New Orleans Pecan Praline Cookies with Salted Caramel
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These New Orleans Pecan Praline Cookies with Salted Caramel are the most decadent, delicious, southern-inspired treat you can imagine. Think… oozing warm caramel and melty chocolate. In a cookie. That you can make in minutes, and yes, it’s utterly divine!
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What I Love About Praline Cookies
Much like pecan sandies, these cookies are made with a vanilla-infused buttery base with a hint of cinnamon. And then comes the decadence: chocolate-covered caramels. If that wasn’t enough, I topped these cookies with another layer of salted caramel and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
It’s just… yum! Seriously!
Although you don’t have to add the toppings, they are quite… wonderful.
When do you serve these beauties? Anytime you’re craving decadent cookies, for sure! But they’re wholly delicious for Mardi Gras celebrations. Think of these super yummy cookies alongside a bowl of jambalaya or gumbo.
Or, they are absolutely perfect for the holidays!
If you love pralines or anything with pecans, this is the cookie for you.
What are Pralines?
Pralines are a nutty candy (a little like brittle), although their origins generally dictate its composition and texture. For instance, a French praline uses candied ground almonds to fill chocolates. A Belgian praline is similar but can also be used with candied hazelnuts.
American praline is defined as:
“A creamy, fudge-like confection featuring a cluster of pecans coated with a caramelized mixture of brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream (or milk or evaporated milk) and butter. Though pralines are popular across the Southern U.S., they’re most often recognized as a New Orleans specialty.”
Food Network
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Praline Cookies
Specific ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below, but here’s a list of what you’ll need:
- Butter, softened to room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt: I love sea salt in this recipe!
- Ground cinnamon
- Chocolate covered caramels, chopped. I used Dove chocolate covered caramels but you can also use chocolate chunks or soft caramels instead.
- Chopped pecans
How to Make Praline Cookies
One of the things I love best about these cookies is how easy they are to make. You don’t need to chill the dough before baking, which makes these a quick and easy cookie!
Step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below, but here is a quick overview:
- Cream the butter and sugar until light, pale, and fluffy. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in caramel and pecans.
- Roll the dough into balls and set on baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and beginning to brown. Let cool on the baking sheet.
Cookie Making Tips
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Bake until the edges are just set, but the center is still a bit doughy. As they cool on the baking sheet, they will continue to bake.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup.
- Use a spatula to shape baked cookies. When the cookies first come out of the oven, sometimes the caramel can ooze from the edges. I like to use a spatula to help bring them into shape. Be sure to do this while they are still warm from the oven.
Praline Cookie Questions
New Orleans is known for their incredible food, including pralines. These cookies are inspired by both New Orleans pralines and pecan sandies, and the result is rather decadently delicious!
The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage.
These cookies are a quick and easy cookie to make. You do not need to chill the dough before baking.
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New Orleans Pecan Praline Cookies with Salted Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cup chocolate covered caramels chopped (or chocolate chips)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until light, pale, and fluffy. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix until combined and then fold in the chocolate covered caramels and chopped pecans.
- Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon size dough balls and place on prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still a bit doughy. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. Eat while still warm if you can!
Video
Notes
Storing Cookies:
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.