Praline Pecans

Praline pecans are a delicious dessert that have a buttery rich flavor.

The candied pecan pralines are made on the stovetop and are perfect for gift-giving around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

If you like pecans, you’ll love this sweet recipe. 

I love this pecan praline recipe because it’s so easy to make and turns out fantastic. This old-fashioned southern treat will satisfy every sweet craving that you have. 

I always like to try different recipes, but I don’t like recipes that are too hard to make, and I’ve always been a bit nervous about making praline pecan candy.

But, this recipe is such an easy one and I am proud to say it’s a lot easier than you’d think.

I made some of these the other day and sent some to my dad, who loves praline pecans, so they make the best gift, even if you’re sending them a couple of days away. He said they tasted great when they arrived.

If you love pecans, try this slow cooker pecan pie recipe.

Ways to eat/use your candy

• Add praline pecans over ice cream
• Package them up and send them to a friend as a gift
• Hand them out at the office Christmas party
• Take them to a potluck
• Top a cake with the treats
• Break them up and add to a batter of brownies
• Eat them all yourself (hee hee, I like this idea a lot)

What Ingredients Do I Need for Praline Pecans?

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed below in the recipe card.

• Thermometer
• Stovetop
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Cookie scoop or spoon
• Spatula
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Baking soda
• Heavy cream
• Pecans
• Tin foil
• Non-stick spray

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How To Make the Praline Pecan Recipe

1. Start by adding the sugar to the saucepan. 
2. Next, add the brown sugar, baking soda, and heavy cream. Stir until well combined. 
3. Bring the mixture to a full boil on medium to high heat until the thermometer reaches 234-degrees, stirring often.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Then add the pecans and stir until covered. 
5. Scoop onto a cookie sheet or tin foil and allow sugared pecans to cool.

If you love sugared pecans, you will also love stovetop candied pecans, pecan brownies, and candied pecan dessert bars. 

Pecan Praline Recipe Steps

Start by adding the sugar to the saucepan. Turn the saucepan to medium-high or high heat. 

Next, add the brown sugar. 

Sprinkle the baking soda on top.

Pour the heavy cream into the pan and stir it until everything is combined. 

This is how the mixture will look when it’s starting to cook.

Next, add the thermometer to the saucepan.

TIP: Be sure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan or the reading will be incorrect. 

Bring the mixture to a boil and keep it boiling until the temperature reaches 234-degrees, stirring often. It will take about 15-20 minutes to get to that temperature. 

The color will continue to darken as it gets hotter. If it seems like it’s going to boil over, just stir it and it will settle down a bit. 

Once you reach 234-degrees, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the butter and vanilla extract, and stir until the butter is melted. 

Next, add the pecans and stir to coat. Be sure to work fairly fast because the candy will harden quickly. 

More desserts you’ll love:

• This peanut brittle recipe is perfect for the holidays.
• This white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe has been a huge hit.
• Brookies are such a great recipe when you can’t decide between cookies or brownies.

Scoop the candy out onto tinfoil, sprayed with non-stick spray, and allow them to cool. They will set up pretty fast. 

I used a cookie scoop to scoop the pralines, but you can also use a spoon. 

Are pralines and pecans the same thing?

No, pecans are actually a nut and pralines are made out of pecans and caramelized sugar. Pralines can also be made out of almonds or other nuts and caramelized sugar. 

How long does it take for pralines to harden?

If you get the temperature up to 234-degrees, the candy will set up within 20 minutes to one hour. However, if you cook it and bring it to a higher temperature it will harden faster but will be more crumbly. 

What are pecan pralines made of?

Pecan pralines are usually made with pecans, white and brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and vanilla. 

Check out the praline pecans recipe card below, grab those ingredients, and start cooking! This is a great dessert any time of the year and I think you’ll  love it.

Then, share your comments below and click here to share a picture of your pecans on the Pinterest Pin!  If you made any changes or added something different, be sure to share with us so we can try it, too!

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Easy Pecan Praline Recipe

More delicious recipes over at:

Julia’s Simply Southern, South Your Mouth, and Southern Home Express