I came across this recipe in one of America’s Test Kitchen’s cookbooks a couple of years ago, and I’ve been making them ever since. They’re a nice snack for parties, and you can make them ahead of time too.
Spiced Pecans with Rum Glaze
You might already have some of these spices in your pantry, but keep in mind that ground spices start to lose their flavor after about 8 months. If your spices are older than that—or if you’re not sure how old they are—you may be best off buying new ones.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw pecan halves (8 ounces)
Warm Spice Mix
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Rum Glaze
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread the pecans in even layer.
Toast the pecans for 4 minutes, then rotate pan, and then continue to toast them until they’re fragrant and their color deepens slightly, about 4 minutes longer.
Transfer the cookie sheet with the nuts to a wire rack.
For the spice mix: Stir together sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in medium bowl, and set the bowl aside.
For the glaze: Bring the rum, vanilla, brown sugar, and butter to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly.
Pour the pecans into the saucepan. Pro tip: Grab the pecans’ parchment paper by the long edges, and then let the parchment paper form a U shape along the short edges. That gives you a funnel that makes it easy to pour the pecans into the saucepan.
Stir in the toasted pecans and cook them, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a heat-safe spatula until the nuts are shiny and almost all of the liquid has evaporated (about 1 ½ minutes).
Transfer the glazed pecans to the bowl with the spice mix; toss them well to coat them. Note: You may find yourself tempted to use your fingers to help toss the nuts, but keep in mind that they’ve just come off the stove and they’re wicked hot.
Return the pecans to the parchment-lined cookie sheet to cool. (They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.)