When it comes to taste, pecans are renowned for their buttery flavor, which works so well in sweet dishes and desserts. At Ayoub’s, we’re all for healthy eating, but we also have a bit of a sweet tooth. Here are three of our favorite scrumptiously sweet pecan recipes that will curb any sweet craving. 

Pecan Pie

We couldn’t write a post about sweet pecan recipes without mentioning the world-famous dessert, pecan pie. Pecan pie is the perfect fall dessert but is delicious all year round - here’s a simple recipe. 

Ingredients For Pecan Pie 

• 1 ¼ cups of chopped pecans 
• 1 ¾ cups of brown sugar 
• ¼ cup of corn syrup 
• ¼ cup of butter 
• 1 tablespoon of cold water 
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch 
• 3 free-range eggs 
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of salt 
• 1 nine-inch unbaked pie shell (or you could make your own first)

How To Make Pecan Pie

1. First and foremost, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (or 175 degrees if you work in celsius). 
2. In a small bowl, cup, or mug, combine the water with the cornstarch to form a slurry. 
3. Next, add your sugar, corn syrup, and butter to a saucepan, followed by the cornstarch and water mixture. Bring the pan to a boil before removing it from the heat. 
4. Meanwhile, grab yourself a large bowl and beat the eggs until they are foamy. 
5. Once the syrup mixture has cooled slightly, gradually beat it into your foamy eggs before stirring in your vanilla, salt, and pecans.  
6. Finally, pour your pecan pie filling into your pie shell and bake for 45-50 minutes or until it has set. 

Top Tip
If you want your pie to look more decorative, then candy some pecan halves and then place them on the top of your cooked pie. 

Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are a treat worth savoring! Sweet, salty, crunchy, and moreish, they make the perfect sweet snack on their own or a beautiful topping for cakes and bakes. Here at Ayoub’s, we sell glazed pecans ready-made, but if you fancy making your own, then here’s a quick recipe. 

Ingredients For Candied Pecans

• 1 cup of white or brown sugar 
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon of water 
• 450g (1lb) of pecan halves 
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon of salt 

How To Make Candied Pecans

1. Before you begin, start by preheating your oven to 250 degrees F, or 120 celsius. 
2. Next, combine your sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. 
3. Meanwhile, whisk your egg white with your tablespoon of water until it is frothy and then toss in the pecan halves. 
4. Add in your sugar and cinnamon powder and stir everything together so that the pecans are evenly coated in sugar and egg white. 
5. Spread the coated pecans onto a lined baking sheet making sure that they aren’t sitting on top of one another, and then bake for approximately one hour. 
6. To stop your pecans from burning, give them a stir every 15 minutes or so. 

Top Tip

This recipe can be made vegan by swapping out the eggwhite for some melted coconut oil or a drizzle of maple syrup. At the end of the day, the egg white is really there to help the sugar and spices stick to the pecans and so it can be easily substituted. 

Pecan Pie Nut Butter

Last but not least, if you’ve never tried it before, then you have to taste pecan nut butter! This recipe uses cinnamon to give the nut butter a pecan pie flavor, but you could also add pumpkin spice or even leave the mixture plain if you want the pecans’ true flavor to shine bright. 

Ingredients For Pecan Pie Nut Butter

• 3 cups of pecan pieces (or chopped up pecan halves)
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 1/4teaspoon of salt 
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or any sweetener of your choice

How To Make Pecan Pie Nut Butter

1. To get a deliciously nutty taste into your nut butter, it’s best to toast your pecans first. To do this, simply place your pecan pieces onto a baking tray and roast at 250 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Toasting your pecans also helps them to blend more smoothly.) 
2. Next, add your toasted pecans to a food processor and start pulsing them. 
3. Slowly, the pecans will form a powder, and then as they release their oils, they will form a paste. This can take some time, and you may want to scrape down the sides between pulses. 
4. Once you have blended your pecans to your desired consistency, add in your cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup and give the mixture one last whizz to combine. 
5. Transfer your pecan pie nut butter to a container, and it can be stored in the fridge for up to a month! 

Top Tip 

If you like crunchy nut butter, reserve some of your chopped pecans and add them in at the end to give your nut butter some additional crunch.