Maple Cinnamon Candied Pecan Bread

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 10 slices
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (130 g) pecan halves
• 1/3 cup (67 g) light brown sugar + 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup + 1 tbsp (14 g) butter + 1 tbsp (15 ml) water + 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp salt (for candying pecans)
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar + 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
• Optional glaze: 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar + 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) maple syrup + 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) milk + pinch salt

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
• 2. Candy pecans: simmer brown sugar, maple, butter, water, cinnamon, and salt; stir in pecans 3–4 minutes until glossy. Spread to cool, then chop most; reserve some for topping.
• 3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• 4. Cream butter with sugars 2–3 minutes. Beat in eggs, then maple, sour cream, and vanilla.
• 5. Fold in dry ingredients just to combine, then fold in chopped candied pecans. Scrape into pan; top with reserved pecans.
• 6. Bake 55–65 minutes (tent at 40 if browning) until a toothpick is clean or center hits 200°F (93°C). Cool 15 minutes, lift out, cool fully; drizzle optional maple glaze.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Buttery, tender crumb with warm hints of maple and cinnamon.
• Crunchy, toasty candied pecans in every slice.
• Simple pantry ingredients and one loaf pan.
• Perfect with coffee or tea, and great for gifting.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, sour cream, eggs, milk or cream (for optional glaze)
• Pantry: Pecan halves, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar (optional), pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt

Full Ingredients

Candied Pecans

• 1 1/4 cups (130 g) pecan halves
• 1/3 cup (67 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Bread Batter

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract

Optional Maple Drizzle

• 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) milk or cream, to thin
• Pinch fine sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and oven

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a sling of parchment that overhangs the long sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment as well.

Step 2: Make quick candied pecans

In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, water, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the sugar is melted and the mixture bubbles, 1–2 minutes. Add the pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until glossy and thickly coated, 3–4 minutes. Immediately scrape onto a parchment-lined sheet and spread out. Cool 10 minutes until firm. Roughly chop about 1 cup of the pecans for the batter and reserve the remaining 1/4 cup halves for topping.

Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined and lump-free.

Step 4: Cream butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Mix in the maple syrup, sour cream, and vanilla until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled; it will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.

Step 5: Combine and fold in pecans

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low just until the flour is mostly incorporated. Switch to a spatula and fold gently until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the chopped candied pecans, reserving the larger intact pieces for topping. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.

Step 6: Pan, top, and bake

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the reserved candied pecan halves over the surface. Bake on the center rack for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs or the internal temperature reaches about 200°F (93°C). If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil around the 40-minute mark.

Step 7: Cool and finish

Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes. Lift it out using the parchment and transfer to a rack to cool completely, 1 hour. For the optional glaze, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, and just enough milk to reach a thick, pourable consistency; add a pinch of salt to balance. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let set 15–20 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tips

• Weigh your flour (240 g) for a tender, non-dense crumb. If using cups, fluff, spoon, and level.
• Room-temperature eggs and sour cream help the batter emulsify for a finer texture.
• Prevent over-browning: tent with foil once the top is golden but the center still needs time.
• For ultra-neat slices, cool fully before cutting; use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.
• Prefer less sweetness? Reduce granulated sugar by 2–3 tablespoons; keep the maple for flavor.

Variations

• Browned Butter Pecan Bread: Brown the 1/2 cup butter until nutty and amber, cool 10 minutes, then proceed. Adds deep toffee notes.
• Orange-Maple Twist: Add 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest to the batter and 1 tsp to the glaze for a bright citrus lift.
• Cinnamon Swirl: Mix 2 tbsp brown sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon; layer half the batter, sprinkle swirl mix, then top with remaining batter and pecans.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the cooled loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. Candied pecans can be made 1 week ahead and kept airtight at room temperature. The baked, unglazed loaf can be made a day ahead; glaze shortly before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate (1 of 10 slices, without glaze): 430 calories; 20 g fat; 57 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 260 mg sodium; 33 g sugars. Nutrition will vary with glaze and specific ingredients.