This Easy Microwave Pralines Recipe takes only minutes to make and creates a delicious candy treat for anytime snacking or gift-giving.
Do you have a favorite nut? Pecans are definitely one of my favorites. I loved it when my sister lived in Texas and she had a big ‘ol pecan tree in her front yard.
She would get SO MANY pecans from that one tree that she would have plenty to send to me. I had them stocked in the freezer!
While I now have to buy my pecans from the store I still love them and love pecan recipes like my butter pecan cake, pumpkin pecan crisp and, of course, these pralines!
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What Are Pecan Pralines?
Pecan Pralines are a classic candy especially popular in the South. They’re a patty-shaped candy featuring crunchy pecans in a mixture including sugar, butter and cream.
They’re not too hard to make even the traditional way, but this microwave method is even easier. You can have them finished and ready to cool in about 15 minutes.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool before you eat them!
Giving Pralines As a Gift
These pralines make a great snack and they look so special that they also make a great gift. Just package them in a mason jar or a cute tin.
Christmas Nesting Cookie TinsHallmark Home Holiday Round Nesting Tins3D Christmas Gift BoxesChristmas Holiday Round Nesting TinsOctagon Shaped Christmas TinsHoliday Snowflake Bakery Boxes
Personally, some of my favorite Christmas gifts are the kind I can eat!! As long as its something delicious (like this fudge is), it makes me happy to know that someone took the time to put their own effort into making me a gift.
Food gifts are even more fun when they are presented in a special way. While I am happy to take yummy treats that are just on a plain paper plate or packed in an old cool-whip container, it’s a lot more fun when they are bundled in pretty packaging!
I did a little bit of browsing and found all of the fun food containers listed above that are perfect for gifting your microwave pralines.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – You can either buy a box of graham cracker crumbs or else place whole graham crackers in a zip top bag, seal and crush with a rolling pin or other heavy object.
- Pumpkin Puree – You do NOT want to use a can that says Pumpkin Pie Filling! It should be labeled either Pumpkin Puree or Pure Pumpkin.
- Granulated Sugar – We use white granulated sugar (You can opt for light brown sugar if you like.)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can buy this right at the supermarket or mix up your own cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice in our pumpkin pie spice mix recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – You’ll get better flavor from pure extract vs. imitation vanilla.
- Cream Cheese – It must be softened to room temperature before you start making the cream cheese mixture. If it is too cold you can end up with a clumpy filling.
- Heavy Cream – Full fat heavy cream help to make the pumpkin layer extra creamy.
- Brown Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Salt
- Butter
- Pecan Halves
- Vanilla Extract
🥣 How to Make
Cover a baking sheet with wax paper and grease with butter.
Combine sugar, cream, salt and butter in a large microwavable bowl.
Microwave for 3 minutes, add pecans and stir.
Microwave 6 more minutes or until temperature reaches about 240-245, stirring every 3 minutes or so.
Let mixture sit for 1 minute before adding vanilla and stirring.
Continue stirring for 2 more minutes.
Drop spoonfuls of mixture onto prepared sheet.
Let cool.
If you’re lucky enough to have a source of fresh pecans still in the shell (like we did when my sister lived in Austin), you will still have to shell them, which can be hard work!
A nut cracker can make that a lot easier and quicker. It protects you from beat-up fingers too. This is a pretty cool option that is particularly helpful for cracking pecans:
How to Store Pralines
Store pralines in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
More Pecan Recipes You’ll Love
📖 Recipe
Easy Microwave Pralines
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 1/2 cup Pecan Halves
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
- Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and grease with butter.
- Combine sugar, cream, salt and butter in a large microwavable bowl.
- Microwave for 3 minutes, add pecans and stir.
- Microwave 6 more minutes or until temperature reaches about 240-245, stirring every 3 minutes or so.
- Let mixture sit for 1 minute before adding vanilla and stirring.
- Continue stirring for 2 more minutes.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of mixture onto prepared sheet.
Donna says
Can’t wait to try this microwave method, but am concerned about putting a metal cookie sheet in there. Can you explain?
Chrysa says
No!! Do NOT put the cookie sheet in the microwave! Per the instructions, combine the ingredients in a large microwavable bowl before cooking in the microwave. The baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper is where you put the melted ingredients to cool into shape.