Candied Pecans
Country Woman Christmas
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I packed these crispy pecans in jars, tied with pretty ribbon, for family and friends. My granddaughter gave some to a doctor at the hospital where she works, and he said they were too good to be true!
SERVINGS: 8
CATEGORY: Appetizer
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 40 min.
Ingredients:
- 2-3/4 cups pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Place pecans in a shallow baking pan in a 250° oven for 10 minutes or until warmed. Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.
Grease the sides of a large heavy saucepan with remaining butter; add sugar, water, salt and cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and cook for 2 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals.
Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Stir in warm pecans until evenly coated. Spread onto prepared baking pan. Bake at 250° for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet to cool. Yield: about 1 pound.