Peanut Pralines Recipe

By
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold is a literary agent, author, blogger, and recipe developer who has contributed an extensive number of baking and candy recipes to Serious Eats. 
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 06, 2025
Pam Parrella

These pralines are similar in taste and texture to the outside of a Payday bar and, best of all, they're super simple to make. The original recipe is adapted from The Boston Cooking-School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics, Volume XIII (1908) which instructs: "Mixed nuts may be used, but peanuts alone, with only brown sugar, make a better confection than one would think, although it does no harm to use part white and part brown, or some maple sugar."

Recipe Details

Peanut Pralines Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 15 mins
Cooling 30 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 6 servings
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

  • 1 cup salted or lightly salted roasted peanuts

Directions

  1. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat and set aside. In a small saucepan add brown sugar. Use your hands to break up any clumps. Drizzle 1/4 cups of water over sugar and swirl around pan to moisten the sugar. Stir to dissolve completely.

  2. Heat sugar over medium high, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure even heating. Sugar will begin to bubble vigorously. Continue heating and swirling until mixture reaches 230°F as measured on a candy or instant read thermometer. Remove from heat and quickly add peanuts, stir to coat then immediately then drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared pan, spacing pralines 2 inches apart. Let cool for 30 minutes then serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Special equipment

Candy thermometer, parchment paper or Silpat, baking sheet

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
258 Calories
12g Fat
35g Carbs
6g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 108mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 195mg 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.)

More Serious Eats Recipes