Whether you call it pecan candy or a praline, and no matter how you pronounce the names, it’s all delicious — and it’s a New Orleans staple. Beignets might be a more quintessential, but pralines are the city’s most underrated sweet treat, often found at special occasions or holidays. The confections are made with toasted pecans, cream, butter, and two types of sugar mixed with vanilla. People outside of the South are often most familiar with the treat in praline ice cream.
Pralines were brought from France to New Orleans in the 1700s, where traditional almonds were replaced with the plentiful pecans in the area. Today, there are dozens of variations on the classic recipe, including rum, chocolate, spiced, and more. Over the course of my 15 years in New Orleans, I made it a personal mission to try every praline in the city. Whenever a new business or recipe popped up, I was happy to seek it out for a taste. While the goal did nothing for my waistline, it did feed my soul (and stomach) in ways I still look back on fondly. Outside of a local granny’s kitchen, these shops have the best pralines in the city — and they all ship, in case you want to try an authentic piece of culinary history at home.
Southern Candymakers
Southern Candymakers provides thousands of samples of warm praline pieces to guests each year, just minutes after the hot mixture becomes firm enough to divide. The company has two locations in the French Quarter, where dozens of kinds of candies are made from scratch each day, including several types of pralines. For instance, this shop has a sweet potato praline that will make you question why you would eat the tuber any other way. There are also rum, chocolate, chewy, and lemon pralines, in addition to the traditional recipe in smaller sizes.
The business was founded in 1992 and quickly became a staple in the city’s sweet scene. Just a quick look at the display cases will tell you why. There are four types of fudge, almond toffees, chocolate alligators, and much more. One of my favorite candies here is the Jackson Square. Named for the landmark found just a few blocks away, these decadent treats contain Rice Krispies, peanut butter, and caramel inside a milk chocolate shell that’s drizzled with dark and white chocolates. Just like the mix of people, music, and art that is found in the real Jackson Square each day, these confections are their own unique experience…