Pecan Pralines: 14 Southern Christmas Candies and Bakes Grandma Dropped by the Spoonful

Pecan pralines are the candy Southern grandmas dropped by the spoonful onto wax paper every December, then guarded from anyone who wandered through the kitchen. They are simply sugar, butter, cream and toasted pecans, cooked to the soft-ball stage and stirred until creamy. The candy came to Louisiana from France, where pralines were sugared almonds, and Creole cooks in New Orleans swapped in local pecans and added cream. This gallery starts with the classic creamy praline, then moves through buttermilk and chocolate versions, gift nuts, fudge, cookies and a few cozy bakes that borrow that buttery praline flavor. Grab a candy thermometer and a big spoon, because the sugar is about to bubble..

Classic New Orleans Creamy Pecan Pralines

These are the pecan pralines most people picture: flat, creamy rounds the color of caramel, with a sugary snap on top and a soft, fudgy middle. Cook the syrup to the soft-ball stage, 236 to 238 degrees F, pull it off the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until it loses its gloss and starts to thicken. Then scoop fast, because the candy sets in a minute or two. Filling a holiday tin? Add a few treats from our old-fashioned Christmas candy collection. Ready to stir..

You will need: 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup milk, 6 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt

How to make it: 1. Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. 2. In a heavy saucepan, stir both sugars, cream, milk and butter over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. 3. Clip on a candy thermometer and cook without stirring to 236 to 238 degrees F. 4. Remove from the heat, add pecans, vanilla and salt, and stir 2 to 3 minutes until creamy and slightly thick. 5. Drop by tablespoons onto the paper and let set for 30 minutes.

Tex-Mex Restaurant Pecan Pralines From the Register Basket

In Texas, pecan pralines often show up at the end of a Tex-Mex dinner, sold one at a time from a basket or jar near the register. These tend to be paler and a little crumbly, made with white sugar, evaporated milk and plenty of local pecans. The tip: use evaporated milk, which gives a mellow, lightly toasted flavor and is less likely to curdle than fresh milk. Planning a full menu around them? Start with our Tex-Mex classics. Who gets the last one?

You will need: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 cup butter, 2 cups pecan halves and pieces, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt

How to make it: 1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. 2. Stir sugar, evaporated milk and baking soda in a large pot over medium heat; it will foam. 3. Cook, stirring often, to 236 degrees F. 4. Off the heat, add butter, vanilla, salt and pecans, then beat until thick and cloudy. 5. Spoon onto the paper and cool until firm.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pecan Pralines

Buttermilk pralines are a church cookbook favorite, because a carton of buttermilk was always waiting in a Southern refrigerator. The buttermilk reacts with baking soda, foams up high and slowly turns the syrup a pale golden tan with a gentle tang. The tip: use a big pot, at least 4 quarts, because the foam can easily triple in size. Short on time this week? Our Crockpot Christmas candy needs no thermometer at all. Will you try the tangy kind?

You will need: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp butter, 2 cups pecan halves, 1 tsp vanilla

How to make it: 1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. 2. In a 4-quart pot, stir sugar, buttermilk and baking soda over medium heat; it will foam high. 3. Cook, stirring often, until light caramel in color and 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. 4. Remove from the heat, add butter, vanilla and pecans, and beat until thick. 5. Drop by spoonfuls onto the paper and cool.

Chocolate Pecan Pralines for the Chocolate Lovers

Chocolate pecan pralines are what happens when someone at the family table insists every candy needs chocolate. A spoonful of cocoa cooks right into the syrup, and a handful of chocolate chips melts in at the end. The tip: add the chips only after the pan comes off the heat, or they can turn grainy. Love chocolate candy squares too? Try our rocky road candy. Milk or dark for you?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup milk, 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves, 1 tsp vanilla

How to make it: 1. Line two baking sheets with parchment. 2. Stir sugars, cocoa, cream, milk and butter over medium heat until smooth. 3. Cook without stirring to 236 degrees F. 4. Off the heat, stir in chocolate chips, pecans and vanilla until thick and creamy. 5. Drop by tablespoons and let set 30 minutes.

Sugar-Roasted Praline Nuts for Christmas Gift Cones

Before the candy became a patty, a praline was simply a nut coated in cooked sugar, and Christmas markets in Europe still sell warm sugar-roasted nuts in paper cones. At home, pecans are the Southern choice, though almonds and walnuts work too. The tip: keep stirring when the syrup turns dry and sandy, because a few minutes later some of the sugar melts again into a shiny glaze. More ideas live in our Christmas gifts in a jar. Who is on your list?

You will need: 2 cups pecan halves or mixed nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt

How to make it: 1. Bring sugars, water and cinnamon to a boil in a large skillet. 2. Add the nuts and stir constantly over medium heat until the syrup turns sandy, 6 to 8 minutes. 3. Keep stirring until some sugar melts into a glossy coating. 4. Stir in vanilla and salt, then spread on parchment and separate the nuts. 5. Cool completely and pack in paper cones or jars.

Mexican Cocadas, the Coconut Cousin of Pecan Pralines

South of the border, candy shops sell cocadas, chewy mounds of coconut cooked with sugar and milk and then toasted until golden. They share a lot with pecan pralines: a pot of sweet syrup, a quick scoop and a cookie tin waiting to be filled. The tip: stir in the egg yolks off the heat and work fast, so they thicken the mixture without scrambling. Curious about more treats like this? Browse our Mexican desserts. Have you tried them?

You will need: 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 2 egg yolks

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet. 2. Simmer condensed milk, sugar and cinnamon for 5 minutes, stirring. 3. Stir in coconut and pecans and cook 5 to 8 minutes until thick. 4. Off the heat, quickly stir in the egg yolks. 5. Scoop mounds onto the sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

Maple Pecan Praline Fudge

Maple pecan fudge tastes like a praline that decided to become a square. Pure maple syrup cooks with sugar and cream to the same soft-ball stage and gets beaten until creamy. The tip: let the pot cool undisturbed to about 110 degrees F before you beat it; stirring too early makes the fudge grainy. Need more squares for the tin? See our Christmas fudge flavors. Who in your family guards the fudge?

You will need: 1 cup pure maple syrup, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt

How to make it: 1. Line an 8-inch square pan with buttered foil. 2. Cook maple syrup, sugar and cream to 236 degrees F without stirring. 3. Add the butter and let cool undisturbed to 110 degrees F. 4. Beat with a wooden spoon until thick and matte, then stir in pecans, vanilla and salt. 5. Press into the pan, cool and cut into squares.

Buttermilk Pie Crowned With Pecan Brittle

Buttermilk pie is a plain Southern custard pie, sweet, tangy and silky, and a few shards of pecan brittle turn it into a holiday dessert. Brittle is the crunchy cousin of pecan pralines: the sugar cooks much hotter, to the hard-crack stage at 300 degrees F. The tip: butter the pan before you start, because brittle waits for no one. Love crunchy candy? Try our saltine toffee too. Pie or brittle first?

You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, 3 eggs, 3 tbsp flour, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of nutmeg; for the brittle: 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup pecans, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp baking soda

How to make it: 1. Whisk the pie filling, pour into the crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes until set; cool. 2. For brittle, cook sugar and corn syrup to 300 degrees F, then stir in pecans and butter. 3. Off the heat, stir in baking soda and pour thin onto a buttered sheet. 4. Cool and break into shards. 5. Top each slice with brittle just before serving.

Pecan Praline Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies usually hold jam, but in the South the little well is perfect for a spoonful of gooey brown sugar pecan filling that tastes just like pecan pralines. The tip: bake the cookies for 8 minutes first, then fill the dents and bake a few minutes more, so the filling sets without running over the edges. Want more fillings for the same dough? See our thumbprint cookies. How many will make it to the tin?

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt; for the filling: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

How to make it: 1. Cream butter and brown sugar, then mix in yolk, vanilla, flour and salt. 2. Roll into 1-inch balls and press a dent in each. 3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. 4. Simmer the filling ingredients for 1 minute and spoon into the dents. 5. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more and cool on a rack.

Pecan Sandies, the Praline Lover’s Shortbread

Pecan sandies are named for their crumbly, sandy texture, and they carry the same toasty brown sugar and pecan flavor that makes pralines so good, only in cookie form. The tip: toast the pecans first and let them cool, which deepens the flavor and keeps the butter from melting. Keep a log ready like our icebox Christmas cookies. Coffee or milk with yours?

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup toasted chopped pecans

How to make it: 1. Cream butter, both sugars and vanilla until fluffy. 2. Mix in flour, salt and pecans. 3. Shape into two logs, wrap and chill 1 hour. 4. Slice 1/4 inch thick and set on a lined sheet. 5. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are golden.

Pecan Praline Biscotti for Coffee Dunking

Biscotti are baked twice. Brown sugar in the dough and chunks of chopped pecan pralines or toasted pecans give them a warm, caramel-like flavor that fits right into a Southern cookie tin. The tip: let the baked logs cool for 10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife, so they cut cleanly instead of crumbling. For more flavors, see our biscotti gallery. Who gets a jar this year?

You will need: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup chopped pecan pralines or toasted pecans

How to make it: 1. Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. 2. Mix in eggs, butter and vanilla, then fold in the pecans. 3. Shape two flat logs and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. 4. Cool 10 minutes and slice on the diagonal. 5. Bake slices 10 minutes per side until crisp.

Chocolate Cupcakes With Coconut Pecan Praline Frosting

The gooey coconut pecan topping on a German chocolate cake is really a cooked praline custard, made with evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks and plenty of pecans. The tip: stir the frosting constantly over medium heat and pull it off as soon as it thickens and turns golden, about 12 minutes, or it can curdle. For more toppings, browse our frosting recipes. Is this your birthday cake, too?

You will need: 24 baked chocolate cupcakes, 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/3 cups shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans

How to make it: 1. Bake the cupcakes and cool completely. 2. Cook evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks and butter over medium heat, stirring, until thick, about 12 minutes. 3. Off the heat, stir in vanilla, coconut and pecans. 4. Cool until spreadable. 5. Spoon a generous mound onto each cupcake.

Bread Pudding With Pecan Praline Sauce

In Louisiana, day-old French bread never goes to waste, and many restaurants in Baton Rouge and New Orleans serve warm bread pudding under a buttery pecan praline sauce. The sauce is basically pecan pralines that never set. The tip: let the bread soak in the custard for at least 30 minutes so every cube is soft in the middle. For more cozy versions, see our bread pudding recipes. Warm or cold the next morning?

You will need: 8 cups cubed day-old French bread, 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp vanilla; for the sauce: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup chopped pecans, pinch of salt

How to make it: 1. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, pour over the bread in a buttered 9×13 dish and soak 30 minutes. 2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes until set. 3. For the sauce, simmer butter, brown sugar and cream for 3 minutes. 4. Stir in pecans and salt. 5. Spoon warm sauce over each serving.

Praline Pecan Pie With Caramel Drizzle

Pecan pie and pecan pralines are close relatives, built on the same trio of brown sugar, butter and pecans. This version gets a praline layer: a thin coat of brown sugar and butter spread over the bottom crust before the filling goes in. The tip: bake until the center jiggles only slightly, then cool at least 3 hours so it slices cleanly. For more nutty ideas, see our pecan desserts. Who brings the whipped cream?

You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup dark corn syrup, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, caramel sauce for serving

How to make it: 1. Melt 2 tbsp butter with 1/4 cup brown sugar and spread over the bottom of the crust. 2. Whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt. 3. Stir in pecans and pour into the crust. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes until just set. 5. Cool 3 hours and drizzle each slice with caramel.