A perfect Fall kale salad that you’ll actually be excited about!
Apple Pecan Brussel Sprouts
A brussel sprout recipe even the pickiest eaters will devour. Get your fruits and veggies in this sweet, caramelized combination. Perfect for a Winter holiday feast!

I absolutely love roasted brussel sprouts! I love all vegetables, but this is one of my favorites. I also recognize that brussel sprouts are a lot of people’s least favorite vegetable. I think it all depends on how people grew up eating them. If they’re not roasted, they can be difficult to scarf down.

Luckily, my family and I made these often enough to really learn different ways to enjoy them. When I was trying to come up with some ideas for a special holiday recipe, something totally different and unique, I kept thinking about the best brussel sprouts I had a local barbecue restaurant. They were super crispy and glazed with honey. I’m sure they were not the leanest of sides but I was more interested in those than most of the smoked meats on the table.
This recipe took a little time to think of as I wanted to use ingredients on hand as well. There was also the desire to go with the glazed approach, but without saturating them in sugars. Last but not least, it was important to make sure they kept their crunch (a lesson I had to learn in the first batch). Trial and errors on my end, helps you on yours.

This recipe turned out to be super simple and absolutely delicious – to the point I ate the whole batch myself (well, close to it). Plus, it doesn’t use a ton of sweeteners and is balanced with the tangy mustard and vinegar. I promise you, if you try it you’ll be pleasantly surprised as to how much you like brussel sprouts!

Apple Pecan Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussel sprouts fresh, halved
- 2 small fuji apples chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- ¾ cup candied pecans or candied walnuts (or plain) chopped
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon rosemary finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Line 2-3 large baking sheets with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.
- Cut brussel sprouts in half. Cube apples and dice onions. Spread all ingredients out on baking sheets. Best to keep brussel sprouts cut side down. Spray with non stick cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 18-22 minutes until brussel sprouts get slightly brown and tender. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
- In a small sauce pan combine vinegar, honey, syrup, mustard, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Whisk together and cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes. Whisk at least once a minute. Remove from heat and continue to whisk.
- After the brussel sprouts have cooled slightly, drizzle the honey/syrup mixture over the brussels and apples on the baking sheet and gently toss until everything is coated. Chop the pecans and sprinkle over the brussel sprouts.