Keto Candied Pecans

Name: Keto Candied Pecans Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 185 min
Ingredients: 3 cups pecan halves; 1/2 cup Swerve Brown; 1/4 cup butter; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chipotle powder (optional); 1/2 tsp kosher salt

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These easy Keto Candied Pecans are the perfect crunchy, salty-sweet snack. They take only 5 ingredients and you can make them in your slow cooker or on the stovetop. They make a great last minute gift too!

Close up shot of keto candied pecans in a glass jar.

Chances are that you have all of your holiday menu planned and you don’t need any more ideas to add to the mix. But I just can’t help myself, I have to throw another great recipe your way.

Trust me, though, these Keto Candied Pecans are unbelievably easy to make. They also happen to be unbelievably tasty. Possibly even a little bit addictive. I should know, as I ate nearly the full 3 cups all by myself.

It was over a period of about 2 weeks but still! I love these crunchy, cinnamon-coated pecans so much, I just didn’t want to share. They top my list of delicious and easy keto snacks.

A hand reaching in to take keto candied pecans off a serving plate.

You will love this keto snack

If you do choose to work these into your holiday plans, be prepared. You may find, as I did, that it’s hard to share. Or if you put them out at a holiday party, you may find that one or two guests gobble them all up. They really are hard to resist.

They have everything you want in a snack. A little bit of sweet, a little bit of salt, and plenty of satisfying crunch. And you can add a little spiciness to them as well, if you like.

Best of all, you can make them in your crockpot so that they don’t take up any precious oven real estate. Alternatively, you can make them very quickly on the stovetop.

And they have only 1.3g of net carbs per serving. Now that’s my kind of snacking!

Ingredients you need

A bowl of pecans in front of a bag of keto brown sweetener.

Pecan halves: Use raw pecans, as they will become toasted during the cooking process.
Swerve Brown: Let me be clear that only erythritol based sweeteners will work for keto candied pecans. Any amount of allulose, BochaSweet, will keep the coating from becoming hard and crunchy. I like brown sugar replacements like Swerve Brown best for this recipe.
Butter: Use salted or unsalted, as you see fit. I like to use salted, because it goes so well with the pecans.
Cinnamon: You can adjust the cinnamon to your liking but 1 teaspoon seems about right.
Chipotle powder: A little spice plays off the sweet and cinnamon really well, but this is entirely optional. Chipotle adds a lovely smoky quality as well, but you can use cayenne instead.
Salt: Kosher sea salt works well.

Step by Step Directions

A collage of 4 images showing how to make easy keto candied pecans.

Slow Cooker:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours. Stir a few times during cooking.

2. Spread the pecans out on a parchment lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Stovetop:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sweetener, butter, cinnamon, and chipotle over medium heat. Cook until the sweetener dissolves.

2. Stir in the pecans and continue to cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Spread the pecans out on a parchment lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

A jar of keto candied pecans with cinnamon sticks and dried chilis in front.

Expert Tips

It is really important to use the right sweetener in these keto candied pecans, as only erythritol-based sweeteners will create a crunchy, hard coating. This includes Swerve, Lakanto, and monk fruit sweeteners that contain just erythritol and monk fruit.

Feel free to double this recipe if you plan on gifting the pecans. It will take the same amount of time in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Just make sure to use a very large pan if you are cooking them on the stove.

Store the cooled pecans in an airtight container on the counter for up to two weeks. You can also refrigerate them for up to a month or freeze them for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many carbs are in keto candied pecans?

This recipe for keto candied pecans makes 12 servings of ¼ cup each. They have 4g of carbohydrate and 2.7g of fiber. This means that each serving has only 1.3g net carbs.

Why are my candied pecans chewy?

If your pecans are sticky or chewy, it means you didn’t use the right sweetener. Any amount of allulose, xylitol, or BochaSweet will prevent the candy coating from hardening properly. You really need to use an erythritol sweetener for this recipe.

Are pecans okay for the keto diet?

Pecans are an excellent choice for keto diets, as they have only 4g of carbs per serving. They also contain a variety of important nutrients, such as magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and folates.

A pile of keto candied pecans in front of a jar with more pecans.

More recipes for pecan lovers

Are you a nut for anything with pecans? Me too! I have so many delicious recipes that include these buttery, rich nuts. Make sure you check out the best keto pecan pie, as it’s one of my most popular recipes. And Keto Pecan Pie Muffins are a delicious breakfast treat any time of year.

Readers also love the shortbread texture of my Keto Butter Pecan Cookies. And I promise that my Keto Maple Pecan Scones are better than Starbucks.

Pecans go so well with caramel too. Check out both Keto Pecan Turtles and my ultra-gooey Slow Cooker Brownies.