Orange-Chipotle Candied Pecans

Make a double batch people, because one's not going to be enough! Literally double as the measurements. I made these for my cousin's birthday party and this was the email I got after: They're delicious, and we've been eating them like they're going out of style--when they're really just out of supply :) While asking me to send him the recipe....


They take an hour to bake and then time to cool, so plan ahead....

1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 large egg white
2 cups pecan halves, check through for shell bits first
1 tablespoon brown sugar (add a tablespoon or more if you want them to be sweeter)
1 tsp salt, sea salt if you have it, but regular is fine too

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (regular chili powder could work in a pinch, but you really want that smokey flavor from the chipotle)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (add more if you like them)


1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
2. Whisk orange rind, juice and egg whites until frothy.
3. Stir in sugar, salt and chili powder.
4. Add pecans and stir with a big spoon to get all the goodness on the nuts. 
5. Spray the cooking sheet with the cooking spray and arrange the pecans in a single layer. Bake for 1 hour stirring the nuts a few times to get them nice and brown on all sides. They'll look soggy, but that's OK.
6.  Let the nuts cool completely and they will harden into crunchy candied pecans.  Mix in the cranberries for a salty-sweet combo.