The Georgia Pecan Commission estimates that the state produces 100 million pounds of pecans each year. We’ve got three ways for you to enjoy them in something other than a pie.
Pecan flour
It seems that almond flour is everywhere these days, serving as a gluten-free alternative to wheat-based flours. But, why not try pecan flour? Schermer Pecans in Thomasville added pecan flour to its product line in 2022. Using it adds a distinct pecan flavor to whatever you’re baking, as well as a beautiful golden brown color. The Schermer Pecans website offers suggestions, such as using the flour to dredge chicken or seafood before pan-frying, or making a simple substitution of half a cup of pecan flour for an equal amount of all-purpose in any baking recipe. We tried a few of the recipes posted online, including the pecan cheese wafers (perfect!) and adding the flour to the crust for a pecan pie (a natural!). Then, we tried the recipe on the package for our new favorite: chocolate chip oatmeal pecan cookies. If you get a package of the flour, be sure to keep it in a refrigerator or freezer.
$22.50 per 1-pound package. Available at schermerpecans.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Grain-free granola
Elizabeth and Jesse Killion of Milton follow a low-carb diet. After creating a recipe for delicious grain-free granola, they founded Pura Nola in 2022. There are two flavors — cinnamon-vanilla, which is a mix of organic coconut and pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, and sunflower and sesame seeds, sweetened with honey; and maple-almond, featuring almonds, organic coconut and pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans and sunflower seeds, sweetened with organic maple syrup. They buy their pecans from Pearson Farm in Fort Valley, and use honey from Hometown Honey in Kennesaw. We confess to enjoying this granola as a snack right from the package, because we like the crunch and the fact that it’s very lightly sweetened. When we could refrain from snacking, we ate it as it perhaps was intended, with some plain Greek yogurt and a bit of fruit, or just in a bowl with a bit of nut milk.
$4 per 2-ounce package, $12 per 8-ounce package. Available at Eco-Denizen in Alpharetta, at the Alpharetta, Brookhaven, DHA, Duluth, Sandy Springs and Roswell farmers markets, and at puranola.com.
Credit: Bailey Garrot
Credit: Bailey Garrot
Pecan milk
In 2015, Bess Weyandt and Kate Carter launched Treehouse Milk, delivering almond milk in glass jars. Before long, they were making nine different kinds of nut milks, as well as oat milk, which they delivered to homes and coffee shops, and sold at local farmers markets. Then came the pandemic, and an opportunity to rethink the business. They recently announced the new Treehouse Naturals, offering just two products — pecan milk and chocolate pecan milk, both in lightweight and easily recyclable 7.5-ounce aluminum cans. The milks are made with simple ingredients — water and nuts, sweetened with a bit of agave syrup, some vanilla and a bit of salt. The chocolate pecan milk adds cocoa powder. We are big fans of the chocolate version, in particular, and are happy to enjoy it right from the chilled can, although we also have warmed it up for a healthy take on hot chocolate. And, we modified a 2018 recipe from the website to make frozen pecan pops with the season’s first strawberries, instead of peaches.
$39.99 per pack of eight 7.5-ounce cans. Available sometimes at Freedom Farmers Market, and at treehousenaturals.com.
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