Praline Pecans (Sisterhood Christmas Treats)

I love the varied traditions and specialties that Christmastime brings out. And even though I'm a great lover of the vast assortment of Christmas cookies produced by everyone, my very favorite treat this time of year is my mom's praline pecans. She found the recipe for these in one of those cheap little paperback cookbooks years ago (you know, the kind that you can pick up in the grocery store check-out lanes - back before Google and Pinterest). And I think we just decided to try them out one year as gifts for our friends and coworkers. They were a smashing success with every recipient - and so my family's tradition of giving "Christmas Nuts" each year was born. So here, for the many friends and family who have asked for this over the years, is our "secret" (not really) Praline Pecan recipe. 

My "elves" getting ready to help me make a batch of Christmas Nuts

Praline Pecans (aka. "Christmas Nuts")

INGREDIENTS: 
(all can be gotten very affordably at Aldi - esp. the nuts, which are rather expensive everywhere else)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups (or 2 6oz. bags) of pecan halves
• 1 bag of craisins (dried cranberries) - OPTIONAL

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees (may need to raise temp in electric ovens, depending on how high your heat gets - I use 250 in a gas oven, my sister uses up to 300 in her electric). Spray a 9x13 baking pan (I highly recommend a non-stick pan) with cooking spray, and lay out the pecans in the pan. At this time, I also usually get my "cooling pan" ready as well - typically a baking sheet/jelly roll pan covered in foil (lip or edge around it recommended). 

Next, put the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter into a small saucepan, and heat for 1 minute on medium. After 1 minute, stir the ingredients and heat for another minute. The mixture should be starting to boil at this point - and once it is, you can quickly add the baking soda and vanilla, continuing to stir. Mixture will get really "foamy" at this point. One it reaches the Foam-Stage, turn the heat off, keep stirring it, and pour it over the pecans. Using a spatula, stir the pecans, covering as many as possible in the glaze. 

Put the pecans in the oven and bake in 3 20-minute cycles, stirring between each cycle (60 minutes total bake time). This is the time when I try to get little projects/cleaning tasks done. So I set the timer for the first 20 minutes, and get one bathroom done. Stir pecans. Set the timer for another 20 minutes, and vacuum the upstairs. Stir pecans. Set the timer for the last 20 minutes, and get the other bathroom done ... well, that's my ideal anyway. Most of the time, I set the timer and then spend 20 minutes settling disputes over Legos, changing diapers, cleaning up unrolled toilet paper, etc. You know how life goes. :-) 

When the pecans are done, IMMEDIATELY dump and spread them out on the foil-covered jelly roll pan to cool. If you need them to cool quickly, feel free to throw them outside (if winter), etc. Once they've cooled, you can break any clusters apart and store them or package them up in your gifting containers. 

For gifts, I usually get 2-3 cellophane bags worth out of a "batch" of pecans. We've also gifted them in those little put-together boxes at times. And if you want to just do one bigger gift to someone, you can give them the whole batch (I certainly wouldn't complain about a whole batch all to myself. :-) NOTE: If you want to add some color & texture to your Christmas Nuts, you can throw in a handful of craisins (dried cranberries). Lots of people like these, but since I'm not a fan myself, I usually just skip the craisins. 


Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about these. They're actually fairly easy and fast to make (beyond the waiting 60 minutes to cook). Hope you enjoy!

Megan for the Sisterhood