These southern bourbon pecan pralines transport you to New Orleans! They are sugary, sweet, and have the perfect amount of bourbon flavor. They are the perfect candy to enjoy any time of the year as as special treat!
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When I was in New Orleans a few years ago, one of the things I brought back to Austin with me was a bag of pralines in different flavors. They were so good (and so sweet!), and I thought... hey, this is a pretty easy way to bring a bag of New Orleans into our house.
This recipe for southern pecan pralines made about 24 bourbon pecan pralines, so be forewarned.. it can be dangerous to have that many sugary treats in your house. Or it can be deliciously wonderful. Because TWO kinds of sugar. And pecans! Also bourbon. So yummy and delicious.
What are Pralines?
If you're not familiar with pralines, they're a type of candy/cookie that are from the American South. They typically contain sugar, pecans, and have sort of a fudgy texture (other than the pecans!) Strolling around New Orleans, you'll see a lot of places selling these delicious sugary treats.
I definitely recommend a candy thermometer for these bourbon pecan pralines. It will help you know exactly when to remove the pot from the heat. I checked out a lot of recipes and 238 F seems to be the magic number!
Ingredients needed:
- Pecan halves
- Brown sugar
- White granulated sugar
- Butter
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Bourbon
- Sea salt
Tools needed:
- Candy thermometer - with this recipe, you're basically making a type of candy. So you will need a candy thermometer to make sure you're heating your sugar mixture to exactly the right temperature.
- Large pot
- Parchment paper or a Silpat (or Silicone) baking mat
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make the Bourbon Pecan Pralines:
To make these delicious pecan pralines, you toast up the pecans, and then combine sugar, butter, milk, vanilla extract, bourbon, and the toasted pecans and cook in a pot on the stove. Once it hits the magic temperature of 238 degrees F, you turn off the stove.
Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, cool, and then these southern pecan pralines are done!
They are surprisingly easy to make and the perfect treat for Mardi Gras or just to bring to any gathering. Or when you need a bit of a sugar high!
Looking for more easy desserts? Check out these!
I adapted the following recipe from two delicious-sounding praline recipes I found:
Pecan Pralines at Dramatic Pancake
Southern Pecan Pralines at The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie
Bourbon Pecan Pralines
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans - halved
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 6 tbsp butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread pecan halves onto a baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes (mixing halfway through). Remove from oven and cool.
- Take two baking sheets and line with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Spray lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- To a large pot add the brown and white sugars, butter, and milk and melt together over medium heat.
- Stir in pecans and heat to 238 degrees F (check that candy thermometer!), stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and bourbon.
- Continue stirring for about 3-4 minutes until thickened and creamy.
- Quickly drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving room as the mixture will spread slightly.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
- Allow pralines to cool before removing from the baking sheets.
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