Brown Sugar Pecan Praline Sauce

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 11/7/22
pecan praline sauce in a jar
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This scrumptious brown sugar pecan praline sauce is a very easy dessert sauce to prepare and it is out of this world on ice cream, bread pudding, or cheesecake. The pecans can be toasted for even more depth of flavor. This is great with toasted almonds or hazelnuts as well.

 

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter.

  3. Cook and stir sauce until it is smooth and syrupy, about 5 minutes. If it seems lumpy at all, strain through a mesh sieve.

  4. Stir in vanilla extract and pecans. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

  5. Serve praline sauce warm over ice cream, cheesecake, or bread pudding. 

  6. Refrigerate any leftover pecan praline sauce and heat it in microwave or on stovetop before using.

Tips

  • How to toast pecans. To toast pecans, spread them out in a dry frying pan or skillet. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring and turning the pecans constantly, until they are lightly browned and aromatic. Remove to a plate to stop the cooking process. Alternatively, spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 5 minutes, checking and stirring frequently.
  • Substitute dark brown sugar for the light brown sugar or use unrefined brown sugar, such as muscovado, if desired.

How to Store

This sauce keeps for up to 3 weeks tightly covered in the refrigerator. Warm it back up over low heat before serving.

How to Make Praline Sauce for Gifting

This sauce makes a great holiday gift and it can be made up to 3 weeks ahead of time. Keep the sauce refrigerated in an airtight container and when you are ready to package and gift it, gently reheat it and portion it into jars.

Make Praline Candy From Praline Sauce

This sauce recipe can be turned into praline candy when it is cooked to the soft ball stage, about 234 F on a candy thermometer. To test for the soft ball stage without a thermometer, drop a small amount of syrup into chilled water. If it forms a ball in the water but flattens when picked up with the fingers, it's at the right temperature.

Remove the syrup from the heat. Add the pecans and vanilla and beat the candy with a wooden spoon until it is thickened and no longer glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly spoon the candy onto buttered baking sheets or waxed paper to form patties. Let cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, covered, with waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers. 

The History of Praline Candy

This confection dates to 1750 Louisiana when it was originally made with almonds and considered a digestion aid at the end of a meal. The native Creoles and Cajuns one-upped this French recipe by using the abundant pecans of the region and replacing the white sugar with brown sugar. Today, it's a culinary tradition in the South.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
8g Fat
41g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 59mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 40g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 118mg 9%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 166mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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