Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans Recipe (2024)

  • Hors D'Oeuvres
  • Stovetop
  • Pecans
  • Christmas Appetizers

Inspired by the classic co*cktail, spicy-sweet pecans are doused with bourbon and dotted with orange zest and bourbon-soaked cherries.

ByMarvin Gapultos

Updated October 24, 2022

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Why It Works

  • Soaking the cherries in bourbon—in addition to glazing the pecans with the spirit—ensures that the boozy flavor comes through.
  • Adding orange zest to the nuts after they have been glazed and cooled keeps the flavor of the zest vibrant and fresh.

Although the Old Fashioned has come to be one of today's most revered co*cktails, I find that it can also be one of the mostinconsistentlymade drinks. While its ingredients are few (sugar, bitters, water, whiskey), the Old Fashioned can range from simple and superb, to a sweet and syrupy mess—all depending on the skill and knowledge of the bartender at whichever watering hole you happen to wander into.

Conversely, that bowl of mixed nuts that adorns many a bar can be one of the mostconsistentthings on offer. Problem is, they are usually consistently stale, and consistently bland. A bowl of stale nuts is about as tempting as, well, a bowl of stale nuts. Which is why I usually steer clear of such roughage no matter how peckish I get when sitting at a bar.

It's a good thing, then, that I do most of my drinking and snacking at home. As such, I decided to use one of my favorite co*cktails (the Old Fashioned, natch), as inspiration to improve upon that usually insipid bowl of mixed bar nuts.

For this particular recipe I used pecans, but really, any mix of raw nuts will do. After a few minutes toasting in a dry skillet, the pecans become fragrant and nutty. A toss in melted butter and a mix of brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and a touch of cayenne would seem to be all these pecans need. But to echo their boozy inspiration, the nuts are then doused with bourbon and dotted with old-fashioned accouterments of orange zest and cherries (dried cherries made plump by a soak in more bourbon).

The result is a spicy-sweet snack of glazed pecans worthy of a perfectly madeOld Fashioned co*cktail, or any cool beverage you happen to be nursing.

August 2012

Recipe Details

Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans Recipe

Active15 mins

Total45 mins

Serves8 servings

Makes2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

  • 1/4 cup dried cherries

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 2 cupsraw pecan halves

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon zest from 1 small orange

Directions

  1. Combine bourbon and dried cherries in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. In another small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir until well-combined. Set aside.

  2. Place pecans in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until they just start to brown and smell toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butter to pan and stir until the butter is completely melted and the pecans are coated.

  3. Add the sugar and spice mixture to pan and stir to combine. Turn off heat and immediately pour in cherries and bourbon. Stir for 1-2 minutes more, off heat, until everything is well incorporated.

  4. Return pan to medium heat and continue to stir everything in pan until the liquid thickens and a glaze forms on the pecans, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer pecans to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.

  5. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, separate the pecans and spread them into an even layer on the parchment paper. Allow pecans to cool completely. Once pecans have cooled, zest orange over pecans. Transfer pecans to a large bowl and serve.

Special Equipment

Nonstick skillet, sheet pan lined with parchment paper

Read More

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156Calories
12g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g16%
Saturated Fat 3g13%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 159mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 9g3%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg11%
Calcium 16mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 80mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you soak pecans in bourbon? ›

Whether you choose pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or a mixture of many different types of nuts, you need to soak them in bourbon for at least 30 minutes. Before soaking, the nuts must be lightly toasted in the oven to intensify the nutty flavors.

What is the best bourbon for pecan pie? ›

For the classiest pecan pie ever, spike your dessert with Elijah Craig's small batch, overproof bourbon. You'll get a pie packed with butterscotch, honey and apple flavor. Be careful how much bourbon you add to your pie though. The alcohol content in this spirit is so high that baking won't reduce the proof by much.

What are glazed pecans made of? ›

Candied pecans make a fabulous snack for holiday guests and parties. These glazed pecans are coated with a buttery brown sugar syrup and then baked to crunchy perfection. All you need is to boil butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar together, add the pecans, and then bake until brown.

How do you keep candied pecans from sticking together? ›

Stir them every 10 minutes or so to avoid them clumping together, or you can just break them apart with a spatula or your hands later.

What does soaking pecans do? ›

By soaking nuts and seeds, you minimize or eliminate the nutritional inhibitors and other toxic substances as they are absorbed into the water. Without the inhibitors and toxic substances, the nutrients of the nuts and seeds are more readily available for absorption.

How long do you soak pecans to activate? ›

Soaking and Drying Times for Different Nuts
Nut (1cup)SaltSoaking Time
Pecans1/2 tsp5-8 hours
Pine Nuts1 tsp7-10 hours
Pistachios1 tsp5-8 hours
Walnuts1/2 tsp5-8 hours
5 more rows
Apr 28, 2023

Does bourbon pecan pie need to be refrigerated? ›

Yes. Because pecan pie is an "egg-rich" pie, the USDA recommends you store it in the fridge after it has cooled. Unless you plan on serving the pie within two hours of baking, it shouldn't stay out at room temperature.

What is the difference between whiskey and bourbon? ›

🥃 Quick summary. Whiskey is a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented mashed grains. Bourbon is the term for a whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Bourbon was traditionally made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and most bourbon is still produced in the state of Kentucky.

How do you keep pecan pie from getting soggy? ›

5 Ways to Prevent Soggy Pie Crust
  1. Blind Bake. The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. ...
  2. Brush With Egg. ...
  3. Brush With Chocolate. ...
  4. Bake on a Hot Baking Sheet. ...
  5. Keep Moisture Out.
May 1, 2019

Why are my glazed pecans sticky? ›

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Do glazed pecans go bad? ›

Candied pecans will keep tightly sealed in an airtight container for one to two weeks. They will keep for at least three weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator and may be frozen for several months.

Are glazed pecans good for you? ›

This crunchy snack of glazed pecans is great for topping ice cream, garnishing a salad, or nibbling all on their own. They'd even make a great gift or game day appetizer. Nuts are high on the list of healthy snacks with great levels of fiber, protein and unsaturated fats.

Why are my candied pecans not crunchy? ›

Beat an egg white with a fork. This is what helps the flavored sugar adhere to the nuts. It also helps to create a light and crispy candied coating. When I first made candied pecans, I was skeptical of the egg white, but after trying it, I became convinced.

Why are my candied pecans grainy? ›

Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.

Why are my candied pecans soggy? ›

If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.

How long does it take to infuse bourbon? ›

It's not difficult to make a good infused bourbon, but it does require a little patience. To make peach infused bourbon, you won't need 4-6 weeks, like when you're making DIY vanilla extract. On the contrary, you'll only need 4-6 days, but you can let it go longer if you want!

Should pecans be soaked before roasting? ›

Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.

Is it better to soak pecans before eating? ›

Activated nuts and seeds have been celebrated as being easier to digest and making the nutrients, such as iron, fibre and healthy fats, easier to absorb. The main reason behind soaking in this way is the phytate content.

Should you soak pecans before cracking? ›

Put the pecans in a pot and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil; boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain pecans in a colander and allow them to cool so they can be handled. Crack them open and you'll find out just how easy it is to get a whole pecan out of the shell.

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