Gluten-Free Creamy Pecan Pralines

New Orleans pralines are pure candy-counter nostalgia — creamy, sugary disks crowded with toasted pecans, and not a speck of flour anywhere in the tradition. A thermometer and a fast arm are all that stand between you and a batch.

Yield: About 20 pralines · Time: 40 min

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) evaporated milk
• 6 tbsp (85 g) butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Line two sheets with parchment before you start — pralines wait for no one.
2. Boil both sugars, evaporated milk, butter, and salt to 238°F (114°C), stirring often.
3. Off heat, add pecans and vanilla; stir hard 1–2 minutes until the shine dulls slightly.
4. Drop quickly by spoonfuls onto the parchment.
5. Set 20–30 minutes; store layered with parchment.

Pro tip: If the batch stiffens before you finish spooning, stir in a teaspoon of hot water to buy another minute.

Gluten-Free Notes

A quick label-reading reminder: scan ingredient lists for wheat, barley, rye, and malt, and look for a gluten-free claim on anything processed. When a label is unclear, the manufacturer’s website usually settles it.

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Browse more in Cakes & Desserts, or explore our gluten-free breakfast recipe database and hot cereal guide.