 egg white for this recipe.
I use 2 egg whites and it works for me. I used one egg white the first time and they were so dry the first batch burned and nuts are expensive so I was not happy:) other than that this recipe rocks!!
How long do you leave the nuts out to dry?
They might only need about 30 minutes to dry. Enjoy!
Yummy!! forgot to give it stars
I just made these and tasted them when I laid them out and they are so good. They are going to Germany, should they be kept in the fridge till they leave?
They’ll last longer if refrigerated so depending on when you’re going to send them, it might not be a bad idea. I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
I am planning to make these as gifts and want to store for a couple/few weeks. Won’t the refrigerator make them wet and soggy? I plan to put them in either small mason jars or individually vacuum seal little bags.
Refrigerating them just extends the shelf life. It’s not needed if they’ll be eaten before then.
Made these last night. I doubled the recipe so maybe didn’t let them cook long enough as they were pretty wet. I covered them with foil on the cookie sheet overnight but they’re still wet. Can I put them in the oven this morning to help them dry out/crisp up? They taste delicious. Thanks!
Yes, you’ll want to heat them back up and it seems they didn’t get quite as hot as needed. I’m so glad they still taste good.
I’ve been wanting to make something like this for a long time & was not disappointed! So good and will certainly make more.
Thanks, Lisa. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I made these for the first time last nite. They are delicious. I have to make 7 more batches! I wanted to pass on somethings I learned along the way. A 16 oz bag of half pecans is four cups. After whisking the egg and vanilla, stir the pecans in the egg mixture before adding the sugar mixture. The sugar mixture coats more evenly if put together in another bowl. I mixed the brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon together before adding it to the pecan and egg mixture. I added about half, stirred, then added the rest. I noticed it wasn’t as clumpy as my first batch.
Thanks for the feedback. So glad you love them!
My pecan didn’t turn out like the picture the dark and wet looking been drying out for over an hour
I am excited to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! Let me know how they turn out!
Don’t use the Instant Pot slow cooker function like I did! I got confused about what setting matched Low and used Less. This never got up to temperature, and since I’d never made the recipe before, I didn’t realize it was a problem until after I put in the water. (I’d already screwed up by not reading well and mixing all my stuff together before I mixed in the nuts. This is not one of my better days!) I’m currently experimenting with damage control. On the plus side, the nuts smell and taste good. I’m putting up this comment as a warning to other hasty cooks. Read the instructions and use a real slow cooker!
I’d love to try this. Do you think any nut, i.e. cashews and walnuts could be substituted?
Yes, you can use whatever you like best.
You cover them right? Even after adding the water at the end
Yes, that’s correct.
How many egg whites does it call for?
Egg white from 1 large egg.
How would walnuts work?
Yes 🙂
Every year I make my SIL candied almonds for Christmas. Do you think it would be ok to mix the pecans and almonds for this receipt? I usually make in oven but would really like to try slow cooker. Will give more time to tend to other goodies I make. TY
You certainly can. I would do 2 cups of each nut. 🙂 And yes! I love as many slow cooker and no bake recipes as I can get during the holidays to free up my oven 🙂
Can you use a 6 qt. slow cooker P.S. I love all your recipes
Certainly. I typically use one that size and it will give you more room to stir. I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes and thank you for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Could I use a Dutch oven instead of a slow cooker?
You can, but you will have to adjust the cooking process. It’s much more hands on.
This sounds great! Can it be doubled or is it better to do it exactly as written?
I would recommend just making it in 2 batches.
Could you please tell me how much water I need to add? I don’t see it on the instructions.
Thank you
The water instructions are included in step 6.
Telling us the instructions for the water are in step 6 does not tell us how much water to add. If you say this is a critical step to make the pecans look amazing, please provide the amount of water needed.
The amount of water needed is listed in the ingredient list. You’ll need 1/4 cup water for this recipe. Enjoy!
What is the shelf life? I made these last year at Christmas ( they were a HUGE hit) and this year they are going to be extra gifts for family and I need to know how far ahead I can make them.
Thank You
Connie
If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll last for up to two weeks. Keeping them in the fridge will give them an extra week or so on top of that. They can also be frozen and will keep for up to 3 months. Hope this helps!
Thank you very much
1/4 cup
How far ahead of the holidays can these Cinnamon Pecans be made and still taste fresh?
I’ve have them for up to two weeks before everyone devouring them, haha!
Is there anything else I can use besides egg whites. My grand daughter has a dairy and egg allergy
I’ve not tested it using anything else. Sorry
Carol I found a dairy free recipe but don’t know how to share it with you it’s here on Pinterest.
Try using Aquafaba Meringue made from the juice you get from can’s of chickpeas. It might work. Please understand I have not tried it. I just know Vegan’s rave about it as an egg substitute.
Trying these as I comment! Excited to party.taste them. Might take some to a SuperBowl
Mine don’t look as pretty as yours, but they taste amazing !
These pecans are amazing and so easy to do in the crockpot! I made many batches this Christmas to give to family members. My father-in-law said these are the best candied pecans he has ever had! They really are that good! Highly recommend!
Thanks, McKenzie! So glad everyone loves them!
I’m definitely going to try these, fathers-in-laws know what they’re talking about.
I followed the directions exactly and these burned. So disappointing. I even took them out 30 minutes early. Next time I’ll toast them in the oven.
Had anyone tried toasting the pecans for a few minutes first? After making these tonight, I’m considering toasting them first. Also, I will cut back on the amount of water I use. They came out very wet so I baked them in small batches in the oven for ten minutes. They’re ok but don’t have that toasted pecan taste/texture I like.
Halfway thru the crockpot time. Two things snitched a taste and it was great. Also started stirring every half hour.
Mine came out wet too even after cooling. I tried putting them back in the slow cooker for an additional hour but still wet. Suggestions?
It’s usually from not cooking long enough but if you said you put it in for another hour, I’m not sure. Maybe your slow cooker didn’t get hot enough?? If you’d like you can email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert .com and we can try and troubleshoot.
My moms making these and they don’t seem to be melting! Can we turn up the crock pot? They only have an hour left and there’s a lot of dry mix left
To me that says the crock pot is running not hot enough. I’d ditch the crock pot and put them in a 250 degree oven, on a baking sheet for 1 hour, stir every 20 minutes. If you got the mixture right and the egg whites were frothy they should be just fine, these pecans are resilient little things.
I am sorry if someone already asked this. But, I went through the year comments and didn’t see it. What is the shelf life of these after they are done? Meaning, how long do they stay good and how should they be stored?
They last about a week in an airtight container.
I didn’t make these but a coworker did and omg they were amazing.. She did a batch with almonds also.
Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed them!
Mmmm,
Made my first batch tonight . Smells wonderful. Can’t wait till they cool.
My husband is allergic to cinnamon. Do you have any ideas for other seasonings that would be delicious for this? Obviously it won’t be as good as this recipe, or even similar but I would love to make something for him.
Thanks!
I haven’t tested it but maybe try having a bit of spice to them by using cayenne. You might be able to check online for recipes that are more spicy than sweet. Good luck!
Can you double the ingredients in a big crockpot
I haven’t tested it. I wonder how it would turn out because the deeper the nuts go, the more moisture to work out. If you double in a bigger pot you may have to cook longer, so just be sure you’re not in a time crunch. I’d love to know how it turns out if you decide to try.
Was absolutely delicious!!! You won’t be sorry if you try this – so simple..
Thanks, Pam! I appreciate the 5 stars!
Hello,
I’m making these right now! Assuming, I can hide them, how long will they keep in pint jars! Should I put them in the refrigerator due to the egg white in the recipe?
Thank you,
Oleeta
I’ve had them for up to two weeks before we devoured them all! No need to refrigerate but you can if you’d like. Enjoy!!
Delicious! My family has a pecan business, so I always love trying new pecan recipes! The instructions were clear and super easy…and the results were great. After making half the recipe once, I decided to make a full batch again and share the recipe with my followers on my business page (linking back here, of course)! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe with us!
Does the egg white need to be room temperature?
I didn’t worry about it being room temperature.
I made these candied pecans last night and they turned out fabulous. No issues. Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Hey Sabrina, Do you have a peppered pecan recipe by any chance? If not if I were to send you one do you think you would be able to adapt it to a larger quantity and be able to do it in the slow cooker?
I don’t have one but you can email me your recipe at contact @ dinnerthendessert . com and I can take a look at it.
Is there anything that can be substituted for the egg white? (Egg sensitivities)
No, sorry. I haven’t tested any substitutes so I’m not comfortable giving any recommendations.
I made these I have given them plenty of time to dry they have great Flavor and excellent coating. But there still wet. Can I put them in them in oven to dry them out more.
Yes, you can put them in the oven if needed.
I made these today and they are delicious! Not too sweet. Just right! I added a little pink himalayan salt but otherwise kept the recipe the same.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Hi there, thanks for the recipe! I made these last night and they taste great. Mine are not as ‘golden’ as yours though-came out darker. Question, throughout the recipe, you say egg white, but in the ingredients you say only 1 egg white. Was I supposed to use more than 1? Thanks!
Whoops! I meant to say egg whites when referring to the recipe.
Yes, it’s just one egg. Sorry for the confusion.
This recipe is absolutely perfect. What a great extra to the Christmas candy baking I do every year. This is definitely a new favorite. Love love love!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but I Just made these & they are a big, sticky, gooey mess 🙁 My house smells good though, lol
Oh no!! Sounds like it needs to cook longer. Some crock pots run differently as far as regulating heat and I’m not sure yours got hot enough 🙁 I” glad at least your house smells good so it’s not a total loss.
Just made these to give as Christmas treats, the house smells amazing!! Going to have to make a batch for us! Easy recipe, thanks a bunch!!
I’d like to make these for gifts that will be given out in about a week. I saw above you mentioned they’ve stayed fresh for a few weeks but I’d like to make sure the recipient’s have time to eat then as well before they soften. What would you say is the best way to keep them fresh once made?
These make such great gifts!! I like keeping mine in Mason jars because they have a tighter seal so they stay fresher longer.
Just finished mine, they wanted to burn. Any suggestions?
All slow cooker brands tend to run differently and it sounds like the one you have runs hot and may have lead to them wanting to burn. If you want to make them again using that same slow cooker, possibly stirring more would ensure that they don’t burn. I have a few links for slow cookers in the above “tools used” section if you’re in the market for a new one. I hope this helps!
How much pecans do go Use for this recipe?
I used 4 cups of pecan halves for this recipe. Enjoy!
I made these tonight. I would stir every 1/2 hour… some of mine burned
Bummer, it sounds like your slow cooker might run a bit hot. Glad you didn’t lose them all to getting burned.
Omgosh! These were so easy to make! Cabellas move over! These r way more delicious!!! Thank you for sharing…great job on this posting….applause to you?????
That’s quite the compliment!! Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Has anyone actually made this recipe?
Mine turned out moist (after about 45 min of “cooling”. Do they harden eventually?
It sounds like you may have needed to cook them more. Your slow cooker temperature might be off and the pecans would need more time in it. I hope they still tasted great.
How many pint size mason jars did one batch fill?
This recipe will fill 2 pint sized mason jars. Enjoy!!
can the be dry canned in the oven to keep them longer
I’m so sorry but I don’t have any experience with it so I’m not comfortable recommending it. If you decide to try, I’d love to know if it’s possible.
I have fresh picked pecans, do I need to roast them first
No need to roast them first for this recipe. Easy peasy!
I made these soooo many times last year for Christmas snacks and as gifts and have already have fielded six requests from people begging me to make these for them again as a Thanksgiving treat because apparently waiting for Christmas is simply too long. Thank you for sharing this recipes–these REALLY are amazing, simple to make, they look as good as the picture and they taste even better!!!!
How awesome!! This just totally made my day, thank you!!
Sounds delicious! It sounds like from the above comments that different kinds of nuts would work. Peanuts, cashews?? Would these work? Do you start with raw nuts or just reg nuts?
Just about any type of raw nuts would work for this recipe, that’s what makes it so great! Hope this helps.
I have a 6 quart, have you ever doubled this recipe?
I haven’t. I wonder how it would turn out because the deeper the nuts go the more moisture to work out. If you double in a bigger pot you may have to cook longer, so just be sure you’re not in a time crunch. But hey its not like the nuts need to be tender, haha.
Does the size of the pecans make a difference?
I just used standard pecan halves so I’m not sure how big started out. You should be good either way! Enjoy!!
Would this be better with butter in it somehow?
No, it would make it wetter and that’s not really what you want for this recipe. Sorry.
Everyone keeps saying these LOOK good, has anyone tried this recipe yet?
I am tomorrow
I have, multiple times. They ARE delicious!!!
Can you use walnuts?
Of course, swap in walnuts!
Hi, how long do these stay fresh in a sealed container?
I would say I’ve had them for a few weeks before we finish them with no problems? Haven’t tested any longer than that though, sorry :/
Do you leave the lid on or off the slow cooker
Yes, you’ll want leave the lid on while cooking.
Can it be the whole egg or does it have to be just the egg whites?
You want to use just the egg white. Enjoy!
Hi! Will a pinch of sea salt adversely affect the glazing? I need a tiny bit of salt in any sweet treat. I’m pretty surevI have all the ingredients…just have to check my pecans to be sure I have enough. Can’t wait to enjoy these! Thank you!
A pinch of sea salt would be amazing. I am a huge sweet and salt person too, so definitely go for it!
Hi! Can you make this in a six quart slowcooker? Thanks!
Yes, of course!
Hi! Can I use a six quart slow cooker for this recipe? Love your blog! Thanks!
Of course! Thanks!
Dangerous!!! I’d grab a handful every time I walked by!
I LOVE that you can make these in the slow cooker!
I know, right?!
My husband’s absolute favorite way to eat nuts!
Pecans are my favorite and now I have such a mad craving for a handful of these cinnamon candied pecans!! What a great gift idea for the holidays!
These look dangerously delicious!
Thank you Melanie!
Oh man! These candied pecans look addictive! I surely won’t be able to stop eating this!
They definitely keep calling my name to have just one more, haha!
Candied nuts are some of our favorite holiday treats, although I’m ashamed to admit. We. Have. Yet. To. Make. Them,. There, I said it. Thanks for the inspiration and we wish you the Merriest of holidays and the best of Congrats on your new addition!
Happy to be your inspiration!
I am such a sucker for spiced nuts and candied nuts, so my mouth is watering right now – these look amazing! I’m going to try these for Christmas this year.
Thanks Heather!
These look so good! I was wondering if the recipe could be used (and perhaps the cook-time adapted) for almonds? If you’re not sure, it’s no problem. I’ll keep searching. But I do plan to make these to give to my sons’ teachers and bus drivers. They’re such a great idea and packaging them in mason jars with colorful twine sounds like the perfect touch.
Thank you so much for posting the recipe!
Absolutely, swap in the almonds. They’ll be great!