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Learn How to Toast Pecans in the oven or on the stove for more flavor, crunch, and aroma in all your favorite recipes. It’s super simple and only takes a few minutes.
Toasting raw pecans is generally optional, but in my cases, it’s highly recommended. The nut-toasting process adds a deeper taste, golden brown color, nutty flavor and aroma, and a delicious crunch. Nuts toast quickly in the oven or on the stovetop, and they add a healthy, gluten free, protein-packed, omega-3 rich element to many recipes.
Give banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin pancakes extra texture. Sprinkle toasted pecans over ice cream, waffles, grain bowls, oatmeal, salads, and use in snack mixes. Use toasted pecans in your favorite savory dishes and roasted vegetable sides, too (just stir them in after roasting the veggies so they don’t scorch), and top your next fruit dessert or batch of muffins with a nut-studded streusel.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Pecans: Cooking times vary depending on which method you choose and how many pecans you are toasting. And don’t walk away! They can go from zero to burnt in under a minute.
- Oil: Toasting pecans in fat (olive oil or clarified butter, for example), is optional. It adds more flavor and helps seasonings stick, if you want to use them.
Step-by-step instructions
To toast pecans in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Toss pecans in oil or melted butter and salt if desired. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Toast until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To toast pecans on the stove top:
- Toss pecans in oil and salt if desired. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat pecans until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from skillet and chop or use as desired. Or, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: The recipe as written makes 1 cup of toasted pecans (enough for 4 servings, ¼ cup each). It can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
- Storage: Store raw and roasted pecans for a year or more in the refrigerator or the freezer (not the pantry). They spoil easily, especially when roasted.
- Freezer: For longer storage, store pecans in the freezer. Both raw and toasted pecans, once opened and exposed to air, are prone to turning rancid. Unopened, factory-sealed pecans are safe in the pantry until their expiration date.
- Microwave method: Spread pecans on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until toasted as desired.
- Trail mix: Make a healthy snack mix by adding cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and cashews to your toasted pecans.
- On roasted veggies: Add toasted pecans to Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Carrots, or Roasted Green Beans.
- Cinnamon and sugar pecans: Toast 1 cup pecans in 1 tbsp oil with ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Chex-Mix pecans: Toast 1 cup pecans in 1 tbsp oil with 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp seasoned salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and a pinch onion powder. Or add to your next batch of Homemade Chex Mix.
- Sweet and spicy pecans: Toast 1 cup pecans in 1 tbsp oil with 1 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cumin and ⅛ tsp cayenne.
- Turtle Sundae: Drizzle Chocolate Sauce and Caramel Sauce over vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle with toasted, salted pecans for a delicious turtle sundae. Whipped cream and a maraschino cherry are optional but delicious!
- Pecan Pie: The best Pecan Pie has a flavorful, balanced filling that’s just sweet enough, tucked inside a flaky, buttery crust that never gets soggy.
- Pecan Praline recipe: Pecan Pralines are a traditional Southern with crunchy pecans and a soft, buttery-sweet base. And they’re only 5 ingredients!
- Candied Pecans: Candied Pecans are deliciously crunchy and decadent thanks to brown sugar, cinnamon, and a few other holiday spices. This recipe is lightning fast, kid-friendly, and a snap to make for a last-minute gifts or bake sales.
- Millionaire Pie: Inspired by Furr’s famous Millionaire Pie. With a pecan crust and smooth pineapple filling, this version tastes a MILLION times better than the original!
All the nuts: Learn how to toast hazelnuts (filberts), how to toast walnuts, how to toast pine nuts, and how to roast almonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both the stovetop and the oven work. The stovetop is faster because you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat, but the oven is superior if you have a lot going on and don’t want to forget to stir the pecans.
Roast pecans in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes (oven temperatures may vary, so keep an eye on your pecans).
Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cool to room temperature.
In theory, chopping the nuts first would lead to more toastable surfaces and would lead to better flavor. In my experience, though, I never notice the difference. I find it easier to handle pecan halves when transferring them around the kitchen, so I save chopping until I’m done toasting. But if you bought chopped nuts, you can still toast them and it’s great!
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How to Toast Pecans
Equipment
Instructions
To toast pecans in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Toss pecans in oil and salt if desired. Arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Toast until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and chop or use as desired.
To toast pecans on the stove:
- Toss pecans in oil and salt if desired. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat pecans until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from skillet and chop or use as desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Pecans: Cooking times vary depending on which method you choose and how many pecans you are toasting. And don’t walk away! They can go from zero to burnt in under a minute.
- Oil: Toasting pecans in fat (olive oil or clarified butter, for example), is optional. It adds more flavor and helps seasonings stick, if you want to use them.
- Yield: The recipe as written makes 1 cup of toasted pecans (enough for 4 servings, ¼ cup each). It can easily be doubled or tripled as needed.
- Storage: Store raw and roasted pecans for a year or more in the refrigerator or the freezer (not the pantry). They spoil easily, especially when roasted.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
IThis works for me without butter or oil. I use them in my steel cut oatmeal for a nice nutty taste and texture. I’ve bookmarked this for easy access.
Thanks Karen, I’m glad you like the tutorial! -Meggan
Out of cinnamon so substituted 3T real vanilla. Delicious.
I’m glad you loved them, Julie! Happy your substitution worked! – Meggan
Quick and very easy, thank you!
You’re welcome, Lisa! – Meggan
I loved them. I added a pinch of sugar
So glad you loved them, Victoria! – Meggan