Pecan Pralines Recipe (2024)

I am a Louisiana native. I've made and eaten pralines (pecan candy) all my life. The first thing about this recipe that I find odd is that it takes 8 hours and more. If your candy takes that long to set, you've not cooked it long enough, 30 minutes or less. The tip about using salt to cut some of the acute sweetness is a good one. But what are pralines if not the holy grail of sweet. Last, we use a can of sweetened condensed milk instead of cream. That cream is why it takes 8 hours--too wet.

Hm. The article mentions that good pralines contain pecans that are “thoughtfully toasted.” My southern family emphatically agrees: please toast the pecans (thoughtlessly or thoughtfully, just don’t burn ‘em) first! It makes a difference.

I take 4 pecan halves, place them at right angles and pop a caramel on top. Bake briefly to soften the caramel and spread it out over the nuts. Then cover with melted chocolate, either milk or dark, and let set. Easy pecan dixies/turtles/whatever you call them.

I lived in New Orleans for 47 years and the only pralines I make are in the microwave. They are delicious and disappear immediately after cooking. My daughter in law made 400 for favors at her wedding. Just cook 1 box of light brown sugar and 8 ounces of whipping cream for 11 minutes on high in the microwave. Add one stick of butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring, and chopped pecans, whatever amount you want. Pour out on wax paper on your granite or marble counter. Let cool for hours.

They aren't kidding about using a big-enough pot. As the mixture boils it will double or more in volume. I had some boil over on me once. Cleaning caramelized sugar off your stove top is something you do NOT want to do.Also keep in mind that you will adding a lot of pecans to the pan, so plan accordingly.

I made them as written. They hardened nicely within two hours (not eight). They were, in a word, amazing. I'm chucking all plans to make a complicated cookie as a gift since I know that people will fall over with joy once they taste these pralines. What I'll do differently: set out all ingredients in measure and order so that there will be no fumbling in the making because once the mixture begins to boil there is no time to dither before it goes way too hot. Thank you so much for this recipe!

There is no way anyone who LOVES pralines can have them last -- tin box or no. Skip Step 5 say I and deposit them in your mouth asap. You'll be transported to heaven.

I agree that 8 hours is 'way too long. I make them with evaporated milk (and some Karo syrup). They are firmed up in 2 hours or less.As for making them less sweet, that borders on heresy for a Southerner. Pralines should be (as a wise person once put it) "so sweet they make your teeth ache."

Sugar free Keto pralines would lead to excommunication and revocation of your Cajun card in Louisiana. We only make them for holidays and special occasions and if you can’t have one or two during Christmas season because you don’t want to break your keto diet please don’t waste good pecans.

The accompanying article gave me back a memory of my mom who I miss. Her favorite pralines were in a basket by the register at Country Pride, a little cafe, appropriately, in the country near Amarillo, TX where she raised me, and where her dad’s family had a dairy. I can see her in my mind unwrapping and nibbling on it while holding the wobbly wheel as the car bounced down the dirt road home. Here's to scrappy single moms who give their kids the world and find joy in small simple joys like these

I will be making this KETO -- sugar free using an allulose sweetener and a very low heat. Have had great success with carmelizing the allulose and decent flavor.. Go slow.

Cook too long and you'll get a stiff mess in the pot. As you get close to temperature; Listen to your pot! The instant you can hear the scraping of the sugar on the sides; you're ready to scoop out the mixture onto the parchment paper. Wait too long and it will become too stiff.

Really easy and delicious. Made exactly as per recipe. Use a smaller scoop than you’d think as they do spread. Toast pecans at 350 for 4 min then stir and 4 more minutes. Stir mixture to cool off for a couple minutes before scooping. Cooled to solid in less than 2 hrs. Placed them in individual little cello wrappers and will be placing into my holiday gift baskets. Will definitely repeat!

That sounds delicious, but do people ever call that a praline?

I've read that pralines should be cooked to 234-240 degrees. I cooked to 236 and they set up within 24 hours. I sprinkled them lightly with Maldon sea salt. Best praline recipe ever...no hard and sugary texture!

I tried substituting eagle brand sweetened condensed milk for cream. Total disaster, they came out drier than a popcorn fart.

I made a nut free version of these using broken up pretzels, the waffle shaped butter snaps from Snyders. This recipe was very easy, just make sure you set everything out before you start cooking, measure out ingredients and use a pan that's tall enough. I was using a large soup pot, thought it was too wide to register the thermometer reading, switched to my saucepan, then had to switch back to the soup pot because it bubbles up high. When in doubt use the bigger pan.

These are awesome! With all the Christmas baking I’d r7n out of vanilla, but I had vanilla beans. I opened two and scraped them into a T of bourbon. Delish!

I had never made pralines before. I made them today following the recipe exactly as written. I originally planned to make them as gifts. I think I've changed my mind. They are heavenly.

I made this recipe as written and these were wonderful pralines--better than purchased in the French Quarter!

Shawnee Barton, the minute I saw that recipe I thought of my mother, who adored pralines! She raised three kids on her own, and if she were here today I would make her a batch. Brown sugar, butter, pecans, and cream—what’s not to like? This sounds like a good recipe.

The accompanying article gave me back a memory of my mom who I miss. Her favorite pralines were in a basket by the register at Country Pride, a little cafe, appropriately, in the country near Amarillo, TX where she raised me, and where her dad’s family had a dairy. I can see her in my mind unwrapping and nibbling on it while holding the wobbly wheel as the car bounced down the dirt road home. Here's to scrappy single moms who give their kids the world and find joy in small simple joys like these

I make mine with butter vanilla brownsugar and cream, melt, bring to boil, boil 1 minute and then add sifted powdered sugar and pecans. Done in 5 minutes. Maybe not as shiny as those in New Orleans but amazing taste and quick quick quick.

My family (from Louisiana) makes a very similar recipe, but after you take the caramel off the heat and add vanilla, you beat the caramel for 30+ minutes just until stiff peaks form. Then stir in pecans, scoop onto wax paper, and refrigerate for as long as you can manage to keep your hands off of them. Mixing the caramel makes a much softer, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Decadent.

Cook too long and you'll get a stiff mess in the pot. As you get close to temperature; Listen to your pot! The instant you can hear the scraping of the sugar on the sides; you're ready to scoop out the mixture onto the parchment paper. Wait too long and it will become too stiff.

I use the Joy of Cooking recipe which calls for buttermilk and baking soda instead of cream. But I am from Texas and this version reminds me of those at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant of my childhood. A little more air and the buttermilk corrals the sweetness. Big hit every Christmas.

Really easy and delicious. Made exactly as per recipe. Use a smaller scoop than you’d think as they do spread. Toast pecans at 350 for 4 min then stir and 4 more minutes. Stir mixture to cool off for a couple minutes before scooping. Cooled to solid in less than 2 hrs. Placed them in individual little cello wrappers and will be placing into my holiday gift baskets. Will definitely repeat!

Sugar free Keto pralines would lead to excommunication and revocation of your Cajun card in Louisiana. We only make them for holidays and special occasions and if you can’t have one or two during Christmas season because you don’t want to break your keto diet please don’t waste good pecans.

Can you use coconut cream as a dairy alternative and have it “set up” properly?