Festive Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans – Easy Stovetop Recipe for the Holidays

Sweet, crunchy, and perfectly festive: these Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans are made entirely on the stovetop for a quick, fuss-free holiday treat. Infused with maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and a generous splash of brandy, they deliver everything you want in stovetop caramelized nuts – a glossy coating, deep toffee flavour, and irresistible holiday aroma.

Hey folks – I hope you’re all doing well! Today I’m bringing you a cozy, aromatic recipe that perfectly captures the spirit of the holidays.

These stovetop candied nuts are a quicker and easier version of oven-baked ones – made right in a skillet in under 20 minutes. They’re ideal for snacking, gifting, or topping desserts and cheese boards when you need something festive and effortless. Spoiler alert: dangerously delicious!

Why You’ll Love These [Dangerously Delicious] Stovetop Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans

• Festive and aromatic: Maple syrup, brown sugar, orange zest, and brandy blend into an indulgent caramel coating with rich holiday depth.
• Quick stovetop method: No oven required – these stovetop caramelized nuts come together in minutes with minimal cleanup.
• Perfect for gifting: Once cooled, they crisp beautifully and make an elegant edible present or party treat.
• Versatile: Enjoy them on their own, scatter over ice cream or pancakes, or serve alongside cheese and charcuterie boards.

Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans: Flavour and Texture Profile

These stovetop candied pecans combine the buttery sweetness of toffee and maple with subtle warmth from cinnamon and cardamom. A touch of orange zest adds brightness, while brandy deepens the flavour with rich, boozy undertones. Once cooled, they turn crisp and slightly crackly – a perfect mix of caramel crunch and nutty richness.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

To make these stovetop toffee orange brandy pecans, you’ll need just a few pantry staples that work together to create incredible festive flavour.

• Pecans: The perfect nut for this recipe — tender and buttery — though walnuts or almonds can be swapped in.
• Butter: Provides richness and helps the syrup caramelize smoothly.
• Maple syrup and brown sugar: Form the base of the glossy toffee coating with a deep, caramelized sweetness. You can use maple sugar or golden sugar instead.
• Skor toffee bits: Melt into the syrup for an extra rich, candy-like coating.
• Brandy: Adds warmth and depth – bourbon or dark rum make excellent substitutes.
• Orange zest: Brings brightness and balances the sweetness with citrusy aroma.
• Cinnamon and cardamom: Classic warming spices that give these caramelized nuts their cozy festive flavour.
• Vanilla bean: Adds gentle sweetness; vanilla extract works too if you prefer.

How to Make Festive Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans

It’s really a breeze to make these stovetop caramelized nuts, and the entire process takes about 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish. Begin by melting the butter and maple syrup in a large skillet with brown sugar, orange zest, and spices. As the mixture bubbles, it will start to thicken slightly and fill your kitchen with that irresistible toffee aroma. Pour in the brandy and let it simmer for a few minutes so the alcohol cooks off and the syrup becomes glossy and fragrant.

Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the pecans along with the vanilla seeds. Keep tossing the nuts as they cook – after about 7 to 8 minutes, they’ll turn shiny, sticky, and deeply caramelized. At this stage, add the toffee bits along with extra butter and brandy and continue stirring for another minute or two until the syrup clings thickly to each pecan.

Spread the nuts evenly on parchment paper and let them cool completely; as they rest, they’ll harden into perfectly crisp, glossy candied pecans.

Although this recipe is nearly failproof, cooking times can vary slightly depending on your pan and heat level (it may be a tad tricky eyeballing the stage of caramel coating). I personally needed to cook the nuts a bit longer, because they stayed super sticky after about 30 minutes of cooling. If that happens, simply return them to the pan, sprinkle in a touch more brown sugar, and cook for 4–5 minutes until the coating thickens and begins to crystallize.

More Easy Caramelized Nut Ideas

Are you looking for more fun, easy stovetop candied nuts ideas, just like these Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Maple Candied Cashews
• Candied Pine Nuts
• Maple Candied Pecans
• Dulce de Leche Candied Pecans

I’d love for you to try these Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans. If you give this stovetop candied pecans recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Festive Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans – Easy Stovetop Recipe for the Holidays

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Festive Toffee Orange Brandy Pecans – easy holiday stovetop caramelized nuts with maple, Skor toffee, cinnamon, orange zest, and brandy.

Course: Snacks and Treats, Christmas, Festive Christmas DessertsDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 1 vote

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Servings

2

cups

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cooling / Setting time

30

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. (45 g) unsalted butter, divided

• 3 to 4 tbsp. (40–60 ml) pure maple syrup

• 1 tbsp. (15 g) brown sugar or maple sugar

• a good pinch of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
  or more, as desired

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/2 to 1 tbsp tbsp. finely grated orange zest (from 1/2 orange)

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy, divided

• 2 cups (about 200 g) pecan halves

• 1/2 medium vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)

• 3-4 tbsp. (45-60 g) Skor toffee bits

Directions

• In a large, heavy-bottom pan, combine 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over high-medium heat and let gently bubble for two minutes.
• Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of brandy and let it simmer for a few minutes so the alcohol cooks off and the syrup becomes glossy and fragrant.
• Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the pecans along with the vanilla seeds (you can also add the empty vanilla pod). Keep tossing the nuts often as they cook – after about 6 to 8 minutes, they’ll turn shiny, sticky, and deeply caramelized.
• At this stage, add the toffee bits along with the remaining one tablespoon (15 g) of butter and remaining one tablespoon (15 ml) of brandy and continue stirring for another few minutes, until the toffee melts and syrup clings thickly to the pecans. You can also sprinkle a little extra cinnamon, salt, and toffee for added flavour and texture.
• Spread the nuts evenly on parchment paper and let them cool completely; as they rest, they’ll harden into perfectly crisp, glossy candied pecans. It should take about 30 minutes.
• Troubleshooting
• Although this recipe is nearly failproof, cooking times can vary slightly depending on your pan and heat level (it may be a tad tricky to eyeball the stage of caramel coating). I personally needed to cook the nuts a bit longer, because they stayed super sticky after about 30 minutes of cooling. If that happens, simply return them to the pan over medium heat, sprinkle in a touch more brown sugar (like 1-2 tablespoons or 15-30 g), and cook for 4–5 minutes until the coating thickens and begins to crystallize.