Pecan Pralines

Sweet, creamy, rich and loaded with pecans, these Pecan Pralines are Southern favorite.

A recipe for Southern Pecan Pralines is one that I have been dying to share. It’s one of those recipes that surprises you because they’re so easy to make, and once you learn how you’ll be making pralines for every occasion.

Pralines are made entirely on the stovetop by boiling the ingredients together until they become creamy and the sugars caramelize. Then, they are dropped by spoonfuls onto parchment paper to cool. Pralines can be made in minutes and are simply heavenly.

These Louisiana pralines have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s slightly crumbly but not hard. They come together within minutes and as the pralines cool, they set up.

Why This Recipe Works

• This pecan praline recipe is easy to follow and the pralines cook in minutes. I bet you’ll be tempted to make pralines for every occasion.
• You only need 6 ingredients, many you might already have in your kitchen.
• This quick recipe is perfect to use for holiday gifts or get-togethers.

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

• Sugars: Use granulated sugar and brown sugar in this praline recipe.
• Milk: I prefer using whole milk but you can use 2% milk instead. I do not recommend using skim milk.
• Butter: Use salted butter.
• Pecans: This is a matter or personal preference. I like the pecans roughly chopped, but you can leave them whole or chop them finely. Feel free to leave the pecans out if you want to make nut-free pralines.
• Vanilla: Adds flavor.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Combine the sugars, milk, and butter in a medium-sized pot and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the pecans and start stirring constantly. Let the syrup boil for 3 minutes, until the syrup registers 238-240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the vanilla.
4. Continue to stir constantly. The syrup will become creamy and cloudy.
5. As you stir, you will notice the syrup thicken. “Listen to your pot”, when you start to hear the the sugar crystals scraping the sides of the pot and you feel the syrup get grainy, the pralines are ready.
6. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Let cool.

Expert Tips

• Have all of your ingredients handy before you start making the pralines – Once you start the process of making pralines, it goes quickly and there’s no time to search for an ingredient.  Have everything pre-measured and at your fingertips.
• Stick to the recipe and do not make adjustments.
• Keep a kettle of hot water nearby. Making pralines can be tricky.  It’s all about timing and sometimes you might leave the syrup cooking a little longer than you should and the mixture hardens too quickly.  Don’t worry and certainly don’t throw it away.  This is where the hot water comes in handy.  Add 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time to the praline mixture and stir vigorously.  The hot water will “thin” out the praline mixture and enable you to get the consistency you should have. It’s like giving the hardened pralines a second chance.
• Work quickly, as soon as the syrup thickens it will become hard.
• The mixture is extremely hot and candy burns are especially painful. Take care when stirring and you might want to place the parchment paper on a cutting board to protect your counters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Homemade Pralines Last?

Pralines will keep in an airtight container for a week although they’re best within the first 24 hours.

How Do I Make Chocolate Pralines?

Chocolate pralines are absolutely delicious! To make chocolate pralines, add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the sugars, milk, and butter to melt and continue with the recipe as written.

Can I Make Pralines Without Pecans?

Yes! You can leave out the nuts and make nut-free pralines.

If you’re looking for a Small Batch Pecan Pralines recipe, you can find that recipe as well as many other single serving recipes by visiting our One Dish Kitchen site.

Enjoy!

Pecan Pralines

By: Joanie Zisk

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 15 pralines

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Sweet, creamy, rich and loaded with pecans, these Pecan Pralines are Southern favorite…

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1/2 cup whole milk
• ▢ 6 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions 

• Combine the sugars, milk and butter in a large pot and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• When the mixture comes to a boil, start stirring constantly. Add the pecans. Let it boil for 3 minutes, until the syrup registers 238-240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla and keep stirring. The syrup will become creamy and cloudy and will start to thicken.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Let cool.

Notes

To make chocolate pralines – Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips with all the ingredients in the pot.

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