Originally published December 2022. Updated November 2023. These cinnamon ginger roasted pecans are crunchy and ever-so-satisfying with a slight sweetness and warmth from cinnamon and ginger.
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Table of Contents
What makes these cinnamon ginger roasted pecans great?
Makes a great holiday gift. I’ve received these as a gift from my family members that love to bake and gifted them myself.
Add a crunchy-sweet element to foods. We’ll talk more about the various ways to use these cinnamon ginger roasted pecans in your kitchen.
Easy to change up the flavors. Don’t like cinnamon? No problem! You can use any variety of spice, herb, nut or seed you enjoy!
What ingredients do I need for this recipe?
This is a very simple recipe. You will need:
Untoasted and unsalted (aka raw) pecan halves. You may substitute any nut you like here. Walnuts are a great substitute because they have a butteriness similar to pecans.
Egg white. The egg white provides the stickiness that will adhere the spice-sugar mixture to the nuts.
Cinnamon and ginger. Ground spices. Any brand you like or have on hand is fine.
Salt. Salt enhances the flavor of the cinnamon and ginger. I recommend kosher salt, specifically the Diamond Crystal brand. But any salt will do.
Sugar. White granulated sugar because it has the most sweetness and its fine crystals add a nice crunch. You could use brown sugar but I don’t think the nuts would get quite as crunchy. If you love the molasses notes of brown sugar, try half white, half brown.
Cooking spray. If you are not using parchment paper. Even if you are, it is still a good idea to spritz the parchment paper with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
What equipment do I need for this recipe?
Measuring cups and spoons to ensure accurate measurements (although this recipe is so easy you really could eye-ball the ingredients).
Whisk or fork. Foam up the egg whites
Large bowl. To combine everything together.
Small bowl or ramekin. To mix the cinnamon, ginger and sugar.
Sheet tray with parchment paper. A rimmed baking sheet is ideal. It’s ok if you don’t have parchment paper but definitely spray the baking sheet with cooking spray very generously.
What are the nutrition benefits of cinnamon ginger roasted pecans?
Nuts and health
Consuming nuts on a regular basis, about 1 ounce of nuts five times a week is associated with good heart health. Researchers think this is because the monounsaturated fats in nuts help lower total serum cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Nuts are also rich in fiber which is associated with heart and digestive health. Nuts contain vitamin E which is involved in your body’s antioxidant defense, and magnesium and potassium which are important for heart health.
Nuts have various phytosterol and flavonoid profiles that also contribute to heart health and likely other health supportive actions that we are still learning about.
The nutritional differences between nuts are not super significant but eating a variety of nuts (and seeds) is a great way to boost nutrition (and flavor).
Spices and health
You may have heard that spices, like ginger and cinnamon, are good for you. Spices certainly do contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, but it’s important to remember that dosage matters.
Many of the studies done on the properties of spices use concentrated forms of the food so it’s not entirely accurate to compare it to everyday usage.
I like to think of spices as providing nutrition over the long term. Enjoy a wide variety of spices and use them as a seasoning to increase your consumption of other healthy foods like vegetables, fruit and whole grains.
Other than gifting and snacking, how can I use these cinnamon ginger roasted pecans?
- Add to a charcuterie or cheese board
- Toss on top of yogurt and fruit
- Add to salads
- Top soups
- Add to muffin batters and cookies
- Chop and sprinkle on top of roasted veggies
Can this recipe be vegan and/or egg-free?
Yes! Here are the modifications necessary to make this recipe vegan and/or egg free.
Granulated sugar. This is slightly complicated because it may not be immediately obvious which brand of sugar is vegan. Although made from plants, an animal product (bone char) is involved in the processing of cane sugar. If this is an issue for you, then look for brands that use sugar from beets.
Egg white. There are several options for the best vegan substitute for eggs, but it really depends on the recipe. For this application, we need to replicate the foaminess of egg whites–a property largely attributed to the protein strands in egg whites.
I would suggest using 3 tablespoons of aquafaba, or the liquid from chickpeas in place of egg whites in this recipe for cinnamon ginger roasted pecans. I have not tried it but I think it would work well. It’s easy to make aquafaba, just follow the instructions in this article on the best vegan substitute for eggs.
Can this recipe be made gluten free?
Easily! There is nothing in this recipe that naturally contains gluten so it is made without gluten already. But if you cook a lot of gluten free recipes you know that the concern often lies in cross contamination in processing.
Check the sugar and spices you use to ensure they are certified gluten free if avoiding gluten is necessary.
Is this recipe for cinnamon ginger roasted pecans low FODMAP?
This recipe is likely to be tolerated by someone with IBS and no modification is really needed. The best way to know if a food is low FODMAP is to utilize the Monash University low FODMAP app and work with a registered dietitian who can help contextualize foods into your specific situation.
At the time of writing this article, pecans are considered low FODMAP at 0.71 ounce serving, white sugar is low FODMAP at ¼ cup and cinnamon and ginger are both low FODMAP. Eggs do not contain FODMAPS.
Can this recipe for cinnamon ginger roasted pecans be made nut-free?
Definitely! This recipe would be really nice with pumpkin seeds, the green seeds known as pepitas.
I would simply substitute one pound of pepitas for one pound of nuts. Pepitas will roast faster than pecans so I would suggest lowering the cooking time by about 15 minutes. Just keep checking on them.
How do I store these cinnamon ginger roasted pecans?
Nuts in general can be stored up to 3 months at room temperature. Beyond that they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, and in the freezer for up to a year.
Cinnamon ginger roasted pecans should be kept in an airtight container and can be kept at room temperature for at least two weeks. Beyond that, keep them in the fridge. But you won’t have any left anyway.
What are some flavor variations for this recipe?
- Spices: try cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric, and even cumin and chili powder/paprika instead of ginger and cinnamon.
- Herbs: add a savory element with a hearty herb like thyme, rosemary or sage.
- Sweeteners: experiment with different sweeteners like maple syrup or sugar, brown sugar or molasses. If you use a liquid sweetener, the cooking time may need to be longer.
- Pair with dried fruit: create a blend with dried fruit, chocolate or toasted coconut chips (just don’t bake the fruit and chocolate with the nuts.
- Citrus zest: try adding orange, lemon or lime zest.
Cinnamon Ginger Roasted Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 egg white or 3 T aquafaba if making vegan
- 1 tsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp if using table salt
- 1 pound pecan halves raw, unsalted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Make your spice mix by combining cinnamon, ginger and sugar.
- Separate egg white from yolk. Whisk egg white until frothy. Add pecans into egg whites and stir to coat.
- Sprinkle sugar-spice mixture onto pecans and coat to combine. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Stir pecans with a spatula. Bake for an additional 30 minutes
- Nuts will still be a little wet when they come out of the oven. Allow them to cool completely before serving.