These healthy maple sweetened chili pecans are slightly sweet and perfectly spiced for snacking, parties, salad toppings and gift-giving! Find more recipes on the Quick Healthy Recipes page.
Are you ready for a go-to recipe you’ll use again and again? One that is easier than you can imagine (really – 5 minutes prep + about 10 minutes to cook!) and so good you’ll have to make yourself stop eating them? Then say hello to healthy maple sweetened chili spiced pecans! This recipe is like the sweet little sister to these spiced nuts (which are also easy and amazing), but when you want just a touch of sweet glaze along with some spice. And really that may be like ALL the time.
What makes them healthy? Well, we know that pecans are a good source of filling fiber (that’s why I like to have nuts as an afternoon snack – they stick with you way longer than crackers) and they also have quite a few vitamins and minerals. Then the maple syrup makes them taste decadent, but there’s only 3 tablespoons to 2-1/2 cup of nuts, so there’s a lot less than most sugar-laden glazed nut recipes (plus, maple syrup has some vitamins & minerals, though not enough that we want to eat a lot of it…). The other main ingredient is olive oil – which we know to be a healthy fat. That’s only 3 ingredients + the spices, if you’re counting – just another reason to love them!
I’m going to have to apologize, though – these are addictive and you may not be able to stop eating them, a-hem. But like in everything I’ve been talking about around here for the last few years, moderation of real, honest food made with the purest ingredients you can find is all good.
My solution? Outta sight, outta mind. As soon as they’re cooled, I place them in a mason jar and put them in the cupboard and when I want some with my afternoon tea, I put 8-10 in my little bowl along with some dried plums or other fruit and call it good (you can see more of my portion control tips here). Or just give most of them away, keeping a few for your snacks and salads – you will be loved, I promise.
MY LATEST VIDEOSAnd to make them is as simple as 1-2-3: Mix everything in a bowl and lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet, bake & cool. I’ve played with the proportions enough that these will not dry sticky – they are just lightly glazed and spicy. Pretty much a perfect combo.
In addition to snacks and setting out in bowls for parties, we love these on salads – my current favorite is chopped kale, onion slices, dried cranberries and feta dressed in a basic vinaigrette and topped with these nuts. YUM.
PrintHealthy Maple Sweetened Chili Pecans
With just a few tablespoons maple syrup to 2-1/2 cup nuts these pecans are just slightly sweet and perfectly spiced for snacking, parties, salad toppings and gift-giving!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2-1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups whole pecans
- 3 TB. pure maple syrup
- 1 TB. olive oil*
- 1-1/2 tsp. hot chili powder (if using regular chili powder, add 1/8 tsp. cayenne if desired for more spice)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a medium sized, rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner.
- Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well to coat all the nuts evenly.
- Lay coated pecans in a single layer on prepared pan.
- Bake 5 minutes, stir nuts well and bake for another 5-8 minutes until nuts are browned and caramelized (watch closely to avoid burning).
- Remove from oven and let cool completely on pan.**
- Break apart and store in an airtight container.
Notes
*Going over this amount may cause the nuts to remain sticky after cooling, so measure carefully.
**Do not let them sit out for longer than necessary -they have become sticky for me in the past from the humidity when I forgot about them cooling (as in hours). They will stay nice and glazed if you place them in a container as soon as they are completely cooled.
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Thanks for this delicious recipe! I just finished up 5 batches of these, packaged in mason jars with big red bows for lovely gifts. I also switched up one batch and substituted pumpkin pie spice for the chili powder – they were great too. Merry Christmas!
Great idea, Kristen – I’m glad you liked them!
You”re right. These are addictive. Get them away from me!
Jim
Ha!
Great sounding recipe. I am going to have to try it for some gift giving this year. I usually make some with butter, brown sugar & cayenne, chili powder & cinnamon.
Have you ever used honey instead of maple syrup in this recipe?
Have you tried using egg white instead of oil?
I’ve made the nuts with egg whites in the past and I don’t like the texture of them – they tend to irritate my mouth, so I haven’t. 🙂
Sounds Yummy! Thanks for sharing.
Lori in Atlanta