There is nothing like old-fashioned Southern Pecan Pralines! This melt-in-your-mouth treat is a cross between a cookie and a candy and it’s loaded with crunchy pecans, butter, and fabulous brown sugar flavor.

pecan pralines on and off of a blue plate with scattered pecans around it


I also have a Chocolate Pralines version! If you love making homemade candy to share with friends and family, be sure to also check out my Easy Homemade Peppermint BarkOld-Fashioned Homemade Peanut Brittle, and English Toffee!

On our recent trip to Savannah, Georgia, one of the first things we did was stop at River Street Sweets and pick up a couple of classic southern pecan pralines. The sweet smell of caramel and fudge and chocolate beckons you in off the street and the moment you walk in the door you are offered samples of their famous pralines. 

The classic pecan praline is my favorite, but you guys, you can also get a chocolate pecan praline too and they are divine.

There are actually two candy shops right there on River Street in Savannah, and I actually preferred the chocolate pecan pralines from Savannah Candy Kitchen, just down the block from River Street Sweets. But River Street Sweets made my favorite classic pecan pralines.

We even made multiple trips between the two stores over the weekend just to double-check. Because research. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

I wanted to share southern pecan pralines as part of my American Eats series representing Georgia since it produces more pecans than any other state in the nation. If you love pecans, you might also want to try my classic pecan pie or these decadent pecan pie cheesecake bars.

An image of pecan praline candy on a blue glass plate.

Quick Praline Recipe History

But pralines actually came to the USA from French chefs in Louisiana first and are often associated with New Orleans. From there they spread throughout the South and can be found all over in Georgia, South Carolina, and other southern states.

There is also a chewy version from Texas that my friend Kelly from Kelly’s Kitchen Creation makes and sells. Kelly sent me a box of her chewy pralines last year and they are heavenly. You can order a box of them here and she will ship them to you. That’s not an affiliate link and she didn’t sponsor this post. I just think the world of Kelly and wanted to share since her chewy Texas pralines are totally different from these southern pecan pralines.

What is a Pecan Praline?

Southern pecan pralines are a sweet candy confection that is made with pecans, sugar, butter, and some form of dairy. I’ve seen pecan praline recipes using milk, cream, half-and-half, evaporated milk, and even buttermilk. 

I haven’t tried every option in my pecan pralines recipe, choosing instead to stick with evaporated milk while recipe testing, but I’m pretty confident that you could sub in equal amounts of a different dairy choice and still have you pralines turn out just fine.

What do pralines taste like?

Pralines have a wonderful texture that melts in your mouth. They are firm and have a snap when you break them, but they aren’t crunchy (beyond the crunch of the pecans) or hard.

While pralines are most typically made with pecans, they started out being made with almonds historically. It wasn’t until the recipe arrived in America from France that pecans became the nut of choice for this sweet treat.

Pecans Praline Ingredients

  • Pecan halves – You don’t need to toast the pecans first, but if you store your pecans in the freezer (like I do), be sure to let them sit out at room temperature for an hour or two before adding them to the praline mixture.
  • Sugar – The combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these pralines their classic flavor.
  • Salt
  • Evaporated milk – Half-and-half, cream, or even whole milk can be used (and you might see them in other recipes), but evaporated milk gives me the best, most consistent results.
  • Salted butter
  • Vanilla extract

How to make Pecan Pralines

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
  2. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. 
  3. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugars dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil. 
  4. Continue to cook until the temperature reaches between 235-240°F on a candy thermometer (affiliate link) (soft ball stage), then immediately remove from heat and allow the praline mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the vanilla and pecans, beating by hand with a wooden spoon just until the candy begins to lose its glossiness and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. If you beat too long, the candy will seize and start to crumble. If you don’t beat it long enough, then pralines won’t set properly and will stay soft and sticky. 
  6. Work quickly to drop heaping tablespoons of pecan praline mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I find that it works best to use a cookie dough scoop. If the mixture begins to harden before you have a chance to scoop all of the pralines, add a teaspoon of hot water at a time and stir until you can scoop again.
  7. Cool completely until pralines are set and firm. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.
An image of a candy thermometer in a saucepan of boiling sugar.

Praline Pecans Recipe Tips

  • Use a candy thermometer. Like with most candy recipes, a good candy thermometer is crucial to getting the temperature of the ingredients just right so they set properly. I have always used a basic, cheap candy thermometer (affiliate link) and it works great.
  • Have some very hot water on hand in case your pralines begin to seize. I found when recipe testing that it was very easy to overbeat the mixture and it seemed start setting up sooner than I anticipated. But stirring in a couple of teaspoons of very hot water totally saved my batch of pralines.
  • You might want to just plan on making this recipe more than once.  Having extra ingredients on hand can save you a lot of frustration if this is your first time making pralines. I made 3 or 4 batches before I felt good about how my pralines were turning out, although I hadn’t actually tried an authentic pecan praline before and wasn’t totally sure I had nailed the texture. I was also worried about the little bit of bloom you can see in the photos and wondered if that meant I had still overmixed or overcooked the pralines. But then we went to Savannah and it was very validating to see that even the pecan pralines at River Street Sweets had a similar bloom on top of their pralines. I’m a pretty confident baker, but candy and sweets are definitely more of a challenge for me, which I was reminded of when making these pralines. Give yourself some grace if your batch doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time and try again!
  • Don’t worry if you don’t get it right on the first try! If your batch doesn’t set properly and is gooey, use it as an ice cream topping or chill and roll into 1-inch balls and dip in chocolate to make truffles! Or if they set too fast and you have crumbly pralines that can’t be saved with the hot water trick, just roughly chop them up and add them to slightly softened vanilla ice cream (so good!). 

How long do pecan pralines last?

Pecan pralines will last up to 2 weeks when sealed in an airtight container, although I definitely prefer them fresh. Heck, I prefer them still warm while they are setting up!

Can pecan pralines be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze your pralines, just like you can freeze fudge or caramels. Be sure to place them in an airtight freezer safe bag and they will last for up to 2 months in the freezer. (Yeah right, they won’t last that long because they will all be eaten long before that point.) 

Just allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.

An image of southern pecan pralines on a plate.

How to use Praline Pecans

We like to makes pecan pralines to deliver to friends in small cellophane bags or boxes during the holidays. They are a great choice for a cookie exchange even because they are similar in size and shape, even though they are a candy instead of a cookie.

You can also chop them up and add them to a dessert cheese ball, ice cream, a batch of caramel corn, or even mix them into cookies or brownies if you wanted to use them in a recipe.

Pecan Praline Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between a pecan and a praline?

A pecan is a type of nut while a praline is a type of candy that is made with sugar and nuts. While pecans are the most common type of nut used in pralines, almonds or hazelnuts will work too.

Are candied pecans the same as praline pecans?

Most any good Southerner knows that pecan pralines and praline pecans are not the same thing, despite the confusingly similar names. Praline pecans and candied pecans are individual sugared nuts that are much closer to each other than the melt-in-your mouth patties or discs that are the pecan pralines we are making with this recipe. You could grab a handful of praline pecans and pop them into your mouth one-by-one whereas with a pecan praline you would pick up one of them and eat it more like a cookie, even though it’s a candy. Confusing? Yes, but let’s just go with it.

Why are pecans called pralines?

Pecans and their candied version, pralines, are so intertwined as to have become synonymous to some folks, I suppose. You could probably get away with throwing in sugared pralines into a recipe that call for regular old pecans and it would still turn out.

What to do with failed pralines?

If your pralines don’t turn out just the way you wanted them too, all is not lost. You might be able to save them just by stirring in some very, very hot water if the pralines are seizing because they were stirred too much. I’ve had great success with this approach because this is my number one mistake. If all else fails and the pecan pralines got too crumbly and dry, you can still sprinkle them over ice cream or mix them into homemade vanilla ice cream for a delicious treat.

More Candy Recipes To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

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Southern Pecan Pralines

4.91 from 146 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 -20 servings
There is nothing like old-fashioned Southern Pecan Pralines! This melt-in-your-mouth treat is a cross between a cookie and a candy and it's loaded with crunchy pecans, butter, and fabulous brown sugar flavor.  

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
  • 6 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.  
  • In a medium-size heavy pot, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the sugars dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil.
    1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half, 6 Tablespoons salted butter
  • Continue to cook until the temperature reaches between 235-240°F on a candy thermometer (affiliate link) (soft ball stage). Remove from heat and allow the praline mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the vanilla and pecans, beating by hand with a wooden spoon just until the candy begins to lose its glossiness and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. If you beat too long, the candy will seize and start to crumble. If you don’t beat it long enough, then pralines won’t set properly and will stay soft and sticky.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups pecan halves
  • Work quickly to drop heaping tablespoons (I use a small cookie dough scoop) of pecan praline mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. If the praline mixture begins to harden in the pan, add a teaspoon of hot water at a time and stir to keep the mixture loose enough to scoop and drop. 
  • Cool completely until set and the pralines have reached room temperature. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

Some people prefer to chop their pecans. I leave mine whole just like the pecan pralines at River Street Sweets. 
Adapted from AllRecipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

4.91 from 146 votes (113 ratings without comment)

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Reader questions and reviews

  1. Susan Mcclure says:

    My pralines are a little grainy. Any idea why?  But still, I loved them lol!

    1. Amy says:

      The biggest tip I can give to avoid grainy pralines is to make sure to not cook the sugars at too high of a temperature when you start out. Getting the brown sugar to dissolve is the trickiest part for me and I find it’s easier to do at a slightly lower temperature.

  2. Barbara Powell says:

    My pralines are also a bit grainy and have white bloches in them. They taste great though.!
    Why the color difference?

    1. Amy says:

      It can take a few tries to overcome this, but honestly, in every batch I seem to have a few like that, especially towards the end of the pan. Try a slightly lower heat next time to cook them a bit slower.

  3. Christine says:

    I made this recipe and followed it exactly.  Came our perfect except I used two baking pans.  

  4. Evelyn Jones says:

    These are awesome!!! Taste just like the Savannah sweets pralines and since I live 40 miles from Savannah we have a running tasting of these from River street several times a year. I’m a tour guide for Excursions Unlimited, so the first time I made this recipe was Sunday night in preparation for a trip. I had 39 on board and still left 15 are so home for my husband. These people live in the area and said they do taste as good as or better than Savannah Sweets. I think it’s the canned milk! Enjoy!!!

    1. Amy says:

      Thank you SO MUCH for your comment! I cannot tell how happy this made me to hear. It really made my week!

  5. Catherine says:

    Turned out exactly as described! Thank you!!!

  6. Lisa says:

    Turned out beautifully and delicious. Followed the recipe exactly. But toasted the pecans first. 
    Perfect! Thanks!! 

  7. Helene Rose Berry says:

    I made these for my holiday party @ work and now everyone is asking me if I sell them. They were delicious and I nailed them on first try. Recipe was perfect. Please make chocolate pralines and share the recipe!

    1. Amy says:

      I’m so glad they were such a hit! I will see what I can do about the chocolate pralines!

  8. Margaret says:

    Hi yes I just made this for the first time. I tried to follow the directions exactly. Where I had an issue was that I could not beat it for the full two minutes. It just got too thick and I don’t have enough strength in my arm to keep going. I managed about a minute and a half. The first few cookies I dropped are almost perfect, really nice and creamy. As I worked though I noticed the latter ones were a bit more crumbly and drier.  I’m guessing I cooked it just a tiny bit too long? 

    1. Amy says:

      That’s what it sounds like. I had the same problem the first time I tried making them too. 🙂

  9. DELORES says:

    Turned out great but I doubled the amount if nuts so they would have less of a candy coating. Delicious!

  10. Mitchell says:

    I made these tonight after having missed the ones from River Street in Savannah Georgia where I’m from. They were fantastic! I added a 1/2 tablespoon of molasses to mine.

  11. Joe says:

    I hate recipes like this im not intrested in your life story or how you discovered the recipe. just post the recipe instruction and thats it

    1. Amy says:

      You know, Joe, as a food blogger, I hear this occasionally. Usually I don’t respond when someone comments like this, but for some reason – maybe it’s that it’s 2020 or the holiday season – your comment just rubbed me the wrong way today. There is no need for rudeness. Maybe you would say this to my face, but I doubt you would treat someone like this in person and it’s wrong of you to say it online as well. I work hard to provide the best recipes and content I can, but when it comes down to it, this is my blog and I’m going to write and share about the foods we enjoy any way I please and I don’t need to explain that or apologize to you for it. You are welcome to buy a cookbook or go to another site if you don’t like my approach. Or there is always the “jump to recipe” button at the top of every post on my site. All you have to do is click that and it will take you straight to the recipe, bypassing the rest of the post. Just remember, there is a real person behind this blog and you should treat people with more civility than you showed me with your mean-spirited comment.

      1. Brenda says:

        You Go Girl!

      2. leona says:

        well said what you said to joe

      3. Scotty2 says:

        Your response was precise and well written.
        Sometimes a cohesive, astute reminder to those selfish individuals lacking in the understanding.This reminder,
        that the world revolves for every living thing within it’s community of nature is sadly, oftentimes needed for individuals who fail to grasp the concept that the world is not there to serve the spoiled, manchild and his myopic, rude,childish tantrums.Especially so, for something someone shared freely of themselves with no obligation to continue reading…I believe in the future, I certainly will continue reading.
        Oh, and nice story,.. recipe:) I enjoyed learning something today because of you.

      4. Melissa Boutwell says:

        Couldn’t agree more with your response to his extremely rude comment. He’s obviously a grouch and also isn’t very thorough in his reading or he would have seen the very clear option of “Jump to recipe”. I use it sometimes if I don’t feel like reading whatever precedes the recipe. Absolutely no call for him to be so nasty. Good for you for standing up to him. Can’t wait to try your recipe because I do love Savannah Sweets pralines and this recipe seems to be similar. Thank you for sharing.

      5. Vic says:

        Joe needs to cool his tits. It’s not that serious.

    2. Cheralynn says:

      Hey Joe why don’t you just get a life. Or better yet instead of making pralines go do something manly like fishing or hunting. You probably can’t do that either.

    3. Iris Voorhees says:

      How very rude, Joe. Move along and offend someone else. These recipes are for food loving people and i am grateful for them. You take the cake with your nasty comments.

    4. Not Joe says:

      Are you an asshole in real life, Joe, or do you just comment like one on recipes? Either way, we aren’t interested in your opinion. Maybe try a little kindness on your next comment.

      Sincerely, A better human than you.

    5. Bob says:

      Manners, manners, they help smooth relationships, even distant ones. Why irritate when you can be better.

    6. Cynthia says:

      Similarly, Joe, we’re not interested in your personal likes and dislikes. Just post your recipe comments and that’s it.

  12. Eva Sullivan says:

    First time with this recipe – thanks! I’ve never made them all in one pot before. So easy! My mother’s family is all from Louisiana, so we have a traditional recipe I’ve been following for years. Next time, I will use dark brown sugar so they’re prettier. 

  13. Emily OConnor says:

    Hello Amy! Happy Holidays and thank you for such an awesome recipe. I ended up making three batches (I had lots of pecans) and found all of your suggestions very helpful. Your guidance is very kind and forgiving for folks new to candy making! As an aside, I also appreciated your comment to one of the prior posters – you were really respectful and assertive. So much awesome! Thanks again.

    1. Amy says:

      Thank you so much, Emily! I almost didn’t say anything about that comment at all, so I really appreciate your support in backing me up! And way to go making three batches! I made some last weekend and they are gone and I’m thinking I might have to make another batch again before the season is over!

  14. Suz says:

    Amy, a couple of things: 1. Ignore that moron Joe. There are millions of recipes on the internet that he can go read if he doesn’t want a relevant story. Sometimes the origin of a recipe can help chose which version to go with. For example, I have never been to the River Street place, so I don’t know what those taste like – so it’s new for me. 2. My Maw Maw was Cajun and made SO many treats every Christmas and Pralines were my favourite. Now I have to make them for myself and this is the closest to her recipe. When I make them, I don’t use a thermometer – I never seem to remember to get one. Maw Maw used to say to boil them to the “soft ball” stage, when you drop a bit in cold water it’ll form into a soft ball. She said to beat them, as you’ve said, because it aerates and cools it slightly. Also, when dropping them if the mixture becomes too thick and crumbly you can put it back on the hob on low to heat it back up to loosen it a bit. I have also dropped them on the baking sheet and they haven’t hardened – I just scoop them back in to the pan and bring them back to the boil. After a few minutes they are ready to drop on the sheet. But I like the ice cream idea! Thank you for the recipe 10 out of 10.

    1. Amy says:

      Thank you so much for your support, Suz! I LOVE that your mom made these and that this recipe comes close to hers. I wish I could make candy using the water tests but it never works for me so I always have to stick with my trusty thermometer! Also, That’s good to know that you could just scoop them back into the pan and bring it back to a boil if they don’t set up! I don’t think I would have thought to try that! My dad’s mom used to make a fudge recipe that has disappeared and he always says that nobody has been able to make it just like her. I sure wish I could figure that one out! Those kinds of family traditions are the best!

    2. Deitra Warner says:

      Thanks Susie! I believe this recipe will work for me as well, but I always forget to get a candy thermometer as well. Thanks to both of you ladies!

  15. Claudia says:

    I’ve been making pralines for 40 plus years and dealt with the issue of cooling to fast and they would dry out and crumble and last year I tried something new I thought you might consider… I’m not sure if it’s the length of time I cook the syrup ( over an hour on a very low temp) or the lower temperature of 232-235 that I cook the syrup, but once I reached this lower temp I poured the syrup into my kitchen-aid mixer over the pecans and beat it with the paddle until the mixture became dull instead of glossy.  With this method I am able to quadruple the recipe and never had to deal with the crumbles that became ice cream toppings

  16. Carrie says:

    Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

    1. Amy says:

      I use salted butter.

  17. Terra says:

    Omg it worked!!!! I can’t believe how awesome these turned out! Thanks for the easy to follow and delicious recipe. No more trips to Savannah for me!!! 

  18. Dianne Smith says:

    I made praline fudge but the praline layer is too hard to eat. Any ideas on how yo keep it softer?

    1. Amy says:

      Sounds like maybe it was cooked too long at too high of a temperature.

  19. Mark Lee says:

    I made the peanut brittle that you posted on your web,and found out that if the humidity is above 65 percent the brittle comes out sticker.

  20. Jonathan says:

    Excellent recipe! Thank you so much! My wife and I were in Savannah a couple of months ago, and these are better than I remember!

    1. Amy says:

      Thank you, Jonathan! Happy to hear this! Also, isn’t Savannah wonderful? I’m longing to return!

    2. Kenya Mitchell says:

      3 stars
      I really wanted to love this recipe but my pralines never hardened. I followed the recipe to a t. I’m left wondering what happened.

  21. Kat says:

    5 stars
    Came out perfectly!! Best praline recipe I’ve tried so far! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!!

  22. John David says:

    5 stars
    I have never had a Praline before but when a friend was feeling homesick and talked about the ones his mom used to make I knew I had to give it a shot. This recipe worked beautifully and he loved it! Thank you SO much for sharing this! I am excited to bake it for all of the holidays this year!

    1. Jojo says:

      Is it okay if I use dark brown sugar?

      1. Amy says:

        Sure.

  23. bree says:

    Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! You made the directions so easy and clear. I made these pralines for the first time and they came out perfect! Delicious!

  24. Jan says:

    What will the difference be with dark brown sugar? More molasses flavor? Richer color? I’m curious. Share what you learned.

    1. Amy says:

      Yes, it would be a slightly stronger flavor and darker color.

  25. shera says:

    Butter. Salted or unsalted? Inquiring minds need to know. Thank you~ 🙂

    1. Amy says:

      Salted!

  26. Carrie says:

    How many would you say this makes?

    1. Amy says:

      That will depend on the size you scoop them, but I usually get 16-20.

  27. Ashley says:

    Hi,

    I came across a recipe that said to not add the butter until after it reached the 236 degrees and pan was removed from the stove. Do you know why it would be added later than the other ingredients? It also says to let the mixture just sit there until it reached 150 degrees. For me, this took 25 minutes and by that point the mixture was so tough to stir. Any ideas on why those were the instructions (there is no place to question or comment on that recipe)? I’m just trying to compare ingredients to your recipe and curious on the difference in technique and looking for insight. Thanks.

    1. Amy says:

      Huh, I’m really no sure why they would take that approach so I really can’t say. Sorry! I have made this version many times with lots of success though! I hope you like it!

  28. Donna B. says:

    5 stars
    While I think I may be genetically incapable of following a recipe exactly, I did “sort of” try with this one. I had only dark brown sugar and wonder if I should have used slightly less. Of course, that’s not the only variance — my candy thermometer malfunctioned and I used the ice water test (I’ve ordered a new one!). It’s quite likely I undercooked the mixture because of the fear of overcooking it. I think next time, I might let the mixture cool longer than 5 minutes. Fortunately I had a friend helping me because we stirred for well over 10 minutes! While the end product is a bit soft, it tastes wonderful.

    This is actually the 2nd time I’ve used your recipe. The first time, I deliberately undercooked and understirred it because I wanted a very soft mixture to mix with cream cheese for a king cake filling. It was delicious too. I still have some left in the freezer which I plan to incorporate in a bread pudding recipe, perhaps with some dried dates.

    1. Amy says:

      So glad you enjoyed this recipe! I love the idea of undercooking it to use for king cake as a filling! I’m going to have to try that!

  29. Arrigo says:

    Followed the recipe to a tee. Turned out glorious just wonderful!!!!! Thank you for sharing!

  30. Rachel says:

    “Store for up to two weeks.”

    IN WHAT WORLD MA’AM! I’m lucky if these last 24 hours in my house. Having lived in Savannah for a good portion of my adult life, you have done a fantastic job with this recipe!

    1. Amy says:

      Lol, I’m so glad to hear that they turned out so well and were enjoyed so much!

  31. Jan says:

    5 stars
    These are fabulous! I just went to River Street Sweets in St Augustine and bought their pralines. They were very disappointing because they reduced the number of pecans and cost over $20 a pound! This recipe is exactly the same flavor. I will never treat myself again to the candy because I know I can make them even better. Thank you.

    1. Amy says:

      I’m so glad you made them!

  32. TM says:

    5 stars
    My pralines came out perfect! I happened to have a piece of a praline from Savannah’s candy shop and my husband and I agreed that ours are better! I like the taste of the brown sugar and the milk. Toward the end of the batch, the candies were getting crumbly but adding some hot water solved the problem. I don’t usually leave a comment for recipes but I wanted to thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!!!

    1. Amy says:

      Oh wow that is so nice to say! I’m so glad you guys liked them!

  33. victoria says:

    5 stars
    This recipe was spot on!! So delicious and fairly simple to produce – got it on the first try – which is good as I made them as Christmas gifts. Thanks so much! Takes me back to getting pralines in Texas when I was a kid. (I substituted about 2 T whipping cream for some of the evaporated milk to amp up the richness)

  34. Shannon Larsen says:

    Can I substitute, heavy, whipping cream for the half-and-half or the evaporated milk?

    1. Amy says:

      Yes, you can.

  35. Alice seabron says:

    5 stars
    Hi when i tried this recipe i fell over hills in love now i make it often thank you

  36. Jo says:

    Have you or anyone in this thread, used any other nut besides pecans in this recipe? Thank you!

  37. Tofa says:

    5 stars
    I tried your recipe I’ve been wanting to learn how to make pralines for a long time it is excellent and it kind of went really well all the way until the end when I had to do the scooping and I thought this is taking too long so I just dumped it all on the wax paper and I spread it out really pretty and evenly and even did a nice job with spreading out my nuts pretty evenly and then I thought well it’s taking so long to cool off and harden a little bit and I left it alone and sure enough it’s beautiful and I want you to know that my squares look so pretty I really kind of like the way it looks even better because you can see the the nut cut in there you can see the the sugar if you can see all the nice things in it really even brings out the smell more in the house thank you so much I am going to enjoy this and I’ve already given some of my neighbors some and they are loving it they need to quit really smacking their lips!!! Lolol

    1. Amy says:

      Sounds like you did a great job! Hey it’s all going to taste the same whether its in globs or cut into squares. Good job! You are going to make a lot of friends really fast handing out delicious treats 😉

  38. Phyllis Beard says:

    No measurements showing. Hard to make pralines without amounts if ingredients to be used

    1. Amy says:

      It’s right there in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. If you go to the very top and click on the button that says “Jump to Recipe” it will take you straight to it. I hope that helps!

  39. Deanna says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is my go to. Even if my pralines seize when I am putting them on parchment paper, it put the, back in the pot and warm them again. For years at holidays, this is everyone’s first go to.

  40. P.J. says:

    5 stars
    First time making them and they turned out perfect! I did defrost my pecans from the freezer so I stirred an extra minute due to them being just a little warm & by eye balling it. Cooked on medium heat until temp. was 136. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe, absolutely delicious!

  41. P.J. says:

    5 stars
    Strike my last comment, I put 136 temp. instead of 236. They turned out perfect, thanks!

  42. Mary Lynne says:

    Oh my goodness! Turned out just like I remembered in New Orleans, they set up and everything. The only change I made was whipping cream instead of evaporated milk, because that was what I had. It was way easier to make than I thought they would be.

    1. Amy says:

      I’m so glad! Great to know that that substitution worked well for you!

  43. Winston Stroderd says:

    5 stars
    Very very good pralines. I put my pecans in before it reaches 230 degrees.

    1. Amy says:

      Thank you! I’m glad you like it!

  44. Sally says:

    4 stars
    How can I adapt this recipe to 8500 ft Colorado, very little humidity too?

    1. Amy says:

      I’m sorry, but I don’t have a lot of experience making candy at high altitude!

    2. Lauren says:

      I just made them in Utah (4800ft elevation). The only change I made was checking my candy thermometer’s boiling temperature. I boiled a pot of water and put the thermometer in- it read 204 (instead of 212) so I adjusted by 8 degrees F. For the recipe I stopped at about 227 (instead of 235). They came out great. Hope that helps!

  45. Ann says:

    5 stars
    These look good. Do these have a buttery flavor??

  46. DMontana says:

    OMGeee these came out perfect! I used whipping cream instead of evaporated milk and used 2 1/2 cups of pecan halves instead of 2. These will be my Christmas give-aways this year. Thank you for the recipe 😊

  47. Kari says:

    I live a couple of hours away from Savannah, and LOVE River Street Sweets. I get pralines every single time. I’ve been absolutely terrified of making them at home – because I cannot stand it when pralines are grainy. (I’m sensitive to textures) Between your recipe, instructions, and some advice I had gotten for making caramel sauce without grainy texture (I replaced about a tablespoon of the granular sugar with light corn syrup) I think these will turn out great! I tasted the sauce after it had started setting, and it tastes BETTER than the pralines at River Street Sweets!

    1. Amy says:

      I’m so happy to hear that! I hope this recipe is a keeper for you!

  48. JC says:

    I don’t have salted butter. Can I add dash of salt with unsalted butter?

    1. Amy says:

      Yes you can! For every 1/2 cup of butter you add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. So for this recipe I would just add a little less than 1/4 teaspoon.

  49. Stefanie Sikes says:

    5 stars
    These are the best pralines I’ve ever had. Sorry Prejeans. I added more hot water when mixing. It takes a bit longer to set, but I liked the texture better.

  50. Lauren says:

    5 stars
    This is an amazing recipe!! I grew up in Charleston and pralines are my favorite reminder of home. These taste identical to the ones I’ve had growing up. They’re so easy to make I’m not sure I’ll ever pay the hefty price for them from a candy store ever again! LOVE LOVE LOVE! I followed all instructions and the video helped me recognize when they were the right consistency. My batch easily made 2 dozen. I used a candy thermometer as directed but used a silicone baking spatula since I didn’t have a wooden spoon. They came out great. Thank you so much!

    1. Amy says:

      I’m so glad to hear they reminded you of home! That’s what these kind of recipes are all about!