Healthier Homemade Candied Pecans and Pistachios with Dried Cherries

Healthier Homemade Candied Pecans and Pistachios with Dried Cherries are the perfect snack, yogurt topping, salad add-in, and charcuterie board filler! Enjoy in every way possible!

Well friends I have to be honest and say that YES this post was set to go live the week of Valentine’s Day, but obviously life had other plans. Or, should I say, my computer had other plans. Let me explain.

Many of you may remember a while back when I accidentally spilled hot coffee all over my laptop. I remember like it was yesterday, mainly because I purposely kept my coffee FAR away from my computer, and still somehow swiped it across the entire table only to land squarely on my keyboard. Before the coffee had even finished spilling out of the cup the computer shut down, and I was in tears while frantically googling what the heck to do. By the way, a small detail, this all happened at about 4:45am one morning so the swearing (there was much) was whispered, the sobs were muffled, and I had no one to panic with. Such is life.

Anyway, you may be wondering what any of this has to do with the recipe du jour, and the truth is little. Other than the fact that I’ve since had to switch to a new computer and one of the glitches was trying to figure out my editing software so that I could make the photos look pretty. This is hardly even what I would classify as a first world problem, but I felt the need to explain the heart-covered tins in the photos…so there you have it. My life story!

I was inspired to make this lovely Healthier Homemade Candied Pecans and Pistachios with Dried Cherries recipe on a recent trip to Oklahoma where I snacked, for the first time, Sahale Snacks Pomegranate Pistachios. Let’s just say the bag didn’t last long, and I was a BIG FAN of the addition of black pepper to the mix. It got me thinking that, while I obviously enjoyed the bag, I could probably make something similar in my own kitchen using my Brown Sugar Curry Pecans recipe as a base. What you see here today is just one version of many options, and I have absolutely loved it!

Versatility is a big thing when it comes to the recipes that I create, and I love that these nuts are just that. You can literally use them to top oatmeal, salads, yogurt, roasted veggies and more. You can snack on them as-is. You can use them as a filler for a charcuterie board, or make a big batch and wrap it up as a homemade gift (or several homemade gifts). The possibilities are endless!

Finally, you’ll see that I used the word “healthier” in the title. While I can’t change the nutritional content of nuts (nor would I want to, those things are GOOD FOR YOU), I DO have control over the sugar content. If you’d like to use regular granulated sugar or brown sugar you are more than welcome to; I just know that Swerve granulated sugar works well, tastes great, and is an approved (for me) sugar substitute in my home. You do you friend – you’re the boss!

I hope you all enjoy this Healthier Candied Pecans and Pistachios with Dried Cherries recipe!

Healthier Homemade Candied Pecans and Pistachios with Dried Cherries
Ingredients:

• 8 ounces shelled raw pecan halves
• 8 ounces shelled raw pistachio meats
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup granular Swerve Sweetener
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl quickly whisk the egg white until foamy and white.
• Add the nuts and vanilla extract, and stir until completely coated in the egg white mixture.
• In a small bowl stir together the Swerve granular sweetener, salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle evenly over the nuts in the bowl, then stir to completely combine.
• Spread into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake at 225 degrees for 80 minutes.
• In the last 70 minutes, stir the cherries into the nut mixture, then return to the oven for 10 more minutes.
• Allow to cool completely on the sheet pan, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Eat as desired: by the handful, atop yogurt or oatmeal, in salads, on charcuterie boards, etc.