Keto Pecan Pralines Recipe
These Keto Pecan Pralines are creamy and sweet with toasted pecans throughout. My Pecan Pralines Recipe cooks in about ten minutes and is ready to eat in under an hour. They are low carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, keto, and a THM S.
Ever since my husband and I went to New Orleans for our first anniversary pralines have been one of my favorite treats. I was thrilled to come up with a low carb sugar-free version.
My first attempt was good, but not great. Those were too crunchy. More like Candied Pecans. Those are great for salad. One of my favorites is fresh baby spinach with strawberries, feta, and some of my chopped candied pecans.
But this creamy pecan pralines recipe is just like the ones sold in New Orleans. Ever since our 1st anniversary trip to NOLA I’ve occasionally ordered Aunt Sally’s Pralines online. Now I don’t have to. There are several types of pralines throughout the world. These are the best.
When I decided to play around with my original recipe today I had high hopes and they were fulfilled.
How to Make Pecan Pralines
To make pralines you basically make a caramel type sauce, add the pecans, and let them set. It is easier than you think and my method doesn’t even require a candy thermometer.
Just cook some of the butter with sweetener and cream. Add the rest of the butter, vanilla, salt, and your toasted pecans. Drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper and let them cool. That’s it!
How do I know when my keto pecan pralines are done?
The photo above is a good representation of the color you are looking for when cooking this praline recipe. You want the mixture to get thick, turn golden, and smell fragrant.
I do not use a candy thermometer because it is hard to temp such a small amount of caramel. If your caramel looks like my photos you are good!
How do I toast pecans?
I simply put a cookie sheet of pecans in a 400-degree oven for 5-8 minutes. I check them frequently. Nuts are pricey and I’ve burned enough to know not to forget about them.
You want to take them out with the edges get slightly darker and they smell fragrant. If you taste one the flavor should be stronger than with a raw nut.
How to store pralines:
I recommend storing these at room temp and eating them within 2 days. If you want to store them longer you can refrigerate them but they will get a little firmer and the sweetener may crystallize turning them whiteish. They are still delicious!
American cream-based pralines
French settlers brought the recipe to Louisiana, where both sugar cane and pecan trees were plentiful. During the 19th century, New Orleans chefs substituted pecans for almonds, added cream to thicken the confection, and thus created what became known throughout the American South as the praline.
Pralines have a creamy consistency, similar to fudge. They are usually made by combining sugar (often brown), butter, cream or buttermilk, and pecans in a pot over medium-high heat, and stirring constantly until most of the water has evaporated and it has reached a thick texture with a brown color. This is then usually dropped by spoonfuls onto wax paper or a sheet of aluminum foil greased with butter, and left to cool.
‘Pralines and Cream’ is a common ice cream flavor in the United States and Canada. In New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pralines are sometimes called “pecan candy”. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praline
If you love this Creamy Pecan Pralines Recipe make sure to also take a look these:
Pecan Praline Brownies – fudgy brownies topped with a rich praline topping
Pecan Praline Ice Cream – homemade vanilla ice cream with ribbons of praline running through
Pecan Praline Cookie Bars – just like a pecan pie, but a bar instead
Chocolate Pecan Pralines – the classic but with chocolate
Keto Toffee – layers of chocolate around a crisp nutty toffee
Did you realize yet how much I love these pecan pralines?
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Video
Keto Pecan Pralines
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans toasted
- 5 tbsp butter divided
- 6 tbsp light cream (or heavy cream)
- 1/3 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Combine 4 tbsp of the butter with the sweetener and cream over medium heat. Stir until sweetener is dissolved.
- Cook until it is a deep golden brown. As soon as it reaches that deep color (right before burning) remove from the heat and immediately add the other 1 tbsp butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
- Add the salt and toasted pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto on wax paper. Refrigerate just until firm.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published March 9, 2016. Revised and Republished March 16, 2020.
I made these last night because I had a huge craving for pecan clusters. These taste sooooo good – not sugar free at all. I never thought sugar alcohol would carmelize that way so excited to have a gooey-carmel turtle. I will use a candy thermometer next time. Mine became solid in the fridge.
These sugar alcohols seem to always solidify in the fridge. I think it is just the nature of them.
I was so excited about this recipe, but they turned out REALLY bitter…I later realized you listed the gentle sweet THM, I used the Super sweet. Lesson learned 🙁 Outside of my error, they set perfectly but I did used a candy thermometer and removed it from heat just above soft ball stage. I would never try to make these recipes without a candy thermometer, its almost impossible for me. Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to make it with the right sweetener!
It may be beneficial to add the cook temp to the instructions. Typical pecan pralines cook to around 240f, or soft ball stage, on a candy thermometer. I love this recipe, but if I don’t use the candy thermometer, I’m not good enough to eyeball it and get it just right. And I’m guessing many are like me. ☺ This is super yummy tho!
You and I both Rachel! I have tried so many times to “eye-ball” it and I ended up with a bad result. Candy thermometers are a life saver 🙂
Hi there I was just wondering. I made these (delicious by the way) but it seems the texture is off. They never got creamy. They did solidify but remained crumbly and the caramel crystallized so it’s kind of the consistency of a softer more cumbly maple candy. Any tips?
You may have overcooked it. The sugar alcohols do crystallize after an extended period in the fridge but that shouldn’t happen right away.
Same here! I think inivercoood the caramel
over cooked?
Tar, I made these and refrigerated them for several hours but they’re still super sticky and have to be eaten with a spoon. Did I not cook it long enough?
Yes, you need to cook them longer. But… I bet the way they are would be amazing as an ice cream topping 🙂
This may be a stupid question – but do you think these would work with coconut milk? They look amazing – but no dairy for me 🙁
Maybe with coconut cream. If you try let me know 🙂
Hello! I made these and they taste great 🙂 but mine came out grainy, very fine, but still grainy. Did I do something wrong? Or is this the nature of the sweetener? I was just expecting something smoother I guess. Either way, will definitely be making again to have in my keto arsenal!!
Thanks
The graininess is really the nature of the sweetener, unfortunately. I find that they are less grainy right when the set and get grainier over time in the fridge.
Before it sets, this is also mind-blowingly good as a topping for keto ice cream! What an amazing recipe, thank you.
Could I use Swerve for the sweetener?
Lol…I do, all the time!
This is coming from a true Cajun,born and bred, who had pralines as a holiday staple. When I took the first bite I was speechless and I think I cried a little, my world opened up. I can have pralines,not fake but real tasting pralines and still be on my ketogenic journey. I wish I could send a great big Cajun hug and a huge thanks. I will bring them to our Christmas meal and I bet nobody will notice it is low carb.
Thank you for the great review! I’m so glad you liked them 🙂
Would it be possible to use Truvia for the sweetener? If so how much would I use?
Truvia is similar in sweetness to my sweetener but I’m not sure it would work in this recipe. Some of the stevia blends don’t melt well.
I just want you to know these are my new go to treats! I’ve substituted cashews and put them in molds with chocolate covering, used with pecans on your brownies, and just piles of pecans. Love them -thank you so much for the recipe!
Is this something that would hold up at room temperature, after they have been refrigerated? I’m thinking of making them for a party and I just don’t want them to get super soft and milky while they’re sitting on the counter during the party.
They should be fine at room temp for a few hours. Once the sugar alcohols crystalize they are pretty stable.
Hi Taryn, do these freeze well?
I haven’t frozen them but I have kept them in the fridge for up to a month successfully.
Thanks!
I made it with 2 tablespoons of sweet blend and it turned out beautifully.
Thanks for the great recipe!
What 2 tablespoons of sweet blend did you use.