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This easy praline recipe combines buttery richness, nutty crunch, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture to create a small batch of classic pecan pralines. Using just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up these traditional Southern candies in about 20 minutes, making them perfect for enjoying or gifting.
If you’re looking for more small batch candy recipes, try our Peanut Butter Fudge, Peppermint Bark, Chocolate Truffles, and Chocolate Candy Clusters!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Flavor: Growing up in New Orleans, I’ve been making pralines for years, and this small batch recipe stays true to the classic Louisiana treat.
- Quick and Simple: Ready in just 20 minutes, this recipe is perfect for a last-minute treat.
- Made with Pantry Staples: You only need six basic ingredients to whip up these irresistible candies.
- Versatile: Great for gifting, holiday celebrations, or simply treating yourself to something sweet.
- Easily Scalable: Whether you need a small batch or a larger one, this praline recipe doubles easily to suit your needs.
Pralines are a Southern delicacy with deep roots in Louisiana and French cuisine, and growing up in New Orleans, I’ve had my fair share of these melt-in-your-mouth treats. This small batch praline recipe is a family favorite, perfected over the years to create the perfect balance of creamy texture and nutty crunch. Made with just a few simple ingredients—sugar, milk, butter, and pecans—this recipe captures the rich, caramelized flavor that makes pecan pralines so irresistible. Whether you’re looking for a nostalgic taste of the South or a quick and easy treat, this recipe makes a manageable batch. Once you try them, you’ll see why pralines have been a beloved sweet in the South for generations.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch praline recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds essential sweetness to the pralines.
- Brown Sugar: Brings a deeper flavor with caramel-like undertones. If you’re out of brown sugar, use our easy homemade brown sugar recipe to make a small batch.
- Whole Milk: Creates the creamy texture that pralines are known for. I prefer whole milk for the best results, but 2% milk works too. Skim milk is not recommended.
- Butter: Adds richness and enhances the candy’s smooth consistency.
- Pecans: The star ingredient, offering crunch and nutty flavor. I like them roughly chopped, but you can use whole pecans or finely chop them based on your preference. For nut-free pralines, simply leave out the pecans. Leftover pecans? Use them in our Pecan Pie or Butter Pecan Granola!
- Vanilla: Enhances and balances the overall flavor, adding warmth and depth.
How To Make Pralines
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of pecan pralines. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Combine Ingredients: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, and butter. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Boil the Mixture: Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the pecans and stir constantly. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, or until the syrup reaches 238–240°F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage).
- Add Vanilla: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Stir Until Thickened: Continue stirring constantly. The syrup will turn creamy and cloudy, and you’ll notice it thicken as you go.
- Check for Readiness: Listen for the sugar crystals scraping the sides of the pan and feel the syrup becoming grainy. This indicates the pralines are ready to set.
- Form the Pralines: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper. Let them cool completely before serving.
Expert Tips
- Prep Ahead: Measure all your ingredients and have them ready to go before you start. Praline-making moves quickly, and there’s no time to hunt for ingredients mid-process.
- Stick to the Recipe: Follow the ingredient ratios and steps as written. Even small changes can result in pralines that are too soft, too hard, or not set properly.
- Use the Right Pan: A heavy-duty, medium 2-quart saucepan is ideal for even heat distribution and consistent results.
- Hot Water Hack: If the mixture starts to harden too quickly, stir in a tablespoon of hot water to bring it back to the right consistency. Have a kettle of hot water nearby, just in case.
- Work Quickly: As soon as the syrup thickens, move fast to drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper. The mixture hardens rapidly once it’s ready.
- Stay Safe: The praline mixture gets extremely hot. Stir carefully and use a cutting board under your parchment paper to protect your counters from heat damage.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious pecan pralines are perfect for enjoying as a treat or sharing with others. Here are some fun and creative ideas:
- Gift-Worthy Treat: Wrap each praline in clear plastic and tie with a ribbon for festive gifts, or pack them in decorative jars for a thoughtful presentation.
- Ice Cream Topping: Crumble pralines over vanilla ice cream for a crunchy, sweet topping that pairs perfectly with the creamy texture.
- Praline Parfait: Layer crumbled pralines with yogurt and fruit for a decadent parfait that’s both crunchy and flavorful.
- Salad Topping: Add crumbled pralines to a mixed greens salad for a gourmet twist. Their sweet, nutty crunch works beautifully with tangy vinaigrettes.
- Cheesecake Garnish: Use crushed pralines as a topping for cheesecake bars to add a sweet, nutty layer of flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store pralines in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To make chocolate pralines, add 1/4 cup of chocolate chips along with the sugars, milk, and butter. Stir until the chocolate melts and proceed with the recipe as usual.
Yes! Simply omit the pecans to create a nut-free version of these pralines.
A candy thermometer is helpful for precision and ensures the syrup reaches the ideal temperature of 235°F to 238°F. If you don’t have one, boil the mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, and watch for visual cues like thickening and cloudiness.
Yes, you can double the ingredients to make a larger batch. Use a larger saucepan to prevent overflow, and monitor the syrup temperature carefully.
Fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil. The hot water will dissolve any hardened sugar, making cleanup much easier.
Small Batch New Orleans Recipes
Bring the flavors of New Orleans to your kitchen with these small batch recipes, perfect for indulging in the Crescent City’s iconic dishes without making too much. Whether you’re craving comfort food, bold spices, or classic Southern desserts, these recipes will transport you straight to NOLA:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch praline recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Small Batch Pralines
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ¾ cup pecans -rough chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, and butter. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Boil the Mixture: Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the pecans and stir constantly. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, or until the syrup reaches 238–240°F on a candy thermometer.
- Add Vanilla: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Stir Until Thickened: Continue stirring constantly as the syrup turns creamy and cloudy. Listen for the sound of sugar crystals scraping against the sides of the pan and feel the syrup becoming grainy—these are clear signs the pralines are ready to set.
- Form the Pralines: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper. Let them cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Prep Ahead: Measure all your ingredients and have them ready to go before you start. Praline-making moves quickly, and there’s no time to hunt for ingredients mid-process.
- Stick to the Recipe: Follow the ingredient ratios and steps as written. Even small changes can result in pralines that are too soft, too hard, or not set properly.
- Use the Right Pan: A heavy-duty, medium 2-quart saucepan is ideal for even heat distribution and consistent results.
- Hot Water Hack: If the mixture starts to harden too quickly, stir in a tablespoon of hot water to bring it back to the right consistency. Have a kettle of hot water nearby, just in case.
- Work Quickly: As soon as the syrup thickens, move fast to drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper. The mixture hardens rapidly once it’s ready.
- Stay Safe: The praline mixture gets extremely hot. Stir carefully and use a cutting board under your parchment paper to protect your counters from heat damage.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Two days before I found this recipe, I made a batch of pralines, ate a few (maybe 5?) and threw the rest away. It was a waste of sugar, time, and 1.5c of pecans. Today I made THESE and oh, it’s a game changer. Perfect for someone like me, who only wants/needs a few but lacks the discipline to NOT eat the batch.
Burnt the first batch. Was used a thermometer and hadn’t realized it was set on Celsius 😁 I was glad I used only a handful of pecans because I just knew I would mess it up like I burnt the first batch of candy for my apple candies. I tried again right away that batch was great. I gave my son ONE my daughter tried it she’s 9. She said something was suspicious because there was no way I made them myself. That was yesterday so later today I’ll let her watch me make them. One question. Can I take out the brown sugar and use only granulated sugar? Thanks for the recipe!!
I don’t recommend leaving out the brown sugar. The flavor will not be the same and the sugar will not caramelize well if the brown sugar is left out.
Came out very well. I like that this recipe uses whole milk as I usually have it. Other recipes call for heavy cream which is a trip to the store. Easy and delicious!
these disappeared within minutes between adults and children I made 3 batches of these for a birthday party(a grown man in his mid 30s)!
Hola!! Can I use coconut milk instead?
I don’t recommend using coconut milk in this praline recipe.
Excited to try your recipes!
My whole family loves it , and it also tastes just like river street sweets ,pralines.
I promise you they won’t last a week around here!
OMG. My very favorite candy. With a diabetic hubby, I don’t have surgery treats anymore, so this one is just for me to gorge on, all by myself. A happy Halloween TREAT. Thank you! 😋😋😋
We are a diabetic family and use sugar substitute and brown sugar substitute. Nothing wrong with that!!!!
EVERY RECIPE OF YOURS THAT I
MADE WAS DELICIOUS. I CAN’T
WAIT TO TRY THIS ONE. THANK YOU.
PAT