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Brown Sugar and Thyme Roasted Pecans

Stephanie Hua
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Brown Sugar and Thyme Pecans
Brown Sugar and Thyme Pecans

It’s funny how certain smells work their way into your subconscious where they develop into permanent little memory bombs.

For me, this time of year, I crave the scent of Nuts 4 Nuts.
Nuts 4 Nuts = Christmastime in NYC.

For those unfamiliar with this New York institution, Nuts 4 Nuts are street carts that sell honey roasted nuts -- peanuts, cashews, and almonds. The thing about Nuts 4 Nuts though is, sadly, they always smell better than they taste.

This year I decided to end the cycle of disappointment once and for all and make my own. I started out with a typical recipe for sugared pecans amped it up with brown sugar, cinnamon, thyme, and a touch of sea salt.

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Total win. I could not stop eating these. Throw some over a spinach salad with blue cheese and pears for a gourmet treat, or just munch by the handful.

Best of all, the recipe is versatile. Experiment with your own custom mix of spices and nuts. Chai spiced almonds? Sure. Five spice Cashews? Go nuts.

These Brown Sugar and Thyme Pecans are killer though. Make a big batch. They’ll go quick. Also these sugared nuts would make for a super easy, super delicious homemade gift.

Nuts 4 Nuts got nothing on me
Nuts 4 Nuts got nothing on me

Brown Sugar and Thyme Roasted Pecans
Crunchy oven-roasted sugared pecans coated in a heavenly combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, and thyme, with just a touch of sea salt. Throw some over a spinach salad with blue cheese and pears for a gourmet treat, or eat by the handful.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours
Total Time: 1 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 egg white
  • 4 cups pecan halves
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and grease with butter.
  2. Whip the egg white in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in the pecans to coat evenly.
  3. Combine the sugar, thyme, cinnamon, and salt in a Tupperware with a lid or Ziploc bag; shake until everything is mixed evenly, breaking up any clumps of sugar. Dust the pecans evenly with the sugar mixture. Spread the nuts over the prepared pan.
  4. Bake until toasted and fragrant, stirring every 15 minutes, about 1 hour. Cool on pan, and store in an airtight container.