There are over 500 types of pecans in the world, and most pecans in the U.S. are from Georgia, Texas, and New Mexico, although they can be grown in many other states. This smooth and brown nut has an edible kernel in a similar fashion to a walnut.Pecans are considered a tree nut, from the hickory species; other nuts in the same category include cashews, almonds, and walnuts.
Cooking with pecans brings a delicious, nutty flavor to several dishes and can be used as a coating for fish or chicken or incorporated into a salad; and, of course, pecans are always welcome in a dessert. Knowing measurement equivalents, as well as a few pecan cooking tips, will make using this tasty nut in recipes a cinch.
Measurements and Substitutions
Sometimes, recipes including pecans call for the nuts in a form you may not have, like the nuts out of their shells, or cut in half, or chopped when you have a bag of whole pecans. Knowing some simple conversions will make cooking and baking with pecans super simple.
If you happen to have pecans in their shells, remember that 1 pound equals 3 cups shelled, about 4 cups pecan halves, and about 3 3/4 cups chopped nuts. Equivalents to know when using shelled pecans are that 1 pound equals 4 cups and 1 cup of pecan halves equals 3/4 cup chopped.
If you don't have pecans, in most recipes walnuts are interchangeable in equal measure, although cooks should keep in mind that pecans have a more delicate flavor. You can also try substituting peanuts, pistachios, cashews, and macadamia nuts for chopped pecans.
Cooking Tips
Pecans are delicious eaten as is, but toasting them will really bring out their aroma and add a nice crunchiness to a dish. To toast the nuts, preheat the oven to 375 F and spread pecans on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and aromatic.
Pecans can also be ground into a meal and used as a wonderful flavoring additive to bread, cookies, and other baked goods. However, care must be taken when grinding your own pecan meal at home since the high oil content can turn the meal into a butter-like consistency if done too fast.
For a hefty price, you can find pecan oil in gourmet stores which works beautifully in many recipes.
Sweet and Savory Recipes
The most popular pecan dish ispecan pie, but there are many other delicious recipes that feature this nut, from crispy coated fish to chicken salad to crunchy cookies. Take your salmon up a notch by coating it with honey mustard and a pecan-panko crumb mixture; the result is a restaurant-quality dish. The combination of apples, pecans, and dried cranberries make a chicken salad more than just a tasty lunch option, combining crunch and flavor with a bit of nutrition. Pecan praline cookies bring the nuttiness and crunch of pecans to a melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie. And pecan pralines with bourbon will transport you to New Orleans' French quarter; the buttery and nutty candy is hard to resist. You can even give regular maple syrup a flavorful twist with butter pecan syrup.
FAQs
Measurements and Substitutions
What can you substitute for pecans in a recipe? ›
If you're looking for a nut substitution in a recipe, almonds can be a great option to use in place of pecans. While pecans have a slightly sweeter and richer flavor, almonds have a similar texture and can be just as satisfying in dishes like pie fillings, salads, and trail mix.
How to measure pecans? ›
So “1 cup of pecans, chopped” means you measure the pecan halves, then chop them. But “1 cup of chopped pecans” means you chop them until you have a cup of chopped nuts. This is because the act of cutting the ingredients changes how they measure out by reducing the number of air pockets in the measuring cup.
How much is 1 cup of pecans? ›
There are about 4 ounces of pecan pieces in a measuring cup. You can use this information as a yardstick for determining the amount or quantity you wish to buy.
How do you measure nuts for baking? ›
[Blog] Nuts
- Approximate Conversions from Volume to Weight.
- Almonds. 1 cup whole = 6 oz = 170g. ...
- Hazelnuts. 1 cup whole = 5 1/2 oz = 160g. ...
- Walnuts. 1 cup halves = 3 1/2 oz = 100g. ...
- Cashews. 1 cup whole = 6 oz = 170g. ...
- Macadamias. 1 cup whole = 5 oz = 140g. ...
- Pecans. 1 cup halves = 3 1/2 oz = 100g. ...
- Peanuts. 1 cup whole = 5 oz = 140g.
Substitutes for nuts include dried fruit, chocolate and seeds, such as pumpkin or sunflower. Of the nine major food allergens, two are nuts — specifically peanuts (technically a legume), and tree nuts, including almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.
Can you replace pecans with walnuts in baking? ›
Overall, you can use pecans and walnuts interchangeably in recipes. When shopping for nuts for a specific recipe, walnuts tend to be more expensive but have a longer shelf-life than pecans.
How much is 1oz of pecans? ›
Pecans are a great source of healthy fats but are high in calories, so it's important to watch your portion sizes. A serving of pecans is 1 ounce, which is a little less than one-fourth cup or 19 pecan halves.
What does an ounce of pecans look like? ›
15 pecan halves are present in one ounce. The recommended amount of nuts to consume daily is 1.5 ounce. You can either have a small handful of pecan nuts daily or mix in other staple nuts.
How can I measure 1 oz of nuts? ›
Remember, 1 handful equals 1 oz. of nuts and small candies. For chips and pretzels, 2 handfuls equals 1 oz.
For example, "1 cup walnuts, chopped" calls for measuring the walnuts before chopping, while "1 cup chopped walnuts" directs you to measure the nuts after chopping. Preparing an ingredient before or after measuring can make a big difference in the amount actually used.
What is the measurement of 1 cup of nuts? ›
Cups to Grams Conversion Table
| Ingredient | 1 cup | ½ cup |
|---|
| Nuts (chopped) | 150g | 75g |
| Nuts (ground) | 120g | 60g |
| Breadcrumbs (fresh) | 60g | 30g |
| Breadcrumbs (dry) | 150g | 75g |
13 more rows2-1/2 cups. Diamond premium pecans make ordinary meals extraordinary.
How many ounces is a cup of chopped pecans? ›
Pecans 1 cup halves = 99 g = 3.5 oz 1 cup chopped = 128 g = 4.5 oz | Baking conversion chart, Baking conversions, Baking chart.
How to prepare nuts for baking? ›
Toasting Nuts in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Spread the nuts in a single layer on your baking sheet; don't crowd or assemble them too close together.
- Put the baking sheet in the oven, and bake until the nuts are fragrant and slightly browned, about 5–8 minutes, depending on the size and type of the nut.
A cupped fist is roughly the size of a serving of legumes, nuts, beans, yogurt or milk. The fist can also be used to measure a serving of cereal, pasta, rice, vegetables or fruit. Finally, don't forget about using your fingers to measure food with hands.
What are pecans used for in baking? ›
Pecans are often baked into pies, fudges, muffins, baklava, biscuits and cakes, just to name a few uses. Ground or chopped, they make a nice topping to a number of desserts as well. They also can be ground into a nut butter.
What nuts are in the same family as pecans? ›
Tree nuts grow on trees, whereas peanuts grow underground and are considered legumes. Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.
What do walnuts taste like compared to pecans? ›
Taste and Culinary Uses:
Walnuts tend to be a bit bitter compared to other nuts and are used to add a crunchy texture in desserts, salads, granolas, and oatmeal, among others. Pecans hold a more distinct flavor profile and contain a slightly sweeter taste.
What is a substitute for pecans in carrot cake? ›
Nuts: If desired, you can substitute the pecans with walnuts. Or feel free to skip the nuts if you want a nut-free carrot cake. No other changes to the recipe required. Applesauce: Instead of applesauce, you can use 3/4 cup crushed pineapple if desired.
