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Arrange an oven rack to the center of your oven and preheat to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celcius). Have ready a sheet of parchment paper on the counter for the nuts once they come out of the oven.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the pecans, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Stir to coat the pecans. Scrape the mixture onto a large, unlined, and ungreased sheet pan (use a small sheet pan for a small batch). Spread into an even layer. There'll be puddles of maple syrup on the pan.
Once your oven is preheated, bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not stir. While baking, the maple syrup will bubble up at first, then subside to smaller bubbles, turning a darker amber color towards the end of baking. The nuts will be darker, and take on the color of the caramelized maple syrup. *Tip: watch closely. You want the pecans in the oven as long as possible but without burning.
Remove from the oven and working quickly, use a silicone spatula to scrape the pecans onto the parchment paper. They'll be hot and sticky (it's okay, they'll stick together) and cool for 15 minutes. They should develop a thin candy shell as they cool.
Once cool, gently snap the pecans apart. Store in a lidded storage container at room temperature with a small bowl of white rice to help keep moisture at bay (moisture will make them sticky). They'll store for about a week.