Our sweetly spiced, Crispy Pecans are soaked in water and salt and dehydrated to create a crispy and deliciously healthy snack.
Tossing the pecans in a light coating of coconut palm sugar, cinnamon, and chipotle powder gives them the perfect balance of sweetness with a hint of spice.
Nuts can be a great protein snack, but they can also leave folks with a heavy, bloated feeling. Easier to digest than raw nuts, soaked and dehydrated pecans are a central part of our healthy snack creations.
We also use them in baked goods, on salads, or sprinkled over vegetables. The crispy-crunchy subtle sweetness of these dehydrated pecans is hard to resist!
The only equipment you will need is a simple dehydrator or a low oven temp. I have seen some use an oven set on low and leave the oven door ajar so the temperature does not exceed 150°F. You can even let them dry in the sun during sunny months.
How To Soak and Dehydrate Pecans
Put the pecans in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over the pecans. Add enough filtered water to the bowl to cover the pecans by an inch or more. Stir to mix the salt and then let sit to soak the pecans for 8-12 hours (I usually do this overnight).
Pour off the water and allow it to drain well in a colander for 5-10 minutes, then blot with paper towels to remove excess water. Mix the coconut palm sugar, cinnamon, salt, and chipotle powder in a small bowl until well blended.
Spread the pecans in the bottom of a large bowl and sprinkle the dry seasoning over them; stir to mix well. The moisture from the pecans should help create a light coating of sugar and spice.
NOTE: We like the natural goodness of coconut palm sugar here, but you can substitute brown sugar with good results. If you like a spicier flavor, use cayenne pepper instead of chipotle.
Arrange the pecans on dehydrator trays, leaving plenty of space between them for circulation, and set the temperature to 150°F for 12-18 hours or until crisp.
Test the pecans for crispiness after 12 hours and continue based on your preference. Note: To test the nuts, allow a couple to cool for a few minutes first.
When finished, the pecans should have a light, crispy-crunchy texture and a very thin, dry coating of seasoning. The flavor should be subtly sweet with a hint of spicy finish.
Store the pecans in an airtight container in the pantry for up to one month. This same recipe works for walnuts, too.
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Sweetly Spiced Crispy Pecans
Ingredients
SOAK THE PECANS:
- 4 cups pecans
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- Filtered water to cover pecans
MIX & DEHYDRATE:
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder — or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Put the pecans in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over the pecans. Add enough filtered water to the bowl to cover the pecans by an inch or more. Stir to mix the salt and then let sit to soak the pecans for 8-12 hours (I usually do this overnight).
- Pour off the water and allow to drain well, 5-10 minutes, then blot with paper towels to remove excess water. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and chipotle powder until well blended.
- Spread out the pecans in the bottom of a large bowl and sprinkle the dry seasoning over the pecans; stir to mix well. The moisture from the pecans should help to create a light coating of sugar and spice.
- Spread the pecans out on dehydrator trays and set the temperature to 150°F for 12-18 hours, or until pecans are crisp. Note: To test the nuts, allow a couple to cool for a few minutes first.
Kristy says
I use these on everything now! Especially on salads and for snacks for the crispy crunch.
Rachel @ day2day joys says
Judy, delicious recipe! I also do not have a dehydrator, wondering if you could do a recipe edition sometime with an oven? Anyhow, I featured this recipe as one of my top 3 this week! Thanks for linking up such great posts! Hope you’ll join in H2W this week! Blessings!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Rachel, sorry about the late reply, one gal uses her oven at 170° and uses a wooden spoon to wedge her oven door open slightly to reduce the overall temp of the oven to keep it around 150°. You would have to experiment with that and use an oven thermometer to be sure. Also, be sure to stir the nuts often if they are on solid cookie sheets so you get good air circulation around them as they dry. The drying time is the same. Hope that helps!
Pam @ Ramblings of a Happy Homemaker says
These sounds so yummy. I don’t have a dehydrator and my oven only goes as low as 170 F. I would love to start soaking and dehydrating nuts, but that’s been my hold-up. I need to make getting a dehydrator a priority.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Pam, I have the same issue with my oven, nothing below 170°. I picked up my dehydrator at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for about $50, use one of their coupons and it’s even less. The great thing about it is it is expandable, but so far, I’ve not needed more than the 4 trays that came with it. Nuts and beef jerky is primarily what I use it for, well worth it!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂
Jill@RealFoodForager.com says
Hi Judy,
I just LOVE dehydrated pecans. Actually, I’m addicted to them. They are so much better than raw and much easier to digest!
Greg says
This makes me want a dehydrator even more!
rsmacaalay says
Wow I missed reading the blog posts of my blog friends, I just came from a two week holiday in Gold Coast and never did dare to go online. Now I am back to read those wonderful posts again. I have a lot to read and catch up