Pecan Pralines

You can stop searching because you have found the most yummy for your tummy Pecan Pralines!
I know this to be true because I have been busy all week testing and retesting brown sugar/white sugar ratios along with the butter, the cream, the vanilla and pecans!

I can not remember the when of our first trip to Savannah, but I will never forget the wow of walking into River Street Sweets shop on the riverfront for the first time. They were handing out free samples of the most heavenly candy I'd ever tasted. Southern Pecan Pralines..warm!!!

I was forever changed! If possible, my love affair with sugar grew even stronger. I had to re-create my own praline candies at home. So if you've never had a pecan praline, try my recipe and see what all the fuss is about! You won't be disappointed!

You can see in the photo below what a difference the sugars made in the finished color of the candies, but there is also a taste difference. You also want some, but not too much spread with your pralines. In the final recipe we hit the absolute sweet spot!

On the way to creating the best tasting (and looking) pralines, I exhausted my supply of the most delicious pecans. It's ok though, totally worth it!

Hubby said all the batches tasted great but the final batch was spot on what I was looking for in creating the perfect praline. They are rich and creamy and just plain ole delicious!

Quoting my 12 year-old grandson, Aaron, "I could eat this candy all day long!"

These Pecan Pralines were a long time coming and are absolutely inspired by the world's greatest, Riverstreet Sweets!

Granulated and brown sugar, half & half, butter, vanilla and pecans are all you need to cook up your own sweet and nutty treats.

Tools you will need:
4 quart heavy bottomed saucepan
wooden spoon
candy thermometer
parchment lined pans
large spoon or ice cream scoop

In a heavy bottomed 4 quart saucepan, combine sugars and half & half. Add butter, set heat to medium and begin stirring,

Love this Kerry Gold butter!

Continue stirring hot candy mixture.

 Cook candy to 235 degrees F stirring constantly.

 Remove from heat, add pecans and vanilla stirring just until candy thickens up and loses its gloss.

I used an ice cream/cookie scoop to dip out my candies but you can just as easily use a spoon to dip them up. Just work quickly as these little babies set up fast!

If they do start getting too thick you can add a few drops of the half & half and stir till smooth.

Ohhh, would you look at that!

Mmmmm..and this!

 I gave my daughter and her large crew a good handful of these! They loved them and I was thrilled!

Pecan Pralines
1  1/2 cups light brown sugar
1  1/2 cups granulated sugar
1  3/4 cups half & half
3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups pecans

Combine sugars and cream in a heavy bottomed 4 quart saucepan. Add butter and cook while stirring over medium heat. Attach candy thermometer and continue cooking and stirring until candy reaches 235 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from heat, add vanilla and pecans and stir just until candy thickens and loses its gloss.

Quickly scoop or spoon pralines onto parchment lined pans. If they thicken up too much before you get them all scooped, you can add a few drops of half & half, stir, and keep on scooping.

It will depend on how small or large you make these to determine the yield. My batch made 20-24.

p.s. you will not have to wait long to sample your sweet creations as they set up super fast!


I hope y'all like these pecan pralines as much as my family does!

'til we sweet again, karen💗