A nutty Christmas tradition

Today was a day off for me although I was very busy so it didn’t really feel like a day off. But it was a fun day, spent baking eight pounds of cinnamon sugar pecans. Every Christmas, I bake a boatload of these treats to gift to family. It’s become a family tradition. It actually started years ago because I wanted to give my boss a Christmas gift. Etiquette told me that it wasn’t expected that I give my boss a gift but if I did, food would be appropriate. I knew he liked nuts so after Mama shared her cinnamon sugar pecan recipe with me, I decided they would fit the bill. And he loved them. I made enough to share with co-workers and they enjoyed them as well. My mother-in-law loved snacks and liked pecans so I decided they would make a nice gift for her. She loved them too. Then at some point, I decided the nuts would make a good gift for my nephews so I made some for them. They loved them and it turns out their wives loved them as well. So, I finally started making small individual bags for the entire family to pass out at our annual Christmas party. They always seem happy to be handed a bag. We’re having our party tomorrow so I’ll likely make a few people happy.

My brother-in-law told me last weekend that he’d like a big bag this year. He said those little bags just aren’t enough.

By the way, I’ve never eaten a single pecan. I don’t like them. I know, that sounds sinful being as I was born and raised in Georgia, but I just don’t like them.

The recipe is very easy—you just need to allow plenty of time if you’re cooking a lot of them. Each batch needs to cook for an hour—so turn on some Christmas music and wrap a few presents while they bake.

Here’s the recipe if you would like to try them. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

½ cup white sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 lb. shelled pecan halves

½ tsp. cinnamon

2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large Ziploc bag.

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy.

Stir in the pecans. 

Once coated, add the pecans to the Ziploc bag.

Seal the bag and shake to coat with the cinnamon mixture. 

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.

Bake one hour at 225 degrees. Remove the pecans from the oven, cool, then break apart.

Wilton makes these nice treat bags (with ties) to package the pecans in.