As the holiday season approaches, kitchens across the country are beginning to buzz with the delightful aroma of festive cooking. From Thanksgiving turkey and pie to holiday cakes and entrees, there is a lot of cooking to be done in the next few months. And, that means lots of ingredients.

Amongst the myriad of ingredients that find their way into these seasonal recipes, there is one that stands out for its versatility and rich flavor: the pecan. Traditionally a staple in pies and confections, this buttery nut is ready to break out of its shell and take a starring role in your holiday menu.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Fisher Nuts to explore some innovative and tantalizing ways to incorporate pecans into your festive feasts. From decadent Pecan Brown Butter Glazed Pancakes to powerful and sharp Espresso Dark Chocolate Pecan Galettes, these easy and clever recipes will transform how you view pecans.

So, preheat the oven and get ready to transform the humble pecan into a celebration of holiday flavors!

Pecan Brown Butter Glazed Pancakes

Difficulty: Medium • 4 Servings • Total Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the glaze

• ¼ C salted butter, browned
• 1 ⅓ C powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp milk

For the pancakes

• 1 C Fisher® Pecan Halves, chopped
• 3 C pancake mix, prepared according to package directions
• Nonstick cooking spray

Fisher® Pecan Halves, for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the glaze: Whisk together the browned butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk.
2. To make the pancakes: Add the Fisher® Pecans to a skillet and toast for 10 minutes over medium heat. Transfer the nuts to another container, wipe the pan clean, and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add a small amount of pecans to the pan, and cover with a scoop of pancake batter. Cook for 3 minutes on each side – flip when you start to see bubbles. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been used.
3. Serve the nut pancakes in a stack. Pour the browned butter glaze over top, and garnish with Fisher® Pecan Halves as desired. An ideal breakfast to share!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Difficulty: Medium • 10 Servings • Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 C Fisher® Pecan Halves
• ½ C maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 C mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F. 
2. Slice the sweet potatoes into thick rounds, and add to a pot of boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain, then set aside.
3. On a baking sheet, place the slices of sweet potatoes, leaving space between each piece. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the sweet potatoes, trying to keep them in one piece.
4. Chop the Fisher® Pecan Halves into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Mix them with the maple syrup, melted butter, and salt. 
5. Pour the mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes. Top with a layer of mini marshmallows, and bake for 15 minutes, until the marshmallows get toasty.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Cookies 

Difficulty: Easy • 6 Servings • Total Time: 70 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the cream cheese filling:

• 1/2 C cream cheese, softened
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

For the cookie dough:

• 1 C butter, softened
• ½ C brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 6 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 ½ C flour

For the pecan pie filling:

• 5 Tbsp butter, softened
• ¾ C brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 6 Tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ C Fisher® Pecan Halves, chopped

Flaky salt, for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the cream cheese filling: Mix cream cheese, ground cinnamon, and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth. Place in a pastry bag.
2. To make the cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter with the brown sugar for 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, crushed graham crackers, and flour. Mix to combine.
3. Shape a small amount of cookie dough around an ice cream scoop, creating an indentation in the middle. Fill it with the cream cheese mixture, then cover with a second portion of cookie dough. Don’t flatten it too much! Place the cookie on a lined baking tray, and repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. To make the pecan pie filling: While the cookies are baking, heat milk, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and butter in a skillet. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the Fisher® Pecan Halves chopped. Set aside.
5. Top the baked cookies with the Fisher® Pecan pie filling, garnish with flaky salt, and enjoy!

Espresso Dark Chocolate Pecan Galettes

Difficulty: Medium • 6 Servings • Total Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 pre-made pie crust
• 1 egg, for egg wash
• 1 C Fisher® Pecan Halves

For the chocolate filling:

• 2 oz espresso coffee
• 2 C dark chocolate, in bars
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream, hot
• 2 Tbsp coffee liqueur
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions:

1. For the chocolate filling: Melt the chocolate in the hot espresso coffee. Combine with hot heavy cream, coffee liqueur, melted butter, and condensed milk. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
3. Roll out the pie crust and cut six circles, each about 5 inches in diameter. 
4. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chocolate filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, forming mini galettes. 
5. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Brush the crusts with the egg wash, and place a single Fisher® Pecan Half in the center of each galette. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F.
6. Once out of the oven, dust with a bit of powdered sugar and enjoy!

White Chocolate Pecan Rice Cereal Bars

Difficulty: Easy • 8 Servings • Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the baked pecans:

• 1 C Fisher® Pecan Halves, chopped
• ⅓ C sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted 
• ¼ C honey
• A pinch of salt

For the cereal bars:

• 10 oz marshmallows
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 6 C puffed rice cereal
• 2 C Fisher® Pecan Halves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

½ c white chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. For the baked pecans: Preheat the oven to 360°F. In a bowl, mix chopped Fisher® Pecans with the sugar, melted butter, honey, and salt. Combine well. Spread on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.
2. For the cereal bars: Add the marshmallows and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals for 3 minutes.
3. Once melted, add puffed rice cereal, Fisher® Pecan Halves, and vanilla. Mix, then pour into a rectangular mold, pressing firmly to fill the corners. Cool until set.
4. Cut into bars and decorate with melted white chocolate and baked pecans.