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Chewy Texas Pecan Pralines

Chewy Texas pecan pralines with toasted pecan pieces in buttery caramel on a white plate.
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These chewy Texas pecan pralines wrap toasted pecan pieces in rich, buttery caramel with dark brown sugar, two corn syrups, cream, and vanilla bean paste.

Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside. Cover a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Have a heatproof spoon and candy thermometer ready.
  2. Combine the dark brown sugar and both corn syrups in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat with the thermometer tip in the syrup, without touching the pan bottom. Cook to 250°F, approximately 10–15 minutes, stirring only as needed to prevent scorching.
  3. Move the saucepan off the heat. Carefully stir in the salted butter a few pieces at a time. Slowly add the cream, stirring until incorporated. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
  4. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Maintain a gentle boil, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and corners, until the mixture reaches 242°F, about 12–15 minutes. Increase the heat slightly if needed to keep the temperature rising.
  5. Remove from the heat. Stir in the toasted pecans, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Cool briefly, stirring occasionally, until a spoonful forms a mound rather than spreading into a thin puddle.
  6. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto the parchment, leaving space between each praline. If the first portion spreads too much, allow the mixture to thicken a little longer. Leave at room temperature until cool and firm enough to lift from the parchment, approximately 1–2 hours.

Equipment

Notes

Timing: Prep 10 minutes; cook 35–40 minutes; setting 1–2 hours. Allow approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes overall. The displayed 40-minute cook time and 170-minute total use the upper bounds, including setting.
Substitutions: Use ½ teaspoon vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste. Unsalted butter also works; adjust the added salt to taste.
Corn syrup: If necessary, use ½ cup light corn syrup instead of the combination for a milder flavor.
Texture: Follow the thermometer readings; times vary with the pan and burner. Do not refrigerate to judge final texture.
Serving: Serve at room temperature with coffee or black tea, add to a dessert tray, or chop over vanilla ice cream.
Storage: Airtight at cool room temperature for up to 1 week, layers separated by parchment. In a warm kitchen, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks and bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezing: Wrap individually or separate with parchment; freeze airtight up to 2 months. Thaw in the closed container before unwrapping.

Find it online: https://jennifercooks.com/chewy-texas-pecan-pralines/