Instant Pot: Bavarian Style Cinnamon Pecans

Happy October Friends! Over the weekend, my husband and I celebrated Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus – the best place in our area to enjoy German fare and lots of overflowing beverages. 

One of the first things that you’ll experience upon stepping inside Hofbrauhaus is the sweet smell of toasted nuts coated in sugary cinnamon. Bavarian style Cinnamon Pecans are a popular treat and I was inspired to make some the next day using my Instant Pot. 

The recipe that inspired me is from here. I adapted it to give it some more flavor using Pumpkin Pie spice (it is pumpkin spice season after all!) and we loved how they turned out. Plan on making a big batch – these will not last long!

2 egg whites
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)
1 gallon sized resealable bag
4 cups pecans halves, divided
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water

In a bowl, combine the egg whites, vanilla and water. Whisk until frothy and place in a gallon sized resealable bag.

Add the pecans to the egg white mixture inside the resealable bag. Seal and toss to coat the pecans thoroughly.

In your Instant Pot:

When the IP beeps after pressure cooking for 8 minutes, allow your IP to naturally release pressure – about 12-15 minutes. While naturally releasing pressure (also known as NPR or NR), the display will reflect numbers counting up from 1. The numbers indicate how many minutes the IP has stopped cooking since it beeped (or how many minutes it has been naturally releasing pressure).  No need to touch your IP while it naturally releases pressure. The pin at the top of your IP will drop when all pressure has been released and it’s safe to open.

Open up your IP when the pin has dropped (allow a few minutes for this to happen).

Transfer pecans to a parchment lined baking sheet and spread out to cool for 15-20 minutes. This allows the sugars to harden and give the pecans a crunchy texture.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

After pecans have cooled, bake the pecans in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes, watching carefully that they don’t burn. Remove from oven and cool until safe enough to enjoy.