Candied Pecans

Appetizer or Dessert? I only made these once a few years ago, I served them as an appetizer and they were quite yummy.

Candied Pecans
Ingredients
2 3/4cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place pecans in a shallow baking pan, in a 250F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed.

Grease a 15inch x 10inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.

Grease the sides of a large heavy saucepan with remaining butter; add sugar, water, salt & cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and cook for 2 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals.

Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 236 (soft ball stage). Remove from heat; add vanilla. Stir in warm pecans until evenly coated.

Spread onto prepared baking pan. Bake at 250F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread on a waxed paper lined baking sheet to cool.

Yield: about 1 pound

Note: the original recipe said to use regular white granulated sugar. I prefer the dark brown sugar because it adds a caramel like flavor to the pecans.