This $17 Costco Find Is My Favorite Holiday Shortcut

As a food editor and one of Costco’s biggest fans, it’s no surprise that the warehouse is the first place I shop for many of my holiday needs. I can pick up my tree, twinkling lights, and a budget-friendly bottle (along with cinnamon and citrus) that’s perfect for making slow cooker mulled wine.

Where Costco really shines during the holiday season, though, is in its selection of specialty foods. The aisles are packed with cheeses, chocolates, wine, and nuts, so this month I’m leaving the standard salted nuts on the shelf and treating myself to Costco’s Kirkland Signature Praline Pecans.

Candied nuts are a classic holiday confection. This snack is easy enough to make at home — especially if customizing with your favorite nut or seasoning is important to you. But to me, these pecans are the best store-bought shortcut of the season.

Most of the seasonal specialty items are centrally located in the store, but you’ll find Kirkland Signature Praline Pecans up front with the everyday snacks and nuts. These praline pecans have a buttery brown sugar coating that stays crunchy all month long. And after all that holiday shopping, I advise you to open the package of pecans for a nibble before you pull out of the parking spot.

I like to divide handfuls of nuts in festive packaging and give them as gifts to neighbors and friends. The nuts add sweetness and crunch to seasonal charcuterie boards and green salads and are also a fun snack for holiday movie nights.

Sprinkle the pecans on pumpkin bread batter, use as a cheesecake garnish, or mix them into the crumble for apple pie. On second thought, you should probably pick up at least two tubs this month.

Find it in stores: Kirkland Signature Praline Pecans, $17 for 2.5 pounds

This post was originally published on Kitchn. Read it there: This $15 Costco Find Is My Favorite Holiday Shortcut