Get out a Silpat or a piece of parchment or wax paper.

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. It's important to preheat it first so that the maple syrup caramelizes properly.

Add the pecans, maple syrup, vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pan.

Stirring almost constantly, cook for 2-5 minutes or until the syrup has caramelized. There should be no liquid left in the pan. The maple syrup coating will seem soft but will harden as it cools.

Spoon the pecans evenly onto the Silpat and spread. Test one now (making sure that the maple coating isn't so hot that you burn your tongue!) and if it's not salty enough, add more salt. If you don't want the nuts to be clumped together after cooling, make sure to separate them now.

These harden within about 20-30 minutes but let them cool for about 2 hours before placing them in an airtight container. When not kept in an airtight container, they start to get a little sweaty. Can be kept at room temperature for several weeks.