These are seriously the BEST Southern praline pecans. With buttery brown sugar flavor and sweet, nutty crunch, they’re little bites of pure heaven! A little bit candy and a little bit cookie, these easy pralines melt right in your mouth, perfect for holidays and snacking.
I have been SO darn excited to share this pecan pralines recipe with you guys! After testing them for weeks with the help of my mother-in-law (a self-proclaimed pecan praline lover who tastes them wherever she goes), I’m telling you that these are the BEST pecan pralines. I’m completely addicted.
There are a fair number of pecan pralines that I would describe as being quite firm, even hard. And then some are more grainy or even super chewy. With this recipe, we set out to create something right in the middle. Pralines that are sweet, buttery, smooth, and melt-in-your-mouth.
Enjoy them!! These are seriously SO good. No store-bought pecan praline will ever be the same after trying this homemade pecan praline recipe, and they don’t take long to make. You might also love my praline pecan brownies and praline cheesecake. And if you need a little extra help, check out my video of the process below.
What’s the Secret to Perfect Pecan Pralines?
What you will find in common between various recipes is that pecan pralines consist of these main components: Pecans, sugar, butter, and milk or cream. There are a few additional things in these pralines that contribute to their flavor and texture and make them a step above the rest:
- Two types of sugar. Personally, I like my pralines not too soft, but definitely not hard. Not grainy and not chewy. And definitely melt-in-your-mouth with lots of butter and brown sugar flavor. Using a combination of brown sugar AND white sugar helps achieve this perfect middle ground.
- A helping hand from baking soda. Just a little, to keep the praline consistency smooth and not too firm, and the flavor rich and caramelized.
- The right cooking technique. I recommend a candy thermometer for this recipe. It’s super helpful in tracking the temperature, which is key in homemade caramel recipes. I cover the exact technique that I use to make buttery, perfect pralined pecans every time.
And last, but not least, this is the first in a series of cookies (even though this is technically candy) that I’ll be sharing over the next few weeks as we head towards Christmas. I’ve got some super fun things coming, and I can’t wait to share them with you! In the meantime, also check out more sweets like buckeyes, saltine toffee, and classic chocolate fudge.
Ingredients for Praline Pecans
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Southern praline pecans. Scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- Sugar – After much testing, I found a combination of white sugar and brown sugar to be the best for making pralines. All brown sugar yielded a grainy, unappealing texture. On the other hand, white sugar required baking soda to caramelize, and the flavor just wasn’t the same. Using both sugars was best for a rich, caramelized flavor without graininess.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Half-and-half, cream (as I used), buttermilk, and even evaporated milk all worked well. I liked the extra creaminess and straightforward flavor of the cream, but I also really liked the evaporated milk. Whole milk doesn’t have the same fat content, so your pralines may turn out thinner.
- Butter – Butter is a key ingredient in terms of flavoring and keeping the pralines from getting too firm. I use unsalted butter. If you’re using salted butter, I’d suggest reducing the added salt in the recipe by about half, or to taste.
- Baking Soda – While not totally necessary, I include baking soda in my pralines. It not only enhances the brown sugar and caramel-y flavor and color, but it also keeps them tender. If you leave it out, you’ll have a firmer praline. Finally, it helps the sugars dissolve fully, so that you don’t have a grainy praline.
- Pecans – Clearly necessary here. This might seem funny, but make sure your pecans are at room temperature. If they’re cold, it can impact how the praline sets.
- Salt – For flavor. Never underestimate the power of a little salt. See the note above if you’re using salted butter, as you’ll need less.
- Vanilla Extract – Also for flavor. Vanilla paste makes a good 1:1 substitute if needed.
How to Make Praline Pecans
Making pralines from scratch really comes down to temperature control and proper stirring. Don’t worry if your praline pecans don’t come out exactly right the first time. Chances are, even if they’re not perfect, they’ll still taste delicious!
- Prepare your tools. To make these Southern pecan pralines, you’ll first want to set up your parchment paper and have a tablespoon-sized scoop ready to go. Once your mixture is ready, it can firm up quickly, so you want to be able to move fast.
- Make the glaze. Add the sugars, heavy cream, butter, and baking soda to a sturdy pot. Heat it over medium heat, stirring regularly. It’ll melt and may seem like it’s taking its time getting going, but it will finally begin to boil.
- Cook to 236ºF. When the mixture foams up and starts to boil, stir constantly until it reaches 236°F. You will want to have a candy thermometer or something similar handy. Candy is sensitive to temperature.
- Stir in the pecans. Once it’s at the right temperature, remove the pot from the stove. Add the pecans, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula for about 3 1/2 minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken, and the longer you stir it, the thicker it will get. The thicker it gets, the firmer your pralines will be. It may take 2-3 times of making these to get comfortable with knowing that it’s the right consistency, but generally the 3 1/2 minute mark works well.
- Shape the pralines. Finally, drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the parchment paper and let them cool and firm up. You can spoon a praline or two and see if you like the amount they spread, and if they spread too much, just stir them for a little longer.
- Let them set. At this point, you just have to let them firm up. That’s probably the hardest part for me. They are so good, I just want to eat them all! They will be firm enough to handle within an hour, but do firm up more as they sit overnight.
Getting to the Soft-Ball Stage
While a candy thermometer is the easiest way to tell if your praline has reached the right temperature, you can also test that the praline reaches the “soft-ball stage”. Drop a small amount of the boiling caramel into cold water. Caramel that’s heated to 235ºF and 240ºF will form a soft, flexible ball that you can flatten between your fingers. At this stage, it’s ready to remove from the heat and stir.
Tips for the Best Praline Pecans
- Use a candy thermometer. You want to make sure you have the right temperature or your pralines will not turn out correctly.
- Don’t over-stir. Take care not to over-stir your pralines at the end of cooking. Even if they’re cooked to the right temperature, overmixing can make the pralines too firm once they cool down.
- Do a tester. On the other hand, not enough stirring or undercooking can make pecan pralines too soft. If you scoop one or two out and they seem to spread a lot, try stirring a little longer.
- Use a wooden spoon. Avoid plastic utensils when working with hot candy, as they run the risk of melting. I’m also not a fan of metal spoons as they tend to conduct heat. I recommend a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula.
- Have plenty of ingredients on hand. While I’m hopeful these will turn out great the first time around, they often take people 2-3 times to get just right.
- Work quickly when scooping out the pralines, so the mixture doesn’t firm up too quickly.
How to Store
- Store airtight. Homemade pralines can be stored airtight at room temperature for 2-3 weeks. They do start to dry out and crystallize with time. If you’re making these ahead for the holidays or otherwise, consider freezing them.
- Freeze. Pre-freeze the cooled pralines on a baking sheet, and then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Use sheets of parchment paper to separate any layers. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.
Watch How They’re Made
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Best Southern Praline Pecans
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 1 cup (225g) packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ¼ cups (212g) pecan halves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Set out parchment paper for making the pralines on and have a tablespoon sized scoop handy and ready to go.
- Add everything but the pecans, salt and vanilla extract to a medium pot and heat over medium heat. Stir regularly until it begins to foam and boil.
- When it begins to foam and boil, stir constantly until it reaches 236°F.
- Remove from heat and add the pecans, salt and vanilla extract.
- Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula for 3 ½ minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. The longer you stir, the thicker the mixture gets. You don't want it to get too thick, or it'll be hard to scoop the pralines and they'll dry more firm.
- Quickly drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto parchment paper and allow them to cool and firm. If the mixture is too thin and spreads more than you want, stir a little bit more. If the mixture starts to cool too much as you're scooping, place it back on the warm burner (but don't turn it on) and let it keep the mixture warmer. I find it helps to stir the mixture after every few scoops.
- When pralines are cool and firm, store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Christmas, Cookies, Holidays, Other Sweets, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving,
How long do these stay fresh? I am hosting a Fajitas and ‘Ritas wedding shower and want to make these for the party favors. Can I make them a week in advance and still have them taste fresh?
Yes, I would say they should be fine for a week. They slowly firm up over time as they sit. But they should still be plenty delicious. I think I held onto these for maybe a week and a half or two weeks at one point and they were still good.
What was your comment to the lady that said she followed the recipe but the pralines did not “set properly “. Please help because this has happened to me before.
So if they don’t set properly, there’s a couple options. If you didn’t use a candy thermometer, it’s possible they weren’t cooked to the right temperature. I’m going to go ahead and assume that they were cooked to the right temperature. If that’s the case, then it probably has to do with needing to stir them for longer. If you were to scoop them out straight after cooking them, they would kind of look like thin puddles of caramel and be less opaque. The longer you stir the mixture, the more it thickens, the more opaque it becomes and the firmer they set. So if you watch the video, you can see that part way through stirring I actually scoop one out and then decide to stir a little bit longer because it spreads a touch more than I want it to. The more you stir them, the better they are going to set, up until a certain point. If you stir them too long, they may end up drying really firm. The three-minute guideline I give in the recipe is a pretty good one. But if you need to stir a little longer, you definitely can. Make sure you’re string it vigorously. And if none of that helps, and it’s possible ingredient was mis-measured. I hope that helps!
This recipe is not good they did not set and I could tell by stirring. Would not recommend this recipe.
Pam – there are a lot of troubleshooting tips in the blog post if you read through it, including several suggestions for why they wouldn’t have set. You would likely find some help and be able to be successful. I tested this recipe very thoroughly and I know it works – hands down.
This recipe looks delicious. I don’t have enough pecans on hand. Do you think it would still taste good if I added some almonds Into the mix?
I kind of think almonds would be a little firm, but you could try it.
Pralines were originally made with almonds.
Absolutely the BEST! I toasted the pecans first and they turned out perfectly! VERY highly recommend this recipe!
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that!
Made these late on Christmas night for some sugar-hungry dinner guests. My first time making pralines and I managed to break my thermometer, but they still turned out perfectly! They were incredibly addictive and reminded me of authentic, fresh pralines from New Orleans. Thanks so much for this recipe. I plan to make a double batch for a belated holiday gift.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks Molly!
Delicious! I made these for our Christmas gathering and I know they will be a hit!
Yay! So glad you’re happy with them!
I’m not sure what happened but mine did not set properly. The mixture tastes great, but they were runny and would not firm up enough. I followed the recipe exactly.
Same with mine……………I see by another comment that the problem may be that I used dark brown sugar……Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly, even ran out to buy a candy thermometer for it…! What did you do with them? I’m thinking maybe melting them down and serving over vanilla ice cream…. hate to waste the beautiful pecans that I purchased from a farm…..
I had the same issue the first two times I made them. Then I realized the humidity in my house was really high due to the current weather and it affected how they were turning out (not firming up). Tried again a few days later with lower humidity and sunny weather, and they were perfect!
My husband loved them. He said they didn’t taste as sweet as some he’s had. Don’t know how since they’re mostly sugar. Nonetheless, they were a big hit. They were much easier to make than I expected, too.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed them!
I made these last night for a holiday party. Very tasty. I need to work on the presentation a bit. I messed up the first batch by not heating long enough. After finishing, I reheated the second batch and added just a little bit of cream. Dropped on the parchment and they came out really good. I was shockedc
I’m glad they still turned out well for you!
I just made this recipe. They are perfect! I would say this is the best tasting praline I have ever had. I will not be buying them anymore! This recipe is easy and perfectly delicious! Can’t wait to make them for Christmas gifts!
Yay! So glad to hear that and totally agree with you, LOL! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are great and very easy!!! I’ve never made pecan pralines before, but I’ve always loved them and always buy them when I see them in a gift shop. When I saw this recipe, I thought I’d give it a go. They turned out great, even though I forgot to add the baking soda. Because they were so yummy, I thought I’d make them again the next morning for Thanksgiving! My Mother and sister loved them and my Mother asked me for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Holly!
Yum! So good! Everyone who tried them loved them! My mom used to love making these. She is no longer with us, so it was very special to create something that was meaningful to her. Thank you for continuing to share your awesome recipes!
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed them!
I would like the video sent to my Facebook page on making the curls on a pan?
How can I get your video on your different ways you can decorate with different tips sent to my Facebook page? Please send your answer to my email address. Thank you
If you’d like to view certain videos on Facebook, I’d check out my Facebook video gallery.
I haven’t made these so I can’t rate them – but they look so good! Quick question – do you prefer light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? Do you think it would make a difference?
Thank you!
I used light brown sugar when making them. It might make a slight difference. Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it, so more moisture. It could affect the way the pralines firm up.
These are the best, I have tried recipes for years, and this is the ONE, thank you, have made 4 batches in 3 weeks
So glad to hear that!
Is there a reason you wouldn’t toast the pecans first? I’ve usually always eaten them with raw pecans but cooked have such a better flavors is it just tradition they are only used raw?
You could really do it either way. I agree that pecans tend to have better flavor when toasted. I did test that with these though and didn’t notice a big difference. That said, you totally could toast them.
Directions say add everything “except pecans” but never say when to add pecans!
Yes, it’s there – 4. Remove from heat and add the pecans, salt and vanilla extract.
it’s in the “INSTRUCTIONS” part(pink), but not in the “HOW TO PREPARE..”.
I tried to make a different recipe and this one was significantly better! I didn’t use a candy thermometer and just guessed and they still came out great. I used the dropping some of the mixture in a cold glass of water and once it was a perfect ball of caramel, I took the mixture off the heat and stirred.
Thanks for the recipe. You might want to check on the ingredients in step 4. Need to include “salt”. I only read “add the pecans and vanilla”. No mention of actually adding the salt in step 4. Sorry for being Obnoxious.
It’s there in the step with the pecans in the vanilla.
I have 30 yrs. of candy/baking experience. THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST PRALINE RECIPE! I think the mix of white sugar/light brown sugar is the success key. It does need to be done in single batches, as it will cool & firm up quickly. Also, once the temp hits 236° be ready to move fast!. I set mine up in single serve shallow tid-bit cups. They came out just beautiful. And the taste: creamy, crunchy with just a tang of saltiness. Just fabulous. Thank you.
Awesome! SO glad to hear that!