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BEST Louisiana Pralines Recipe

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 Homemade creamy Louisiana praline candy made of cream, sugar, salted butter, vanilla, and pecans!. Includes step by step video tutorial!

Pecan Pralines are a true southern dessert. Here's a great recipe to make them at home!

I love true southern Louisiana Pecan Pralines. They are absolutely one of my favorite candies. I was first introduced to pralines when I was younger. It was when we had a family reunion in Baton Rouge or New Orleans. It was love at first bite. The creamy buttery  candy was filled with pecans, had me head over heels. We didn’t have anything quite like it back home. It wasn’t until a few years back that I figured out how to make pralines. I even uploaded the recipe, and video on YouTube for pecan pralines. However, since then- I revised the recipe!

My first recipe was a combination of sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, pecans, and butter… My new recipe uses half & half ( half milk, half cream). I use the same other ingredients for these pralines, however the measurements have changed.

What are New Orleans pralines?

New Orleans has a lot of different types of  pralines. When you visit New Orleans you’ll see several shops that sell pralines in different sizes, shapes, colors, flavors, and etc. However, the most common praline is made from cream, sugar, and pecans.

These pralines are sweet and made with vanilla, cream, butter, sugar and of course, pecans!


 

 

What kind of nut is a praline?

It really depends who you ask. When I hear the word praline I assume that it’s pecans. However, there are some places that refer to praline as a candy made from chocolate and almonds. 

How long does it take pralines to harden?

After making pralines, it usually takes around 30 minutes for the candy to firm up. To be completely honest, the candy shouldn’t be hard! If it’s hard you didn’t do something wrong, Perhaps you cooked them too much. Pralines should be firm, but on the softer side. Especially if they’re freshly made. I find that the older that pralines get, the harder they become.

Why did my pralines come out chewy?

Pralines should be soft, firm, and on the chewy side. They should not be hard to bite into! These candies are on the delicate side. They should be easy to break, and soft to chew.

What state is known for pralines?

Louisiana is known for having the best pralines. People actually travel there, just to buy the pralines! It’s just that good. However, I’ve been told that Texas has some pretty good pralines as well.

Don't use a non-stick pan when making the pralines there's a lot of whisking involved.

What city is known for pralines?

When most people think of pralines, they think of New Orleans. It’s a popular signature treat that is sold from many stores in New Orleans. However, It’s also popular in other Louisiana cities such as Baton Rouge, and etc.

Do pralines need to be refrigerated?

Absolutely not. I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating pralines, because you will change the texture. I recommend storing pralines at room temperature in an airtight container.

Here’s a few tips before you get started!

  • Prep baking / cooking sheets prior to making pralines: Make sure that you line the cookie sheet with parchment paper BEFORE you start cooking the candy. 
  • Make sure that the butter that you use is salted! : Unsalted butter will change the taste, and simply won’t do. Be sure to use salted butter for best results. Also be sure to use REAL butter. No margarine, or an other butter substitutes should be used for this recipe.
  • Have a candy thermometer on hand: If you’re new at making pralines, you definitely want to make sure that you have a candy thermometer on hand! The Praline mixture must reach 240 F while cooking.
  • Do not use a stick free sauce pan, unless you have a coated whisk. There is a lot of whisking, and you don’t want to scratch up your pan.

If you love Louisiana cuisine, be sure to check out these recipes!

Watch me make these pralines!

BEST Louisiana Pralines Recipe

These Louisiana pralines are the best sweet tooth treat because they're sweet, filling and so addicting. A mix of cream, vanilla, and pecans combine perfectly to make this easy bite-sized candy.
Watch Video Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Candy, Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Keyword Louisiana Pralines
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the butter, sugars, and half in half into a large saucepan, then turn the heat up to medium.
  • Bring the candy mixture to 240 F, and let the candy mixture cook for about 5 minutes without stirring.
  • After the five minutes, add in the vanilla extract, and stir.
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Toss in the pecans, and fold in.
  • Grab a wooden spoon, and stir the hot candy mixture until it thickens.
  • Spoon out the candy mixture onto parchment paper.
  • Let the candy cool completely.
  • Enjoy!

Video

If you loved this recipe, leave me a review below. This helps future recipe makers and ensures continued high-quality recipes for years to come!
© 2024 I Heart Recipes
Recipe by: I Heart Recipes

 

MEET THE RECIPE AUTHOR

Rosie

I’m a Soul Food blogger living in the Pacific Northwest, bringing Southern cooking to gorgeous Seattle, Washington. I was born and raised in the PNW, but my family roots go all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where my grandparents were born and raised. I live every day to bring the traditional values, recipes, and love of food to life for my family—whether they’re online or in real life. So, welcome to the party, family!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love all your recipes! From a brother to a sister i never miss not one so helpful i have a passion for great meals and new ideas for my family and you help me every time ! Be bless and continue on doing what u do!

    Reply

  4. Rosie-

    Can’t wait to try this recipe. Pralines are my husband’s favorite dessert!!! I want to surprise him- can’t wait to see the look on his face.

    Reply

  5. I actually learned how to make pralines based off of your first instructional video and I can’t wait to try this recipe too!!

    Reply

      • ROSIE!!! Giiiiiiirrrrl, I made these this weekend for my in laws and they were AMAZING!!! You are so right; this recipe is creamier than the previous one and I LOVE IT! Thank you again 😉

        Reply

  7. Thank you for your recipes they are so good and I will be following you on Patreon.God bless you and keep up the good work.

    Reply

  8. From one cook/baker to another… I absolutely love your recipes and always look forward to your new recipes. Keep posting great recipes. Blessings

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Love all of your recipes but I want to mention that when I clicked on pralines it took me to the potato salad recipe and the potato salad took me to the praline page. I love both recipes but I hope you don’t mind me mentioning this glitch on the site so that your webmaster can correct it.
    Keep the great recipes coming!

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    Just tried the recipe and it is wonderful. I am making these as gifts for Christmas and I know they will go over great. They taste fantastic.

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    Quick and easy recipe – these are addictive! I made them to add to some homemade pumpkin ice cream – devine! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe = )

    Reply

  14. Hi! I just made these and while they taste amazing, they came out all crumbly and I can’t shape them into anything. Did I not spoon them out of the pot quickly enough? They looked nice and creamy at first but after stirring for just about another minute or so, they turned into crumbles. Please tell me where I went wrong. Thanks!

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Hi Rosie ! Merry Christmas to you. I decided I would try to make the pecan candy and finally got it to work, but thinking id bought pecans, I bought walnuts! Tastes a little differently, but family seems to like it !

    Reply

  16. 5 stars
    By choice I’ve always used sweetened condensed milk when I make the pralines but am interested in trying your recipe. I have to make more than I normally make so I will have to triple the batch… do you recommend the exact recipe or taking some ingredients down a notch?

    Reply

  18. 5 stars
    Rosie, I just love, love, love your recipes. I will be try to make these pralines this weekend and I cannot wait. I have everything except the half n half. Thanks for such great recipes!!! 🙂

    Reply

  21. Hello I just made these, they are still cooling. I was wondering about the amount of vanilla extract of 1 tbsp. I will let you know how them came out. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.

    Reply

  23. Hi Rosie! I adore Southern style cooking and found your site this past weekend and I love it! I have already tried your crock-pot macaroni and cheese – my family was practically drooling when I took the lid off and they saw all that cheese! I then tried your Best Louisiana Pecan Pralines as a surprise for my daughter Brenna. That girl LOVES pralines after sampling them at the Savannah Candy Company and she LOVED your version as well! They were really easy too. I am getting ready to make a batch of your BBQ rub for some baked BBQ pork chops for tonight’s dinner. I love your videos and I appreciate that you take the time to explain things as you go along – very few food bloggers do that. I look forward to trying many more of your recipes. Your picture is lovely by the way!

    Reply

  24. I have not tried this yet but “will”. The first and only time I have enjoyed a praline was in New Orleans. Our 30th Anniversary on the Delta Queen. It is 25 years later, and about time I try. Wondering if this is the same as what we enjoyed then? CJ

    Reply

  25. 5 stars
    Hello,

    I have made two batches of your pralines and must say that they taste delicious! The first batch came out crumbled and I realized that I let the mixture sit too long. The second batch came out with a nice consistency but now I would like to get them thinner and not have them as thick any suggestions? I want them to have more of a flat smooth look opposed to a lumpy thick look which means that I need to get my mixture to thin out some. How do I accomplish this?

    Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

    • Hi Shay! That’s a good question. Unfortunately, you’ll have to play around with it a bit, until you reach the desired texture. Maybe add a little more half & half?

      Reply

  27. 5 stars
    OMG, this recipe is so bomb. You made me a celebrity thkend. We grew up on this candy but got away from it in later years. We feel you helped us retrieve an honered famly tradition. Only problem is I had to put the extras in the freezer bercause I was eating it for breakfast!

    Reply

  28. 5 stars
    Hi Rosie, first of all, you are so lovely! Thank you for starting this blog!!!
    Secondly, after visiting New Orleans with my family, my husband fell in love with the pralines from Southern Candymakers. He asked me to order a box, but at nearly $60… I decided to try and make them at home.
    Looking forward to trying this recipe. It has the most wholesome, pure ingredients I’ve seen online. Wish me luck.
    My one question is, I plan on using a double broiler for this rather than putting the pan directly over the flame, will I need to adjust my cook times?

    Reply

  29. Thank you so much for your recipe & video. I’ve wanted to learn to make these since I had my first praline in New Orleans last year. After watch your video I’m confident that I can now & they look great.

    Reply

  30. For nearly 23 years I’ve been returning to New Orleans. Perhaps my Cherokee/French roots draw me there – or the spirits (not libation although I wouldn’t turn down a nice Chartreuse or a proper glass of absinthe). So many praline recipes online are nonsense- more like brittle. Whenever I see ‘corn syrup’ as an ingredient, something inside of me reels back in horror. The perfect praline is creamy, melts in your mouth and is a perfect confection for folks trying to recover from excessive weight loss (provided they don’t have diabetes lol). Either way, I found your recipe and this is the REAL DEAL. No BS. This is TRUE creole. You’re a darned genius Ma’am. Thank you. I was all out of brown sugar, so I used the pure cane sugar I had in that measure and added oh , maybe 3-4 tablespoons of unfiltered molasses – ,just a slight pinch of Himalayan salt, and went ahead and added about a quarter of heavy whipping cream in place of a quarter of the half and half – and let me tell you- you are beloved in my household! I’ll be back in New Orleans over October/November and will think lovingly of you and your contribution. Also this is a great dessert recipe for folks with Celiac Disease (which I have unfortunately.) excellent . Love you lady!!

    Reply

      • 5 stars
        Hi Rosie. I’m making a bread pudding recipe of Emeril’s which calls for pralines in the bread pudding. I made your pralines and they are delicious! I didn’t even wait for them to completely cool before I tasted them.

        Thanks so much!!

        Reply

  31. 5 stars
    My husband has made these pralines many times! They have been a big hit at family & church functions! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

    Reply

  32. 5 stars
    Five generations of my mother’s people were Louisiana born and raised so I recognize home cooking and it’s no different with these pralines. It’s been ages since I made them and, sadly, the aunt who taught me was lost after Katrina. That’s why I’m so happy to have found your recipe for these truly creamy treats.

    I am so happy to have found your site. My best friends are coming to town and I want to dazzle them with this kind of delicious. No corn syrup need apply.

    Reply

  33. 5 stars
    Umm YUM! Thanks for sharing this recipe and the video! Was so helpful. These are delicious! I live in Australia now but am from Louisiana. Was hoping to share a bit of home with people here and this was perfect!

    Thank you!

    Reply

  34. 5 stars
    OMG! These are the best pralines I have EVER tasted!! Rosie, thank you so much for the clear instructions and measurements. The video helped tremendously. Since I don’t have a candy thermometer, I was able to get a visual of the texture of the mixture should be when I scoop it out onto the parchment paper. They turned out super creamy and literally melts in your mouth.

    I halved the pecans and it was just right for me. I like to taste more sugar, fewer nuts 😉

    Thanks again!!

    Reply

  35. 5 stars
    I made these this morning, they are delicious! Now, I do t have to ask people to bring me some back from Louisiana!!!!!! I can make my own!

    Reply

  36. 5 stars
    I made a vegan version of this recipe using 1/4 cuo of coconut milk, a 1/4 cup if coconut cream and 7 tablespoons of Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter. The pralines turned out excellent! And being a Louisianna Creole gal, I know a good praline when I eat one! Thank you for this great recipe to use as a base for vegan pralines. My sister and I have been contemplating how to make them since we started our vegan journey.

    Reply

  37. I am 81 my aunt cottie made these with my help. I have made for most Christmas. They are really good but the older I got and the children grew up I only made them when they came for holidays. My aunt had only a third education and I know what she ment on the recipe. When she sad cow’s milk she wanted you to use can milk. This Christmas we are going to the grand parent of our great grands they want to make them so it will still remain in the family. I am also looking for a recipe for what my aunt cottie call an icebox fruit cake. If anyone knows of one please let me know

    Reply

  38. 5 stars
    This southern Louisiana Pecan Pralines recipe seems delicious and unique one , never tried this one . Will love to make this . Thanks for sharing this one .

    Reply

  39. 5 stars
    Can’t wait to try this Louisiana Pralines Recipe, seems amazing and unique . Super excited to try this one, thanks for sharing this one with us.

    Reply

  41. 5 stars
    OMG! I just made your recipe. I couldn’t stop licking the spoon. Pralines are currently cooling. I’m having friends over tomorrow morning. My friend’s husband is from New Orleans so, it’ll be the big test. We are in the Austn, Tx area. But, so far I love them. So easy to put together. I didn’t have quite enough Half & Half but added a little evaporated milk to comlete the measurement. Fingers crossed that it was ok. Didn’t find a place to post my pralines pic.

    Reply

  42. Looks easy enough! my grandmother used to send these at Christmas time from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a southern treat! Thanks!!

    Reply

  43. 5 stars
    I really miss the bayous and food from the home area. Born near Houston and miss creole food in my new home in the Carolinas. Can’t wait to make this and share with folks here. Thanks and have you bookmarked.

    Reply

  47. Do you have a recipe for orange fudge, the thick kind, not cake, where you get the orange and chocolate swirls in there? I remember pralines as having not so much pecans. Ha mve we gotten more affluent. A lot of times it would be a semisoft sugar kind of flat with just one pecan half set on top, or a little, not a lot, of pecan pieces.

    Reply

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