There are so many dessert recipes you can make in the microwave. You can make a Microwave Baked Apple or Banana Bread or just all kinds of desserts. One of my favorites is making Pecan Pralines in the microwave.

updated 12/1/2022

A stack of pecan pralines in front of a christmas tree made of peppermint.

Maybe you’re off at college, but you have always loved to bake things for friends and family. Yep, you can still do that in the microwave. This recipe for Microwave Pralines is decadent and delicious! I have given these as gifts so many times to teachers, professors, friends, coworkers. Even my brother begs for these as his Christmas gift every year! They are THAT good!

Table of Contents

Ingredients to make Pecan Pralines

Brown Sugar
Heavy Whipping Cream
Butter
Pecans (or your favorite nuts)

How do you make Pecan Pralines in the microwave?

If you have a a microwave and a flat space like a counter or a table or even a desk, you can make these. I will warn you, the bowl comes out HOT from the microwave. So, use a towel or pot holders when you pick up the bowl, and lay a towel down on the flat surface where you’re going to set the bowl.

Find a nice flat spot and lay down a piece of wax paper. If you happen to have a cookie sheet or a cutting board one of those will work, but the top of your desk or a counter will work fine, too.

Combine the brown sugar, whipping cream, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl and mix until combined.

Lay out sheets of wax paper to hold about a dozen pralines.

Microwave the sugar mixture on high for 3 minutes.

Remove from microwave and stir in chopped nuts.

Microwave for an additional 3 minutes.

Stir and check to see if consistency has thickened to something like caramel sauce.

If it’s still runny, continue microwaving for 1 minute at a time, stirring and checking consistency after each minute. (Don’t skip this!)

Let it cool for a minute or two, then spoon out each praline to be about 3 inches wide.

Work quickly as it will harden fast.

Let cool for about an hour or two, then remove from wax paper and wrap in plastic wrap.

Two pecan pralines stacked on top of each other on wax paper surrounded by pecan halves.

You can find some really cute gifting tins and boxes at the dollar store. You can also get a roll of wax paper and layer it between the pralines as you fill the box. Then, you’re set for giving these away.

Can you make pralines with different nuts?

Pecans can be expensive, so you can also make them with peanuts or almonds or any of your favorite nuts — even mixed nuts.

From my research, I’ve learned that originally pralines were made with almonds. I assume since pralines are now such a Southern thing and pecan trees are so abundant (it’s the state tree here in Texas), that’s probably why pecans are more commonly used now.

Can you make pralines without nuts?

Yes you can! Do you have a tree nut allergy or a peanut allergy? I can bake with nuts, but I can’t eat them. I’m allergic to tree nuts and have a bad reaction when I’ve accidentally eaten them. I’ve been experimenting for years with how to make pralines without nuts.

Recently, I made a discovery and posted this recipe for nut-free pralines on my family blog. They are also made in the microwave and use cereal instead of nuts.

These Biscoff No Bake Cookies are also nut free, made in the microwave, and taste surprisingly like pralines.

How do you store leftover pralines?

Keep them in a sealed container on the counter for up to 2 weeks.

Can you make these up ahead of time?

Absolutely! I usually make them up a week ahead of time before giving them as gifts. You’ll definitely need to make them at least the day before, so they are hardened enough to package up.

More Food Gift Ideas

More Microwave Dessert Recipes

9 pralines

Microwave Pecan Pralines

Name: Microwave Pecan Pralines
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup whipping cream; 1 tablespoon butter; 4 oz chopped pecans (substitute peanuts or almonds, if desired)

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Make this delicious gift for your friends and family with just a microwave!

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz chopped pecans (substitute peanuts or almonds, if desired)

Instructions

Combine brown sugar, whipping cream, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl and mix until combined.
Lay out sheets of wax paper to hold about a dozen pralines.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Remove from microwave and stir in chopped pecans.
Microwave for an additional 3 minutes. Stir and check to see if consistency has thickened to something like caramel sauce. If it’s still runny, continue microwaving for 1 minute at a time, stirring and checking consistency.
Let it cool for a minute or two, then spoon out each praline to be about 3 inches wide.
Work quickly as it will harden fast.
Let cool for about an hour, then remove from wax paper and wrap in plastic wrap.

Notes

If you double this recipe than cook for 6 minutes the first time. Add pecans, cook an additional 6 minutes. Then, if the consistency is still runny, cook for an additional 3 minutes at a time.
For a nut free version - use 4 oz rice crispy cereal. Microwave for 3 minutes, then after adding the cereal only microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 praline
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 19mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 2g

Any nutritional information on justmicrowaveit.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.

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Microwave Pecan Pralines – an easy gift!