Pecan Pralines

When traveling in the Southern United States, you’ll find pecan pralines as easily as you will a chocolate bar. Legend has it that this treat originated from nuts accidentally spilling into a vat of caramel. Regardless of how they came to be, they are irresistible and delicious. Pecan pralines offer buttery, sweet and rich flavors that melt in your mouth. It is nearly impossible to eat just one.

Pecan Praline Recipe Ingredients

• Butter: The butter aids in creating a melt-in-your-mouth caramel that envelops the pecans in this recipe.
• Sugar: We use granulated and brown sugar to prepare the caramel for these pecan pralines.
• Half-and-half: The half-and-half is essential for creating this recipe’s creamy and rich caramel.
• Condensed milk: We depend on condensed milk to provide these pecan pralines with a nostalgically sweet and comforting flavor.
• Corn syrup: The corn syrup helps solidify these pecan pralines so they do not fall apart as soon as you pick them up.
• Pecans: We mix pecans into the batter of these pralines because they give the confection a necessary crunch.
• Vanilla extract: The vanilla helps deliver those warm flavor profiles in this pecan praline.

Directions

Step 1: Make the caramel

Grab a large saucepan and place it over medium heat. Melt the cubed butter. Next, stir in the sugars, cream, milk, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and a candy thermometer reads 236°F (soft-ball stage)—about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Assemble the pecan praline batter

Stir in the pecans and vanilla after removing the caramel from the heat. Let the mixture cool without stirring until it reaches 170°—about 20 minutes. Then, stir the batter with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken but still looks glossy—about two minutes.

Step 3: Set the pecan pralines 

Quickly drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the praline mixture onto prepared baking sheets. Let the pralines stand until they set and are no longer glossy. Refrigerate until completely set, for about one hour. Store the pralines in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pecan Praline Variations

• Stir in a different nut: Try mixing peanuts, walnuts or almonds into the batter of these pralines instead of pecans.
• Make them nut-free: Swap the nuts for crushed pretzels if you have a peanut allergy.
• Sprinkle flaky salt on top: To balance the sweetness of these pecan pralines, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.

How to Store Pecan Pralines

Once your candies have set, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Add wax or parchment paper layers between them to prevent them from accidentally sticking together.

Can you make this pecan praline recipe ahead of time?

Prepare these pecan pralines ahead of time, keep them refrigerated for up to a week and then serve them to your guests when you need a delicious sweet treat.

Can you freeze these pecan pralines?

If you have leftover pralines, store them in the freezer to prevent them from going to waste. Place them in an airtight container or a freezer-friendly bag. They will last for up to two to three months in the freezer.

Pecan Praline Tips

What’s the difference between brittle and praline?

Praline is a softer candy and brittle is very crunchy. This is determined by what temperature the sugar mixture reaches. At a lower temperature, the sugar will be chewy and soft once cooled. If cooked to a higher temperature or hard crack stage, the sugar will be brittle when cooled. Modern candy thermometers make it easy to decipher, as these sugar-cooking stages are listed directly on the thermometer.

How do you set pralines?

Pralines become hard when completely cooled (though not as hard as brittle, as mentioned above!). This can take one hour or more at room temperature, but can be sped up if the room is colder or if the pralines are placed in the refrigerator.

Why are my pecan pralines grainy?

When sugar crystallizes it yields a grainy candy. To fix this, don’t heat the sugar too fast when you’re cooking the mixture for your pecan praline recipe. Instead, keep the heat at medium and let the mixture come to a boil. Stir occasionally, but not constantly, especially when the recipe is cooling. And it’s never a good idea to make substitutions or double a candy recipe. Check out these other common candy mistakes and how to fix them.