Pecan Pralines
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Learn how to make old-fashioned Southern pecan pralines with this easy recipe! This traditional candy combines crunchy pecans & a caramel-like sauce to make a fudgy, delicious treat you’re going to LOVE.
Classic southern pecan pralines are one of my favorite types of candy to keep an eye out for when I visit a candy shop, but I also especially love them at the holidays.
This old-fashioned candy has been around for decades, and for good reason! It’s DELICIOUS. If you’ve never had it before, pecan praline candy is kind of like pecan pie fudge!
This classic Southern candy might seem to be a little bit candy and a little bit cookie (kind of like no-bake cookies), but they are a true candy, through and through. Made from a caramel-like sauce and crunchy pecans, these homemade pralines set up to a fudge-like texture you’ll LOVE.
They’re delicious all year long, but I love making these pralines in small batches to tuck into cookie trays & treat plates for friends & neighbors. They’re beautiful, hold up well, and taste amazing. Plus, these easy pecan pralines are naturally gluten-free!
And, don’t worry! If this is your first time making homemade candy, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, step by step. Let’s dive in! This homemade pecan praline recipe starts with a few simple ingredients…
Simple Ingredients To Get Started
So what goes into pecan pralines? Just a few simple ingredients! We’re talking…
- Pecan Halves. First, you’ll need plenty of pecans. I like to toast the pecans first for the best flavor.
- Brown Sugar. Next up is light brown sugar. This adds a rich, caramel-like note that gives the pralines their signature flavor.
- Heavy Cream. No low fat substitutes allowed here! Heavy whipping cream adds the fat we need for the right structure in this pecan candy. The pralines will not set up properly if you try to substitute half-and-half or milk.
- Corn Syrup. Light corn syrup helps prevent sugar crystals from forming and keeps the caramel sauce smooth.
- Salt. I like plenty of salt since these pecan pralines are naturally a very sweet candy. Even with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, these don’t taste salty at all. If you’re nervous, feel free to reduce the salt down to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Butter. Then, I use salted butter. Feel free to use unsalted butter & an extra pinch of salt, if you prefer!
- Vanilla Extract. Plenty of vanilla rounds out the flavor here. It’s a must for this yummy sweet treat!
You’ll Need: A Candy Thermometer
For these pralines to set up properly, you’ll need to the sugar syrup to hit the right temperature. An inexpensive candy thermometer makes this easy!
How To Make Pecan Pralines, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Prep Your Station. Before starting, you want to have everything prepared, measured, and close by so you can work quickly. Every second counts when you’re making candy, so you don’t want to waste any time or risk burning your candy! Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and have a small cookie scoop or two spoons close by for measuring the pralines out at the end.
- Prep The Pecans. To start, you’ll toast the pecans. Spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F until fragrant and toasted. Let them cool on the baking sheet, then roughly chop pecans and set aside. (This can be done a few days in advance, if desired!)
- Combine. In a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Stir until well blended. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of your saucepan.
- Boil to 235 Degrees F. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat (this can take 12-15 minutes!), then boil 5-7 minutes, until the sugar mixture reaches 235-240 degrees F. on the candy thermometer. This is known as the “soft-ball stage” in candy making–if you drizzle a drop into a glass of ice water, it should form a soft ball, rather than a stringy mess or a hard ball. Keep in mind that if you do not reach 235 degrees, your candy will not set up properly. This is the key step!
- Stir in Butter. When the sugar mixture reaches 235 degrees F, stir in the butter and stir until melted.
- Stir in Pecans & Vanilla. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Stir until well blended (and to help the candy mixture cool down a bit!) about 4-5 minutes.
- Scoop. Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoon-size dollops of pralines out onto your parchment-lined baking sheets. The mixture will begin to set up and turn more opaque.
- Cool to Set. Allow the pralines to cool and set completely. This can take an hour or more, depending on your temperature & humidity. When freshly scooped, the pralines may be more translucent, but they will start to turn more opaque and fudgy with time.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Key Step: Soft Ball Stage
The key step in this easy praline recipe is hitting the right temperature. You’ll need a candy thermometer to make sure you reach 235-240 degrees F. This is known as the soft ball stage.
Want to double check you did it right? You can do the soft ball test: drop a tiny bit of the sugar syrup into a cup of ice water. If it sets up to a soft, pliable ball that flattens when it’s removed from the water, you’ve reached the soft ball stage! (If it’s a hard, solid ball, you’ve gone too far. If it dissolves into ribbons, you haven’t gone far enough.)
Safety Tips To Keep In Mind!
Our homemade pecan pralines recipe is pretty easy to make, but we do have a few safety notes to keep in mind when working with hot sugar syrup:
- USE THE RIGHT SIZE PAN. Boiling sugar is EXTREMELY hot, so it’s important to use a large enough pan to accommodate the bubbling, boiling sugar and your candy thermometer. If you use a larger, wider pan, it may be hard for your candy thermometer to get an accurate reading, so I recommend a 3-quart size whenever possible.
- WEAR LONG SLEEVES. Again, splattering sugar is painful, so I recommend long sleeves for extra protection. I haven’t yet been burned by this recipe, but I always recommend playing it safe when working with hot sugar.
- BE ATTENTIVE & MINDFUL! You must stay by the saucepan the whole time it’s cooking, stirring constantly to avoid burning the sugar, and keeping an eye on your pan so it doesn’t boil over. (It shouldn’t with a 3-quart pan!)
- USE A THERMOMETER. Hitting the right temperature is essential for these pralines to set up properly, so a thermometer is a necessity here. I have both a digital thermometer and a candy thermometer, and while you can technically use either, a candy thermometer is the safest choice since it clips to the side of your pan so you don’t have to get your fingers close to the hot sugar.
FAQ + Tricks For The Best Pecan Pralines
Use a Thermometer! My #1 best tip for making homemade pralines (and many other homemade candy recipes!) is to use a candy thermometer to make SURE you hit the right temperature. We recommend a candy thermometer since it can clip on to the side of your saucepan (which keeps your fingers safe later when the sugar is boiling), but an Instant read thermometer is a great back-up or alternative.
Toast The Pecans! Not all pecan praline recipes call for toasting the pecans first, but we found in a side-by-side taste test that pralines made with toasted pecans tasted much better than pralines made with raw pecans.
No Swaps or Substitutions. I love to provide alternatives & substitutions when I can, but for certain recipes (like gluten-free breads or candy), it’s important to follow the ingredients and directions exactly as written for best results.
Watch Out for Humidity. Humidity is NOT your friend when it comes to candy making. It can make it difficult for candy to set up properly and to dry out sufficiently. If it’s a super humid day outside (or inside!), it might be better to wait for better weather before making these pralines.
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Homemade Pecan Pralines recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Pecan Pralines
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups pecan halves
- 3 cups light brown sugar (360 grams)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt use less for fine table salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter (57 grams/half a stick)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep Your Station. Before starting, you want to have everything prepared, measured, and close by so you can work quickly. Every second counts when you’re making candy, so you don’t want to waste any time or risk burning your candy! Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and have a small cookie scoop or two spoons close by for measuring the pralines out at the end.
- Toast & Chop Pecans. To start, toast spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F until fragrant and toasted. Let them cool on the baking sheet, then roughly chop pecans and set aside. (This can be done a few days in advance, if desired!)
- Combine. In a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Stir until well blended. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of your saucepan.
- Boil to 235 Degrees F. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat (this can take 12-15 minutes!), then boil 5-7 minutes, until the sugar mixture reaches 235-240 degrees F. on the candy thermometer. This is known as the “soft ball” candy stage–if you drizzle a drop into a glass of ice water, it should form a soft ball, rather than a stringy mess or a hard ball. Keep in mind that if you do not reach 235 degrees, your candy will not set up properly. This is the key step!
- Stir in Butter. When the sugar mixture reaches 235 degrees F, stir in the butter and stir until melted.
- Stir in Pecans & Vanilla. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Stir until well blended (and to help the candy mixture cool down a bit!) about 4-5 minutes.
- Scoop. Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoon-size dollops of pralines out onto your parchment-lined baking sheets. The mixture will begin to set up and turn more opaque.
- Cool to Set. Allow the pralines to cool and set completely. This can take an hour or more, depending on your temperature & humidity. When freshly scooped, the pralines may be more glossy & translucent, but they will start to turn more opaque and fudgy with time.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Cook Time Variation. Depending on the exact dimensions of your saucepan, the kind of oven you have, and the temperature & humidity in your area, the exact cook times may vary. This is why a candy thermometer is so important! Keep an eye out for the soft-ball stage, and you’ll be good to go.
- Kosher Salt. Our recipe is formulated with kosher salt. If you’re using fine table salt, you’ll want to reduce the amount by half. (So instead of 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, you’ll use 1/4 tsp. fine table salt)
- Avoid Humidity. Humidity makes it difficult for candy to set up properly, so it’s best to make these in dry weather when possible. Also, store the pralines in an airtight container to keep them fresh!
Safety Tips:
- Use The Right Size Pan. Boiling sugar is EXTREMELY hot, so it’s important to use a large enough pan to accommodate the bubbling, boiling sugar and your candy thermometer. If you use a larger, wider pan, it may be hard for your candy thermometer to get an accurate reading, so I recommend a 3-quart size whenever possible.
- Wear Long Sleeves. Again, splattering sugar is painful, so I recommend long sleeves for extra protection. I haven’t yet been burned by this recipe, but I always recommend playing it safe when working with hot sugar.
- Be Attentive & Mindful! You must stay by the saucepan the whole time it’s cooking, stirring constantly to avoid burning the sugar, and keeping an eye on your pan so it doesn’t boil over. (It shouldn’t with a 3-quart pan!)
- Use A Thermometer. Hitting the right temperature is essential for these pralines to set up properly, so a thermometer is a necessity here. I have both a digital and candy thermometer, and while you can technically use either, a candy thermometer is the safest choice since it clips to the side of your pan so you don’t have to get your fingers close to the hot sugar.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/pecan-pralines/
These are caramel goodness!
I can’t wait to try these—just bought my candy thermometer!
Could these be spooned into a silicone candy mold?
I think that would work just fine!