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Oh my goodness, we Southerners love our pecans. Notwithstanding the long-running debate over the pronunciation (team PEE-can all the way here), pecans are a major agricultural crop in Georgia and other Southern states. And we find a way to put them in everything from desserts to soups to salads.

This collection features pies, bars, cookies, brownies, and candy, plus chicken salad, a sweet potato casserole with a brown sugar pecan streusel, stuffing, and caramelized bacon.

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Toast your pecans first. Nearly every recipe here calls for it, and seven or eight minutes at 350 degrees F deepens the flavor. Buy them in bulk when they’re in season and keep them in the freezer, where they’ll stay fresh for about a year.

1
Two slices of caramel pecan roll topped with pecans are drizzled with caramel sauce on a white plate, next to a gold fork and cinnamon sticks.
Caramel Pecan Roll
A soft and gooey caramel pecan roll made with pizza dough, cinnamon, cream cheese, toasted pecans, and a rich caramel glaze.
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2
A bundt cake with white icing and chopped pecans on top, served on a white plate with a slice cut out.
Bourbon Pecan Cake Recipe
A small bourbon bundt cake with a brown sugar and toasted pecan layer through the middle, finished with a thick bourbon glaze.
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3
Three pecan tarts stacked on a white surface, with additional tarts and whole pecans scattered around them.
Pecan Tassies Recipe
Miniature pecan pies baked in a tender cream cheese crust, filled with toasted pecans and dark corn syrup. One mini muffin pan makes twenty-four.
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4
A glass trifle bowl filled with layers of cake, cream, chopped pecans, and whipped topping, set on a dark surface with extra pecans in a small bowl nearby.
Pecan Pie Trifle Recipe
Pecans caramelized in butter and maple syrup, layered with cubes of pound cake and whipped cream made from scratch. Serves twelve from one trifle dish.
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5
A round loaf of rustic bread with visible nuts and cranberries, partially sliced, sits on parchment paper atop a wooden board. Several bread slices and loose cranberries and pecans are nearby.
Cranberry Pecan Bread Recipe
A no-knead loaf with an overnight rise, baked in a covered Dutch oven until the crust is deep golden and crackly. Toasted pecans and tart dried cranberries run all through it.
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6
This Southern Pecan Pie recipe is a classic but swaps old-fashioned cane syrup for some of the corn syrup. The result is intense and delicious flavor, not just overwhelming sweetness!
Southern Pecan Pie with Cane Syrup
This Southern Pecan Pie recipe is a classic but swaps old-fashioned cane syrup for some of the corn syrup. The result is intense and delicious flavor, not just overwhelming sweetness! 
Get the recipe
7
Pecan Pie Bars with a buttery shortbread crust topped with the best pecan pie filling. They're easy to make, easy to eat, and a great make ahead dessert.
Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan Pie Bars with a buttery shortbread crust topped with the best pecan pie filling. They're easy to make, easy to eat, and a great make ahead dessert.
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8
A plate filled with buttery pecan snowball cookies, with one cookie broken in half, revealing a crumbly interior.
Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies
These Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are tender, nutty, and coated in powdered sugar—an easy, classic treat perfect for any occasion.
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9
Close-up of chocolate turtle brownies with visible pecans, topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce and extra pecan pieces.
Turtle Brownies Recipe
Fudgy brownies topped with caramel, pecans, and chocolate chips for the ultimate Turtle Chocolate Brownies.
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10
Butter toffee on a white plate. 
Butter Toffee
Easy butter toffee recipe for a homemade treat that's crunchy, buttery, and utterly addictive—perfect for candy lovers!
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11
Croissant sandwich with lettuce on a croissant, served on a wooden board with a blurred background.
Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
A flavorful, chunky chicken salad fit for company or simple lunches.
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12
Arugula salad with roasted sweet potatoes, chicken, and honey-roasted pecans
Arugula Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, and Honey-Roasted Pecans
Arugula salad with roasted sweet potatoes, chicken, and honey-roasted pecans–this salad is a one-dish, quick and easy weeknight meal!
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13
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole features a traditional pecan and brown sugar streusel topping rather than melted marshmallows.
Sweet Potato Casserole
A creamy sweet potato casserole that’s topped with crunchy pecan and brown sugar streusel.
Get the recipe
14
A serving of apple sausage stuffing on a plate with the dish in the background.
Apple Sausage Stuffing
Apple Sausage Stuffing with mushrooms, sage, and other fresh herbs and vegetables is a delicious variation of traditional stuffing.
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15
Pieces of caramelized bacon on a platter lined with parchment.
Caramelized Bacon
Caramelized bacon is crispy, candied bacon made with a pecan, brown sugar, and maple syrup paste—it’s the first thing to go at parties!
Get the recipe
A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans, stands in a kitchen with a brick backsplash and stainless steel appliances. She is smiling and resting her hands on the counter.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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A bundt cake with white icing and chopped pecans on top, served on a white plate with a slice cut out.
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