Pecan Praline Sauce

This easy pecan praline sauce is rich, sweet and crunchy all at the same time, making it the perfect topping for ice creams, cheesecakes so much more! 

There’s nothing quite like Southern praline, but the flavors and deliciousness of this sauce comes close enough. 

You’ll just need 5 ingredients and a few minutes of kitchen time to make this wicked delicious and versatile topping. 

I have to admit, I do not have a sweet tooth, and that’s why, you’ll hardly find any sweet or sugary recipes here. 

On occasion though, I do love to experiment and try whipping up versatile sauces and sprinkles that I can use in lots of ways. 

My strawberry sugar, whipped honey and date puree are all good examples. They’re sweet, easy to use and not too complicated. 

And so is this praline sauce!

What's So Great About the Recipe?

The simplicity of this recipe has to be my favorite part about it. 

It may look too complicated and time consuming to put together, but it really isn’t. 

This sweet pecan sauce is just the perfect balance of smooth, creamy and crunchy textures. 

Pecans: Choose the best quality pecans for this recipe. This is what will lend the sauce that amazing crunchy texture here. 

Heavy cream: To loosen the sauce, and for that rich, creamy and delicious flavor. 

Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar here, because I didn’t want the sauce to be too dark. You could use dark brown sugar if you want a deeper color and flavor. 

Butter: Salted butter is the best! It lends a beautiful touch of richness to the sauce. 

Vanilla: To lend the sauce a rich, delicate aroma. 

Salt: Just a little, to balance out the sweetness. Use sea salt for best results! 

Substitutions & Variations

• Don’t have heavy cream? Use half and half and a dash of evaporated milk for that amazing rich flavor. 
• Got a few extra minutes? Lightly toast pecans in a saucepan, allow them to cool down and then chop them up. Use these chopped pecans in the sauce to make the bits extra crunchy. 
• Add a dash of maple syrup and cut down the amount of sugar you’re using to make homemade maple pecan sauce. 

How to Store Leftover Pecan Sauce

Store your leftover pecan caramel sauce in a glass jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, if not longer. 

You can reheat the sauce in the microwave for a few minutes, pausing in between every 20-30 seconds to give it a quick mix. 

Another great idea is to reheat the sauce in a pan over low heat for about 3 minutes.

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

• If you’re using unsalted butter here, you might want to add a bit more salt to enhance the caramel-like flavor of the sauce. 
• If you don’t have brown sugar, feel free to use white sugar instead. Just make sure you caramelize it a bit in the saucepan first, and then add in the butter and heavy cream. This will add another depth of flavor to this praline caramel dessert sauce. 
• If you like the sauce to be chunky, use pecan halves instead of chopping them up. 
• If you want the pecan caramel sauce to have a smooth, glossy texture and shine, add a tablespoon of corn syrup into the mix. 

How to Serve Southern Praline Sauce

This easy praline sauce can be used in lots of different ways! You can use it as a topping over waffles, pancakes, cheesecakes and even French toast. 

I love spooning it over my homemade bread pudding or monkey bread to lend it a bit of texture and flavor upgrade. 

And of course, it is the perfect decadent sauce to top over your classic vanilla ice cream! 

Another great idea is to use this praline sauce as a gift! Pour it into a mason jar, finish up with a glittery ribbon and it’ll be an easy dessert sauce that you can use as a homemade holiday present.