These maple pecan pralines are my twist on the classic Southern candy! They’re buttery, caramel-y, crunchy, and the perfect sweet treat for the holidays.
Why You’ll Love These Pecan Pralines
After having a bunch of leftover pecans from making candied pecans, I started pondering if I could make a “no processed sugar” version of pecan pralines. These are one of my favorite candies from the South, and every time I visit New Orleans, I indulge in one or two. Anything creamy and nutty is my dessert love language. Well, good news, it’s 100% possible to make pecan pralines with maple syrup! And I’m sooo excited with how these pralines turned out. You’ll also love that this recipe is:
- Really easy to make. Don’t let the steps intimidate you! As long as you keep an eye on the temperature and stir to the right consistency, you’re golden.
- All natural. While packaged versions use a bunch of thickeners/emulsifiers, most homemade recipes use processed sugar. I love using maple syrup as a more natural option with a rich, caramel-y, maple-y flavor.
- The perfect holiday dessert. Everyone loves these! And when I made them both as a Thanksgiving dessert and Christmas dessert… they were gone in seconds!!
Maple Pecan Praline Ingredients
- Maple syrup: I’m using maple syrup instead of granulated sugar for a healthier twist. Plus, it gives the pralines a caramel-like sweetness!
- Heavy cream: This keeps the pralines rich and creamy like the New Orlean’s version, not hard and brittle like the European kind.
- Unsalted butter: Since we’re adding salt to this, make sure to use unsalted butter!
- Vanilla extract and salt: Vanilla rounds out all the sweet flavors in this.
- Pecan halves: Grab a bag of raw, unsalted pecans.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How To Make Pecan Pralines
First, combine the maple syrup and cream. Add the maple syrup and heavy cream to a medium pot with a candy thermometer, and give everything a good stir. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Second, cook to the softball stage. Let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches exactly 240°F, which usually takes about 12 to 18 minutes. It will bubble up as it cooks, so keep an eye on it and lower the heat slightly if it looks like it might boil over.
Third, add flavorings. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Keep stirring until the butter has fully melted and the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
Fourth, stir to thicken. Now comes a little arm workout! Stir the mixture continuously for about 6 to 7 minutes, until it thickens noticeably. This step is key and helps the pralines hold their shape instead of spreading out and flattening.
Fifth, fold in the pecans. Stir in the pecan halves and continue mixing for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes a bit more matte. Just don’t stir too much, as it will quickly start to harden and become crumbly!
Lastly, scoop pralines and let them set. Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the praline mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Let them cool and fully set at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Storage Tips
Once they’re completely cooled and set, store the pralines in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them in a cool, dry spot away from heat or humidity, which can make them sticky or cause the sugar to weep. They’ll stay fresh this way for about 1 week.
If your kitchen runs warm or humid, you can refrigerate them, but know the texture may firm up slightly. Just let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so they soften back up.
More Holiday Desserts
- No Bake Cookies: The easiest Christmas cookie yet!
- Chocolate Mousse: No eggs or baking needed.
- Rice Pudding: Perfect for a warming, cozy option.
- Affogato: The best 2-ingredient dessert.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: Always a crowd favorite.
If you try this maple pecan praline recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Ingredients
- 2 cups maple syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Combine maple syrup and cream. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Place a candy thermometer in a medium pot and add the maple syrup and heavy cream. Stir together, bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Cook to the softball stage. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches exactly 240°F (about 12 to 18 minutes). It will bubble up, so watch the mixture closely. If needed, reduce the heat slightly to prevent boiling over.
- Add flavorings. Remove the mixture from the heat, then add the butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until the butter melts completely.
- Stir to thicken. Continue stirring the mixture for 6 to 7 minutes, until it noticeably thickens. This is important to help the pralines set, rather than spread.
- Add the pecans. Stir in the pecans for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture loses a bit of its gloss.
- Scoop pralines. Working quickly, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow them to cool fully (about 20 to 30 minutes).
Lisa’s Tips
- This recipe makes about 20 pecan pralines.Â
- You’ll need a candy thermometer to measure the temperature as it boils.Â
- Just a reminder that while there’s no refined sugar in these pralines, maple syrup is still sugar! So enjoy them in moderation. 😉
- Storage tip: Keep them in a cool, dry spot away from heat or humidity, which can make them sticky or cause the sugar to weep. They’ll stay fresh this way for about 1 week.
Nutrition
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Behind The Scenes
I wanted to show you a photo from recipe testing so you could see the difference between a praline that was slightly under-stirred and one that was perfectly stirred before dolloping onto the parchment paper.
The top praline is much more glossy and it remained soft for several hours after dolloping. I was a bit worried that it wouldn’t firm up. But I left the tray out on the counter overnight and it did eventually go opaque and firm up the next day.
The bottom praline was one of the last ones I dolloped from the pot, so the mixture had been stirred a minute or so longer. It almost immediately went opaque and firmed up within 20 minutes. Long story short, even if your pralines are overly soft and don’t seem to firm up within 30 minutes, just leave them out overnight and have a little patience. They are salvageable!
These maple pecan pralines are a brilliant no-processed-sugar twist on the Southern classic—buttery, caramel-y, and that perfect crunch from the pecans. Love the candy thermometer tip for nailing 240°F and the vigorous stirring to get them to set just right without spreading. Made a batch for holiday gifting; they vanished fast, even the “slightly under-stirred” ones firmed up overnight—thanks for the patience note
Glad all the tips were extremely helpful, Jaipuria!
We spent the morning making these pralines, fantastically delicious!!!
We stacked them in mason jars to give out at the afternoon get together.
They were a hit with everyone. We will make more for the New Years lunch.
The were easy and so much fun to make. How far in advance can you prepare these amazing treats?
Thrilled to hear the pralines were a hit, Dixie!
I made the pecan pralines, but despite stirring and stirring I could not get the mixture to thicken enough to make individual portions. Not sure what I did wrong as I checked and double-checked the recipe. In the end I pored the mixture into a dish. Hopefully, it will set eventually and I will slice it into squares.
Any help in what I could have done wrong would be appreciated.
Hi Julie – The ability for the mixture to thicken is really due to the temperature. Did you use a candy thermometer?
Oh my fricking god… these are unbelievable!!! Just made them to have some Christmas treats for friends and family. Took a while to reach 240F but it eventually did.
amazing really! Thanks Lisa! Merry Christmas
Yay, I’m so happy you love them! Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!
Could you use coconut cream?
Hi Sarah – while I haven’t tested this with coconut cream, I do think that will work. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
these are yum 😋
So glad you enjoyed them, Stefie!