Step 3: Cook the Sugar Mixture
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine:
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Both sugars
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Cream
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Butter
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Salt
Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Continue cooking until it reaches about 235°F (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer — thick and smooth.
Step 4: Add Pecans and Flavor
Once it reaches temperature, remove from heat and stir in:
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Vanilla extract
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Pecan halves
Stir quickly — the mixture will start to thicken as it cools. The glossy caramel will turn slightly creamy and grainy, just like authentic Southern pralines should.
Step 5: Drop and Set
Using a spoon, drop small mounds of the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet.
Let them cool at room temperature until firm. The result? Buttery pralines with a crisp outside and a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth center.
Step 6: Serve or Gift Them 🎁
Once cooled completely, enjoy them with coffee or package them in a pretty tin for holiday gifts. These pralines keep well in an airtight container — though they rarely last that long!
Rich, buttery, and full of Southern charm, these homemade pecan pralines are simple to make but taste like something straight from a New Orleans candy shop. Whether for holidays or everyday sweetness, they’re the perfect indulgence. 🍬✨