Nuts About Pecans! 16 Must-Try Recipes

Whether you say pee-can or peh-kan, we're pronouncing these pecan recipes as some of the best we've ever tasted!

Mama's German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Parchment paper
2 (4-oz.) packages sweet chocolate baking bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Coconut-Pecan Frosting
Garnish: chocolate-dipped toasted pecan halves

Coconut-Pecan Frosting
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 2 cups chopped pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, cook 1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup butter, and 6 lightly beaten egg yolks in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring constantly, 12 to 14 minutes or until mixture becomes a light caramel color, is bubbling, and reached a pudding-like thickness. Remove pan from heat; stir in 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, and toasted pecans. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until cooled and spreading consistency.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly grease paper.

Microwave chocolate baking bars and 1/2 cup water in a large microwave-safe bowl at high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring once halfway through.

Combine flour and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cake layers to loosen from sides of pans. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Spread Coconut-Pecan Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

Related: Heavenly Holiday Desserts

Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 cup pecan pieces, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. assorted mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2 shallots, sliced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Marsala
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; add 2/3 cup pecans, and cook, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.

Process flour and remaining 1/3 cup pecans in a food processor until finely ground; place flour mixture in a large shallow bowl.

Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; lightly dredge in flour mixture.

Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter with olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Remove chicken from skillet.

Add mushrooms and shallots to skillet; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add broth and Marsala to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Add broth and Marsala to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Return chicken to skillet, and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter; spoon mushroom-Marsala mixture over chicken, and sprinkle with parsley and toasted pecans.

Related: 45 Quick & Easy Chicken Suppers

Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 tsp. bourbon (vanilla extract may be substituted)
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°. Fit piecrust into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; sprinkle piecrust with powdered sugar.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until foamy; whisk in brown sugar and next 6 ingredients. Pour mixture into piecrust, and top with pecan halves.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 300°, and bake 30 more minutes. Turn oven off, and let pie stand in oven, with door closed, 3 hours.

Related: 12 Ways with Pecan Pie (Cheesecake, Brownies, Deep-Fried, and More!)

Apple-Pear Salad with Maple-Pecan Bacon
Ingredients
8 thick bacon sliced
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
2 (5-oz.) package gourmet salad greens
1 large Bartlett pear
1 large Gala apple
1 cup seedless red grapes
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Cranberry Vinaigrette

Cranberry Vinaigrette
Whisk together 1 cup canned whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1 tsp. orange zest, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar, 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl until blended and smooth.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Place a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Dip bacon slices in syrup, allowing excess to drip off; press pecans onto both sides of bacon. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on rack, and bake 20 minutes; turn bacon slices, and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until browned and crisp. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut bacon crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Place salad greens on a serving platter. Cut pear and apple into thin slices; toss with salad greens. Top with grapes, cheese, and bacon. Serve with Cranberry Vinaigrette.

Related: Festive Holiday Appetizers

Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves and pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoonful butter mixture into each cup of 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, and top each with 2 rounded tablespoonful pecans.

Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together pumpkin, next 2 ingredients, and 2/3 cup water; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling three-fourths full. Place and aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan on lower oven rack to catch any overflow.

Bake at 350° on middle oven rack for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert pan immediately to remove muffins, and arrange muffins on a wire rack. Spoon any topping remaining in muffin cups over muffins. Let cook 5 minutes.

See 11 More Must-Try Pecan Recipes

More from Southern Living
Deep-Fried Thanksgiving Stuffing, Pecan Pie, and More!
20 Simple One-Dish Dinners
6 Decadent Red Velvet Desserts
"Like" Us on Facebook