It’s hard to find a dessert that our whole family can eat and still feel good when we are done, but we have found a few and this is definitely one of them. I can’t wait to share this healthy dessert with you. These are so quick and easy to make, but I will warn you that these are a bit hard to stop eating once you start. Also, if you are a multitasker like me the last step of the process might test your patience a little. From my own experience last Christmas I will say that the final step is the most important time to avoid distractions so you don’t burn the nuts, even if you think you just need to run to another room and do something really quick!
We start with our native, naturally raised pecans that we buy in bulk, and add organic Ceylon cinnamon, Redmond Real salt, and real maple syrup with no additives. Our pesticide free, native pecans are a great source of magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Maple syrup is now known as a super food and a great source of nutrients. It’s also one of best natural sweeteners because it doesn’t raise blood sugar as quickly. By combining the maple syrup with good fats from the nuts this will help to balance blood sugar even better and will leave a person feeling satisfied longer. Finally, using Ceylon cinnamon or “true cinnamon” adds even more health benefits. You can definitely just do 1/2 of a batch, but any less doesn’t work well. I haven’t experimented with doing more than 4 cups at a time, but it might work to double this with the right pan.
Maple Covered Pecans
Ingredients
- 4 cups raw natural pecans
- 1 cup real maple syrup (no additives)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon (preferably ceylon)
- 1 1/2 tsp Real Salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pan (preferably a heavy pan). Mix until everything is coated well. Cook on medium heat and watch for the mixture to start simmering gently. After this time reduce the heat in order to keep a gentle simmer and cook for about 17 minutes (stirring every 3 minutes). Cooking time will vary depending on pan and heat. During this time of stirring, watch for the liquid to evaporate and the mixture to start sticking and becoming harder to stir. Once it starts to stick together and becomes hard to stir, start stirring continuously for a few more minutes until the maple syrup starts to crystalize and looks like sugar on the outside of the pecans. They will also stop sticking together as much. Once the crystals have formed, stir for two more minutes and then transfer onto a pan or glass baking dish so they don't stick together. After letting them cool, store them in an air-tight container. If you don't plan to eat them right away (which is hard), put them in the refrigerator for longer storage. We have found that putting them in the refrigerator produces a crispier, better product.