Pecan Praline Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Pecan Praline Recipe

Southern Pecan Pralines are a melt-in-your-mouth cross between a cookie and a candy! They are a crunchy and sweet treat.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lil' Luna

Equipment

Candy thermometer

Ingredients

1 1/2 c pecan halves
1 1/2 c sugar
6 tbsp butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Toast the Pecans: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecan halves on sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway. Pecans will begin to brown and become aromatic
Fasten the candy thermometer to the side of a large saucepan. Add the sugars, butter and milk. Stir consistently over medium high heat and bring the mixture to 235-240°F. *
Remove from the heat and mix in the pecans and vanilla. Store for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it cools. It will also lose some of its glossiness.
Use a cookie scoop to drop mixture onto the parchment paper. Work fast as the mixture in the pot will set quickly.
Allow pralines to cool and solidify for a couple of minutes before serving.

Notes

*No Candy Thermometer? You can use cold water to determine if the mixture has reached the soft ball stage. Once the mixture is bubbling and frothy scoop a dollop and place it in a bowl of cold water. The mixture will solidify and turn to a soft ball. Remove the dollop from the water and place it on the counter. It should slowly flatten.

If the mixture hardens in the water it has been cooked too long. If the mixture doesn't solidify into a soft texture then it needs to be cooked a bit longer.

Nutrition