Brown Butter Oven Roasted Pecans
This brown butter roasted pecans recipe with honey and sage is a delightfully savory take on classic buttered pecans. Crunchy, salty, with a hint of sweet, these simple roasted pecans are five ingredients and take fifteen minutes to make. They are a homemade holiday treat that no one can resist.
From Hanukkah to Christmas to Boxing Day, birthdays, New Years Eve and all the other obscure winter holidays in between (I’m looking at you National Bacon Day!) there sure is a lot to celebrate during the month of December.
Whether you are planning a four-course foodie extravaganza, a cocktail party with appetizers, or a pajama and wine party with your closest friends, these brown butter roasted pecans will be a welcome addition.
Ingredient Highlight: Brown Butter
Brown butter is one of those simple upgrades that brings a whole new level of flavor to a dish. Made by gently cooking butter until the milk solids toast and turn golden, it develops a rich, nutty aroma that’s perfect for both sweet and savory recipes. In this roasted pecans recipe, brown butter works double duty—it infuses the nuts with deep, toasty flavor and helps the honey and sage cling to every bite.
If you’ve never made it before, don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds. I walk you through everything you need to know in What Is Brown Butter (And How to Make It), so you can master it with confidence.
Brown butter adds magic to every dish it touches. Try it with oven-roasted root vegetables for a cozy, caramelized side dish, or swirl it into garlic sage mashed potatoes to give them a rich, earthy twist. And if you’re in the mood for something special, my sage browned butter seared scallop pasta is a restaurant-quality dinner you can make at home.
Important Notes Before Starting
I’ve seen recommendations from temperatures ranging from 275 degrees all the way to 350 degrees. I get the best results with a higher temperature and shorter roasting time, so I recommend 350 degrees.
If you are dry roasting the pecans (meaning no sugar or oil-based glazes), the nuts should take 5 – 10 minutes. For glazed or buttered nuts, like these brown butter roasted pecans, they typically take 10 – 12 minutes.
The most important thing to remember when roasting pecans is to give them enough space to roast. Arrange the pecans o a baking sheet in a single layer with a little space between the nuts. Crowding the nuts or layering them will prevent airflow, causing some nuts to scorch and others not to roast at all. This version of roasted pecans works best in a 12″ x 17″ rimmed baking sheet, which holds 5 cups of pecans perfectly.
Storing Homemade Roasted Pecans
Pecans have the longest shelf life and are least likely to pick up off flavors from other foods when stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Your home freezer has a temperature of 0ºF, which should keep even shelled and roasted nuts for a few years.
However, once you have them roasted with brown butter, honey, and sage, they probably won’t last very long anyway. For shorter storage, store in the fridge in an airtight container, which should keep them for six to nine months.
If this pecan storage knowledge is new to you, you may be wondering why pecans at the store aren’t refrigerated. That’s because they do last for about 3 – 4 months at room temperature. However, there is a catch. When stored at room temperature, roasted or raw pecans need to be in a well ventilated container. Since my kitchen storage is all airtight, it’s more convenient to store them in the fridge.
For more information about pecan storage, check out this Pecan Storage Guide by LSU’s AgCenter.
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Brown Butter Roasted Pecans
Ingredients
- 5 cups of pecan halves
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 TBSP honey
- 1 TBSP thinly sliced fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat stirring occasionally. Butter will bubble up and foam. When it begins to brown and gives off a nutty aroma (about 3 – 5 minutes), remove it from the heat.
- Add in the sage, salt, and honey and stir to combine, then add in the pecans. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat the pecans.
- Spread the mixture in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on cookie sheet before transferring to an airtight storage container.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
Super easy! Thanks, I needed something quick to add to a charcuterie board. Cut recipe in half, but doubled the honey, then added an additional cup of almonds (just because I had them!). Delicious!
Great choice Lori! So glad you loved it.
This worked exactly as written, thanks! Smells amazing!
Hello! Do you use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe?
I use salted butter for just about everything.
Can these be made without the honey or does the honey play an important part in the recipe?
The honey adds the sweet component to the sweet/savory flavor profile. If you aren’t looking for the sweet/savory aspect, you can omit it.
Just made recipe. So quick and easy. Thks. I used approx 1/2 tsp of dry sage, 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika , 1/4 tsp cayenne. 1/4 tsp salt —-2 tbls honey. I still had butter left in pan so I coated and spiced another 2 cups pecans . Very nice . I was looking for something less sweet and savory .
You’re welcome! Glad you were able to tweak them to fit your palate!
Made these today. I should’ve trusted my instincts… 1 Tbl honey for 5 cups of nuts seemed like it wouldn’t be sweet. I increased to 2 and it produced no noticeable sweetness. So now I am trying to fix by adding brown sugar and baking for a few extra minutes.
They are also quite salty.
I won’t make them again.
Hi Sue! Thanks for taking the time to come back and share your thoughts. These roasted pecans are meant to be savory, not sweet. I hope you are able to find a sweet recipe that better fits your taste buds.
Renee
I’ve made these a half dozen times now and they are gone in just a couple days. We love them! Such a simple recipe that is so good!
These are so simple but so amazing! Everyone asks for the recipe! Thank you!!!
You are welcome! Sometimes the simple things are the best.
Renee