Roasted Pecans with Butter and Paprika

Savoury roasted pecans are rich, buttery, slightly smoky and oh so addictive. My take on roasted buttered pecans includes 2 of my all time favourite spices – smoked sea salt and smoked Spanish paprika. Savoury roasted pecans are perfect for gift giving (think hostess gifts, gifts for neighbours, or for anyone who has taste buds) and make a tasty addition to any appetizer table.

4 cups raw pecan halves
6 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. smoked sea salt
½ tsp. smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C/120°C fan, Gas Mark 1).

Put pecans in a large mixing bowl.

Melt butter and pour over pecans, stir well until pecans are completely coated.

Sprinkle with smoked salt and paprika and mix thoroughly.

Spread pecans on lined baking sheets. I use 2 baking sheets for this many pecans and make sure they are well spaced and not on top of each other.

Bake for a total of 1 hour, stirring after the first 15 minutes, then again every 15 minutes for an hour total.

Pecans will smell toasty, be browned (but not burned) when they are done (adjust time based on your oven as needed).

Remove from oven after 1 hour (and stirring 3 times).

Immediately move pecans to a cooling rack or a sheet of parchment paper. Serve warm or store in an airtight container.

Cook's Notes: Adjust the bake time according to your own oven as needed. This is why it's important to check every 15 minutes, these can go from perfect to burned quickly. An hour is perfect for my oven, but if yours cooks hotter you may want less time.