This is one of my favourite low carb high fat, ketogenic diet snack recipes! It tastes like little bites of pecan pie! I love to make this around the holidays to have around when everyone is indulging in carb-laden cookies and snacks all day and at all of the special events, I make these candied spiced pecans so that I can enjoy delicious treats too and not feel like I am missing out.
I will end up making double and triple batches because it goes SO quickly when I leave it around the house, everyone who is not following a low carb diet goes crazy for it and never realizes there is no sugar!
I also love to put this in mason jars with labels and give it as a Christmas gift or present any other time of the year. People love this as a beautiful home-made gift! My paleo, low carb friends and family members especially. Ketogenic spiced almonds are also awesome for this! Making candy is also a fun activity I like to make with my nieces as well when they’re over. Make it and enjoy!!
Ketogenic Candied Pecans
Yield: 45 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Swerve (or 1/2 Cup Erythriol & 1 tsp Liquid Stevia) | 1 Cup
Grass Fed Butter | 1 Stick or 125 g (or Coconut Oil for Dairy Free version)
Water| 1/2 Cup
Vanilla Extract | 1/2 tsp
Ceylon Cinnamon| 1/2 tsp
Ground Pepper | pinch
Baking Soda | 1/2 tsp
Raw Pecans | 1-2 Cups (depending on preference)
Directions
Note: A candy thermometer can be found at most grocery stores in the cooking supplies section.
Heat the water and butter together in a saucepan and melt it. Add the sweeteners, cinnamon and pepper in and cook until it gets all the way to the “hard crack” reading on your candy thermometer. (Key step!) I put a lid on my saucepan with a crack coming out of the side for the steam to come out.
Lightly toast the pecans in a pan on the stove, being careful not to burn them. Remove the butter and sweeteners from heat when at the hard crack stage and add in the vanilla and baking soda, followed by the pecans. Spread out on a cookie sheet and refrigerate. Once cooled completely (I like to cool it in a fridge to speed it up), break into 40-45 pieces.
Special Diet Information
Gluten free, sugar free, low glycemic, low carb, dairy free option, grain free.
Nutritional Info:
Makes 45 Servings
Most of the carbs in this recipe come from Swerve. According to sources, it is mostly fiber so if you count net carbs or not is up to you depending on your approach to lowcarb. For keto purposes, it has no carb however it may or may not stimulate an insulin response. You will need to test your blood sugar after consuming it to know.
I do really detailed macro calculations! I always want to know the exact breakdowns of things and find there is never enough detail.
This is calculated using the dairy and non-dairy versions.
Candied Pecans using 1 cup of pecans:
Calories: 36.5 , Fat: 3.64 g, Protein: 0.86 g, Carbs: 5.87 g, Fiber: 5.86 g. Net Carbs: None.
*Non dairy version: Calories: 41 , Fat: 4.0 g, Protein: 0.84 g, Carbs: 5.87 g, Fiber: 5.86 g. Net Carbs: None.
Candied Pecans using 2 cups of pecans:
Calories: 56 , Fat: 5.22 g, Protein: 1.7 g, Carbs: 6.37 g, Fiber, Fiber: 5.89 g, Net Carbs: 0.48 g.
*Non dairy version: Calories: 59.4 , Fat: 4.0 g, Protein: 1.67 g, Carbs: 6.38 g, Fiber: 5.89 g. Net Carbs: 0.49 g.