The Best Way to Toast Pecans

Pecans are tree nuts known for their delicious taste and nutrients. Whether you want to snack on them or include them in recipes, pecans are delicious when toasted. Figuring out the best way to roast pecans gives you enhanced flavor, aroma and crunch, making for a better taste experience.

How Do You Cook Raw Pecans?

There are different toasting methods to try with pecans. It pays to experiment since you may find one way is more convenient or produces your preferred toasted nut. Learn how to roast pecans with several popular kitchen appliances. 

Air Fryer

Your air fryer uses dry heat, which can create a nice crunch on your pecans. Place one cup of raw pecans in the air fryer basket and cook at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for four to five minutes. Give the basket a shake at the two-minute mark. Once the nuts have the browning you'd like, transfer them to a plate to cool.
 

Oven 

Oven toasting is ideal if you want to toast a lot of pecans. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and lay whole nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Using parchment paper under them makes for easy clean-up. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven and how toasted you want the nuts. Stir the pan occasionally to prevent burning and to check on the progress. 

Once your pecans are toasted adequately for your needs, remove them from the oven and place them on a cool baking sheet. If you keep them on the hot cookie sheet, they will continue to cook once they're out of the oven and can burn.
 

Microwave 

You can even toast pecans in the microwave! Microwave toasting is handy and an easy way to toast a small number of nuts or ones that you have already chopped. 

Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate and pour a single layer of pecans on top. Microwave on high for one minute and then continue to microwave them, one minute at a time, until the nuts are browned and have a pleasant aroma. Depending on the microwave wattage, this can take up to two or three minutes.  
 

Stove

Stovetop toasting is fast and ideal if you want to toast a handful of nuts for a recipe or brown already-chopped nuts. Place nuts in a single layer on a skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring them or shaking the pan occasionally to make sure everything browns evenly. You'll want to toast the nuts until they release an aroma and have darkened to your taste — this can take about two to five minutes. Once you have the right color and scent, remove the nuts from the pan and allow them to cool fully.

Can You Toast Pecans Without Oil or Butter?

Yes! If you don't want a coating, the pecans will toast beautifully without oil. Oils, such as coconut oil, clarified butter, olive oil and others help add another layer of flavor and make it easier for sugar or spices to stick to the pecans. 

What Temperature Should I Toast Pecans?

Your cooking method will determine the temperature, but you generally don't want to use high heat since pecans can burn. Aim for medium heat for stovetop toasting and 350 degrees F if you're using the oven. You can go slightly higher if you're toasting lots of pecans at once, but don't overdo it and watch them closely. All nuts can burn quite fast, so a lower temperature is better.

Find Excellent Pecans for Roasting With Lane Southern Orchards

It's worthwhile to get fresh, high-quality raw nuts for quality toasted pecans. When you roast or heat pecans, the flavor intensifies as the oils inside the nut come to the surface. A fresh pecan will have a better flavor for your dish.

Lane Southern Orchards knows high-quality pecans and peaches. We've been growing both continuously for over a hundred years! For generations, our farmers have been gathering and passing on the best growing secrets and practices for shelled and in-shell pecans bursting with flavor.

We have 6,000 acres of pecan orchards, and we carefully check on the nuts every day to make sure they are thriving. We pick them at peak freshness and ship them directly to your door.

Shop all things pecan today or reach out to us if you have questions before you buy or need help with an order.