By: Jill Mills Posted: Sep 19, 2025

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These melt-in-your-mouth Pecan Pralines are the ultimate sweet and salty treat that’s perfect for the Holidays or any time of year! Ready in 15-minutes!

Pecan pralines displayed on a white plate with golden ornaments and pinecones in the background, creating a holiday-themed setting.

One of my favorite sharable desserts for Christmas is Southern Pecan Pralines. They are easy to make and so delicious. I remember the first time I ever tried a pecan praline was in New Orleans and immediately fell in love! These aren’t overly sweet and are wonderfully balanced with a little salt and crunchy pecans. If you want a showstopping shareable treat to make for your next holiday gathering, these should be at the top of your list! Consider making a double batch and package them up for gift giving. Just remember to save yourself some extras at home!

If you love pecan candy, also try these other homemade candy recipes: Chocolate Pecan Turtle Clusters, Candied Pecan Fudge, Rolo Pretzel Turtles and Saltine Cracker Toffee.

Why You’ll Love These Pecan Pralines

Ready in 15 minutes. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare and set the pecan pralines. It’s a very speedy dessert that’s easy to make last minute! I love this recipe if plans change or if I need a dessert ready fast.
No thermometer is needed. Many recipes require a candy thermometer, but this one doesn’t. It’s very easy to get the mixture to the correct consistency before you form the pralines.
They make a great gift. Put them in a festive bag with a ribbon or a holiday gift box. They are a thoughtful homemade gift that any of your friends and family would love to receive!

A close-up of a pecan praline with a bite taken out, showing the creamy texture and crunchy pecan filling.

Ingredients Needed

Simple staple ingredients are used in this pecan praline recipe. They will be found in the baking and dairy aisles of any grocery store. Take a look at the recipe card to find the exact measurements needed.

Sugars: The molasses flavor in light brown sugar compliments the cream and butter mixture. It adds more depth of flavor than white sugar. Powdered sugar is key in achieving the correct consistency in these pecan pralines. It helps them to set but not become hard.
Cream: I use heavy cream in this recipe to make the butter mixture perfectly rich and creamy. You may also use evaporated milk if you prefer.
Butter: I use unsalted butter in this recipe. If you want to use salted butter, omit the salt. Do not use margarine as it won’t yield the same result.
Vanilla extract: The subtle vanilla flavor enhances the other ingredients. I recommend using pure vanilla extract if possible.
Pecans: Halved pecans are best for this recipe. They aren’t too big or super tiny so you still get a good crunch.
Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness in these treats.

Ingredients for pecan pralines displayed in bowls, including pecans, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla extract.

How to Make Pecan Pralines

This can be a tricky process, but don’t worry! If you follow these directions it will result in some delicious southern pecan pralines for you to devour. I recommend having your ingredients measured ahead so you can focus on the cooking.

Prep a baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to keep the pecan pralines from sticking.
Make the cream and butter mixture. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt.
Bring to a boil. Stir the mixture often and allow it to come to a boil over medium heat. Let it boil for a minute without stirring.
Add powdered sugar. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until it’s smooth.

A saucepan containing brown sugar, butter, cream, and vanilla, ready to be cooked into pecan praline mixture.

A saucepan filled with golden-brown praline mixture, freshly cooked and ready for shaping.

Add vanilla and pecans. Mix in the vanilla and pecans until they are well incorporated.
Cool. Allow the mixture to cool for only 1-2 minutes.
Form the pralines. Scoop spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon) of the mixture with a cookie scoop and drop it onto the lined baking sheet. Repeat this for the remaining pecan praline mixture.
Set and serve. Let it sit at room temperature to cool completely and set. Enjoy!

A festive presentation of pecan pralines on a white plate, surrounded by rustic holiday decorations and greenery.

Tips for Success

Watch the mixture closely. The cooling portion of the instructions is important because you don’t want it to cool too much and become too hard to work with. It’s a very quick process. If it does become too hard, add a teaspoon of cream to the mixture and stir to smooth it out.
Pay attention to timing. I find that this is crucial for the boiling step. The mixture doesn’t need to boil for long, so don’t leave it unattended to prevent the chance of it burning or reducing too much.
Don’t refrigerate them. These pecan pralines are best served at room temperature. I don’t recommend storing them in the refrigerator because it makes them a little bit too hard to bite into.
I’ve learned that pralines are not always easy. They are finnicky! I’ve tried them using a candy thermometer and they turned out fine as well. Using this method yielded the least grainy candy.
Variation. Feel free to change the nuts using almonds, walnuts or cashews.

Proper Storage

Store these pralines in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them completely at room temperature before you enjoy them.

This pecan praline recipe makes great gifts for the Holidays. We like to place red or green tissue paper into a decorative can and give them out to family, neighbors and friends.

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