This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans are a sweet and slightly salty snack. These candied pecans are fun Holiday gifts to give to teachers, friends, and as hostess gifts. Pressure cooker maple candied pecans are the perfect nuts for Holiday snacks!
Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans
This year I’m planning out my Holiday gift giving early. I’ve been testing and reworking some of my Holiday favorite food gifts. It’s been fun! Today was nuts!
Candied pecans have always been a favorite Holiday treat in our home. I like to make a big batch and flavor it two different ways.
Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans are my new version of this favorite treat! I usually bake them, but wanted to try a method for the electric pressure cooker I’ve seen a few times. It works well!
Just a note about these nuts. Pecans aren’t crisp like some nuts are. They are a little chewy, for lack of a better word. You can try baking them longer, but they burn easily, so be careful!
The candied coating does dry, so they aren’t sticky. They also get nice and shiny, and look really pretty!
Adding a coating of a tasty cinnamon sugar mixture gives Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans a sweet finish. I just can’t decide which version I like best!
Cello bags are super inexpensive and come in many sizes. I love to bag up the Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans and give them as gifts.
Think of teachers, church clergy/bishops/pastors, etc., the mail carrier, dog groomer, and so on. What a fun way to show someone that you appreciate them. Homemade gifts are special!
We always take a day during Christmas week and go to Downtown Seattle. It’s a tradition for Paul and I to do this, and make it a date day!
There is so much going on downtown during the Holidays, and it’s a lot of fun to walk around and see all of the lights & sights, go shopping, people watch, and eat!
We always stop and get some nuts to snack on when we get down to the Pike Place Market.
You Might Also Like These Instant Pot Food Gifts
Instant Pot Hot Sauce
Instant Pot Vanilla Extract
Instant Pot Dulce de Leche Caramel
Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 4 cups Pecan Halves, raw
- ⅔ cup Maple Syrup (100% pure)
- ¼ tsp Maple Extract (optional, to enhance maple flavor)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Allspice
- ½ tsp Ginger, powdered
- ¼ tsp Coarse Salt (or 1/8 tsp table salt)
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional) or more to taste
- ½ cup Water
To Finish (optional)
- ½ cup White Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Add pecans, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and cayenne powder to the pot of your pressure cooker. Turn on the Sauté setting and stir well. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Cancel the sauté setting. Add the water and stir gently. Place the lid on the pot and turn the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Press the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 8 minutes. High Pressure.
- While nuts are cooking, preheat oven to 300° F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the cooking cycle is finished, turn off the pot and turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to do a Quick Release of the steam. Remove the lid and stir the nuts.
- Pour the nuts onto the parchment lined baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer as much as possible.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Then remove from oven and stir, place back in oven for about 5 more minutes, but check on them during baking to make sure they don't burn.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before packaging so they will not stick together.
If You Want to Add the Sugar Coating
- While nuts are pressure cooking, add sugars and cinnamon to a gallon size plastic or paper bag. Shake up to mix.
- Take nuts out of the oven and cool until warm, but not hot, and still a bit sticky.
- Add half of the nuts to the bag and shake them to coat with the sugar mixture Be careful and close the bag before shaking. Remove nuts to a fresh sheet of parchment to continue cooling. Repeat with second half of nuts. Or, just do half of the nuts and you'll have two varieties!
- Discard leftover sugar mixture, or save it for toast!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE Instant Pot Maple Candied Pecans recipe and more
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Can I follow this recipe exactly using the mini IP?
Yes!
Does “1 tsp Vanilla” mean vanilla extract, or scraped vanilla bean innards, or something else?
When my recipes refers to vanilla, it means the extract unless otherwise stated.
How long will the nuts take to dry? I waited and waited and that had no crunch to them so I left them out overnight and they are better but still not crunchy. Should I put them back in the oven on low?
Yes, I would put them in the oven a little longer.