Southern Pecan Pralines (Traditional Praline Recipe)

Old fashioned Southern pecan pralines are pecan clusters coated in a buttery candy with a caramel-like flavor. This traditional praline recipe is a small-scale version of the classic pecan candy recipe they make at the candy stores downtown Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, and New Orleans!

This easy praline recipe is made with five simple ingredients in under 30 minutes. They’re perfect for shipping to friends and family and make great homemade gifts for the holiday season!

This detailed tutorial is perfect for first-time and experienced candymakers alike. In my video and step-by-step photos, I show you how to visually identify the correct time to take your praline mixture off the heat, even if you don’t have a candy thermometer.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Southern

Cook Time 20

Time to cool 1 30

Total Time 20

Servings pralines

Calories 260kcal

Equipment

Instant Read Thermometer
5 qt or larger pot
Wooden spoon
1/4 cup measuring cup or cookie scoop
Parchment paper
Small spatula

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup butter
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

Before you begin, lay out your parchment paper, 1/4-cup measuring cup or cookie scoop, and small spatula, and measure out your pecans. You need to be able to move quickly once you take your candy off the heat and can't waste any time looking for tools or measuring ingredients once it starts to cool.
Add sugar, half-and-half, butter, and baking soda to a large pot (5 qts or more). Stir ingredients to combine and heat over medium high heat.
Heat, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do not have an instant-read thermometer or candy thermometer, please watch the recipe video and refer to the photos above or in the recipe notes for a visual of what to look for so you know it's the right temperature.
When the mixture reaches 250 degrees, remove from heat and stir in the pecans. Let the mixture cool for one minute so it can thicken a little before you scoop out your pralines.
Drop pralines onto the parchment paper by 1/4-cup scoops (or using a cookie scoop), giving just a little space between. If mixture starts to cool and harden too much before you finish scooping, you can add a tablespoon or two of water to thin out the praline mixture again.
Allow to cool at room temperature for an hour or two, or until pralines are hard. Pralines should have a glossy sheen to them and break cleanly with sort of a snap (not audible) rather than bending like a soft cookie. (They're not crunchy either, besides the natural crunch of the pecans)
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Pralines made correctly will become less glossy with time.

Notes

If you don't have an instant-read thermometer:

Please refer to the post for a visual of what to expect as your mixture heats up. It will start to foam at 200 degrees, foam up and expand to a peak around 215 degrees, and then settle down by 220 degrees. This mixture is 235 degrees; notice the darker lines with puffy hills between them. Keep cooking for another 30 seconds to a minute.

This mixture is 250 degrees. The puffiness is gone and there are open bubbles across the top. When your mixture looks like this, remove it from the heat and stir in your pecans.

Nutrition