Y’all let me teach you how to whip up authentic Pralines New Orleans style. These sweet, salty, nutty, chewy candies are a classic Southern treat that will have you straight up hooked. And we are making these buttery, brown sugar hinted pralines with real deal NOLA vibes through and through. No imposters around these parts.
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“Excellent recipe. Followed it to the letter and no alterations. Everyone enjoyed them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Each holiday season, I get into my candy making bag. I guess you could say I have a little SGGA (Severe Gift Giving Anxiety). Fortunately for me, when I started giving out these bomb New Orleans style pralines, everyone went crazy so now it’s basically a tradition. If you’ve ever had these in NOLA, you know how special they are, and that taste is hard to replicate. This recipe shared from my friend Toni Tipton Martin’s Jubilee will get you as close as possible to the classic right at the crib.
What are Pralines?
Pralines are simply a classic Southern candy made from brown sugar and pecans from New Orleans. They’re crunchy from the nuts yet slightly chewy with a melt in your mouth texture. Pralines are wonderfully complex and simple all at the same time boos.
The Lowdown of These Pecan Pralines
Cuisine Inspiration: Classic New Orleans
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet, Buttery, Nutty Goodness
Skill Level: Easy (No Sweat Fam!)
Pretty Quick and No Fuss
You would think something as indulgent as pralines would require all dang on day to make but they don’t. In fact, you can have these prepped and cooling to perfection in less than 30 minutes.
Classic and Authentic
No twists and remixes here. We are making a homemade praline recipe that’s authentic and doesn’t play around.
Great Gift to Give
These homemade pralines are such a great gift to give during the holiday season or just because! Nothing says you care like a bag of these boos.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this Praline recipe
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: Both of these sugars give our pralines recipe a deep, caramelized soul and classic sugary base.
- Molasses: This gooey liquid is a wonderful sweet and sticky binder holding all our ingredients together.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: We gotta get those pralines super creamy and silky.
- Butter: Ain’t nothing richer or more flavorful than this. You gotta have it!
- Toasted Pecans: We toast them up for additional flavor building. They give us texture from that wonderful crunch.
- Salt: Just a touch is needed to balance out the sweetness and elevate those flavors.
- Vanilla Extract: We add just a dash to bring some warm, aromatic essence.
How to make Pralines
What to serve with praline pecans
- With Coffee or Hot Chocolate: This is a delish breakfast option. Make this French hot chocolate and have a relaxing start to your morning.
- Holiday Gifts, Party Favor or Gift Basket: Make batches of these along with divinity candy, peanut brittle, bourbon balls, turtle candies and peppermint bark. You can double or triple the recipe and once cooled down, distribute them in small cellophane bags. Tie up the bags and hand them out or add to a beautiful gourmet gift basket!
- Serve Over Ice Cream: Get your whole life by adding a little crunch and texture to an ice cream sundae. I don’t know about you but adding crumbled pralines over vanilla ice cream with a caramel sauce drizzle and dollop of whipped cream is undeniable.
- Southern Dessert Spread: These are just excellent on the dessert table with some pecan pie, German chocolate cake, and sour cream pound cake served up boos.
Recipe Substitutions
- Brown Sugar: If you ran out, you can make your own brown sugar with granulated sugar and some of the molasses you need for the recipe.
- Molasses: The best substitute for this is dark corn syrup. Light corn syrup or maple syrup can also be decent replacements.
- Heavy Cream: Half-and-half is my first suggestion for a substitution. Evaporated milk can be used as well.
- Pecans: Almonds and walnuts are legit in this recipe as well. Don’t forget to toast them up before adding to the praline recipe.
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Recipe Variations and Additions
- Vegan: Replace the butter with a good quality plant-based butter substitute like Earth Balance and swap out the heavy cream for a thicker coconut cream, coconut milk or oat milk for a more neutral taste.
- Boozy Twist: Add some flare by mixing bourbon or rum into your liquid mixture. It hits every time for my adult boos!
- Spice it Up: Toss your pralines in cinnamon and chili powder while they’re still sticky. It adds a unique warmth and flavor profile to the sweetness.
- Add Chocolate: Adding some melty chocolate chips to your praline mixture before you remove from the heat is a bomb remix.
- Zest it Up: Sprinkling just a little lime or orange zest to the heated praline mix freshens and brightens up the caramel flavor.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best pecan pralines
- Work in a Cool, Dry Area: Humid air will usually prevent your pralines from properly hardening so keep it cool boos.
- Balance is Key: Beat your candies too little and they’ll be soft and runny. Go too hard and they’ll be so crumbly that they fall apart at your touch.
- Get that Candy Thermometer out: When you need to make sure that sugar syrup is right on the money, use this. It will help you get perfect praline consistency each and every time.
- Work Quickly: Once that homemade praline mix is ready to go, work as quickly as possible to drop them on your prepared baking sheet. They cool and start setting up super fast.
How to store & reheat pralines
Cool your homemade pralines down completely. They should be totally set before you store them up. Use parchment paper in between stacks of pralines so they don’t stick together. They can be kept at room temp and will last about a week boos.
How long will this praline recipe last in the fridge?
No need to refrigerate traditional pralines y’all. They keep well at room temperature so that texture stays on point.
Can I freeze pecan pralines?
Yep for sure boos but the texture can change slightly once you thaw them. Just fyi. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and toss in a ziptop bag removing all air. They can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily but it is very helpful y’all. I find that when I am making candies, being exact with the temperature can make all the difference in creating the perfect texture. However if you don’t have one, just use the soft ball stage cue. You will know the praline mixture is all good when it thickens and forms a soft ball when a small amount is dropped from a spoon into a bowl of cold water. That takes roughly 5 minutes.
If you find that your pralines are hardening before you can scoop them out of the pan, it’s not the end of the world boos. Add a teaspoon of hot water at a time to the mix and stir until your candy loosens up again.
It’s more than likely from sugar crystallizing. Make sure you are stirring that mixture consistently while scraping down the side of the pot to get those crystals back in the mix.
Making traditional New Orleans pralines is easier than you think, and they couldn’t be more delish. When you wanna impress some folks or create the ultimate gift, get at this recipe y’all.
More New Orleans Recipes
Pralines Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups pecans toasted and coarsely chopped
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, and cream over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring to a boil and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken and form a soft ball when a small amount is dropped from a spoon into a bowl of cold water, about 5 minutes. (Or using a candy thermometer; the temperature needs to reach 240F.) . Be very careful through this process, as the mixture is very hot and can burn severely.
- Remove the pan from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter, pecans, salt and vanilla. Continue to stir vigorously until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Working quickly, spoon heaping tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined baking sheet. Allow the pralines to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
How to store & reheat pralines
Cool your homemade pralines down completely. They should be totally set before you store them up. Use parchment paper in between stacks of pralines so they don’t stick together. They can be kept at room temp and will last about a week boos.How long will this praline recipe last in the fridge?
No need to refrigerate traditional pralines y’all. They keep well at room temperature so that texture stays on point.Can I freeze pecan pralines?
Yep for sure boos but the texture can change slightly once you thaw them. Just fyi. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and toss in a ziptop bag removing all air. They can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.Nutrition
If y
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Hi! How long do pralines last and what’s the best way to store them?
They should last 5 to 7 days are room temperatures. You’ll want to store them in an air tight bag or container – hope you enjoy!
I love pralines but have never made them. I used this recipe and found it both easy and tasty. Thank you so much for posting it. I will be putting a bag in our CHRISTMAS hampers for the family.
Excellent recipe. Followed it to the letter and no alterations. Everyone enjoyed them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I made mine recently using 2 cups white sugar, 1 tsp. Baking soda, 1 cup of buttermilk. After boiling 5 min, add2 cups pecans and 1 tsp vanilla. Cook till temperature reaches 234 degrees. Remove from heat. Stir with wooden spoon till it starts to thicken. Moving fast, drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Cool. These are dark pralines. Got this from Southern Living cookbook, but I don’t think it had vanilla. Careful not to burn.
Awesome recipe! Delicious
I love these pralines! They are so delicious, and perfect for the holidays!
I haven’t had pralines in the longest time. These are amazing!
Pralines are one of my favorites! I love the idea of making them right at home and skip the pre-made box at the store.
Pralines are the best! I have to try yours! Perfect for this time of year!
I absolutely adore pralines. So much so that I want to keep them all for myself. I guess I need to do like you suggest and double or triple the recipe. This one looks awesome!