{"id":4949,"date":"2026-09-13T21:49:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T21:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=4949"},"modified":"2026-09-13T21:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T21:49:01","slug":"caramel-pecan-ritz-cracker-pralines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=4949","title":{"rendered":"Caramel Pecan Ritz Cracker Pralines"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Caramel Pecan Ritz Cracker Pralines<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>These Caramel Pecan Ritz Cracker Pralines are an easy and delicious homemade candy made with buttery Ritz crackers, crunchy pecans, and a rich caramel-like brown sugar topping. They are sweet, crispy, slightly salty, and perfect for holidays, parties, or whenever you want a quick homemade treat.<\/p>\n<h2>Ingredients<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>1 sleeve Ritz crackers, about 30\u201335 crackers<\/li>\n<li>1 cup chopped pecans<\/li>\n<li>1 cup packed light brown sugar<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd cup unsalted butter<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd cup granulated sugar<\/li>\n<li>\u00bc cup heavy cream<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract<\/li>\n<li>\u00bc teaspoon salt<\/li>\n<li>\u00bd teaspoon baking soda<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Optional Topping<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00bd cup melted chocolate or chocolate chips<\/li>\n<li>Extra chopped pecans<\/li>\n<li>A small pinch of flaky sea salt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Instructions<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Prepare the baking sheet<\/h3>\n<p>Preheat your oven to <strong>350\u00b0F (175\u00b0C)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lightly spray the surface with nonstick cooking spray.<\/p>\n<p>Arrange the Ritz crackers in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Try to place them close together so the caramel mixture can cover most of the crackers.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Add the pecans<\/h3>\n<p>Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the Ritz crackers.<\/p>\n<p>If you prefer larger pieces of pecans for extra crunch, chop them into medium-sized pieces rather than finely chopping them.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Make the caramel mixture<\/h3>\n<p>In a medium saucepan, combine:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Brown sugar<\/li>\n<li>Granulated sugar<\/li>\n<li>Butter<\/li>\n<li>Heavy cream<\/li>\n<li>Salt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has completely melted and the mixture begins to bubble.<\/p>\n<p>Once it starts bubbling, continue cooking for about <strong>3\u20134 minutes<\/strong>, stirring frequently.<\/p>\n<p>The mixture should become smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Add vanilla and baking soda<\/h3>\n<p>Remove the saucepan from the heat.<\/p>\n<p>Immediately stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda.<\/p>\n<p>Be careful because the mixture may foam slightly when the baking soda is added.<\/p>\n<p>Stir until everything is well combined.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Pour the caramel over the crackers<\/h3>\n<p>Slowly pour the hot caramel mixture over the Ritz crackers and pecans.<\/p>\n<p>Use a spatula to gently spread the caramel so that as many crackers as possible are coated.<\/p>\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to make every cracker completely covered\u2014the caramel will spread more while baking.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Bake<\/h3>\n<p>Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.<\/p>\n<p>Bake for approximately <strong>8\u201310 minutes<\/strong>, or until the caramel mixture is bubbling and golden brown.<\/p>\n<p>Keep a close eye on it during the last few minutes because caramel can burn quickly.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Cool completely<\/h3>\n<p>Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pralines to cool completely.<\/p>\n<p>Let them sit at room temperature for about <strong>30\u201345 minutes<\/strong>, or place the tray in the refrigerator for faster cooling.<\/p>\n<p>Once completely firm, break the candy into individual pieces.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Optional chocolate topping<\/h3>\n<p>For an extra-decadent version, melt chocolate chips in the microwave in short 20\u201330 second intervals, stirring between each interval.<\/p>\n<p>Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled pralines.<\/p>\n<p>Immediately sprinkle with additional chopped pecans and, if desired, a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt.<\/p>\n<p>Allow the chocolate to set before serving.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips for the Best Ritz Pralines<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Use fresh pecans:<\/strong> Fresh pecans give the pralines a much better flavor and crunch.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t overcook the caramel:<\/strong> Cooking it too long can make the caramel hard or bitter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Work quickly:<\/strong> Once the caramel is ready, pour it over the crackers immediately because it thickens as it cools.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Let them cool completely:<\/strong> The pralines become crisp and firm as they cool.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For a salty-sweet flavor:<\/strong> Add a small amount of flaky sea salt after baking.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Store<\/h2>\n<p>Store the cooled Ritz cracker pralines in an airtight container at room temperature.<\/p>\n<p>Place parchment paper between layers to prevent the pieces from sticking together.<\/p>\n<p>They should stay crisp for several days when stored in a cool, dry place.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I Make These Ahead of Time?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes! These pralines are excellent for making ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Prepare them one or two days before serving and keep them in an airtight container. They are especially convenient for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, dessert tables, and homemade gifts.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Can I use salted butter?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. If you use salted butter, reduce or omit the additional salt in the recipe.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I use another type of cracker?<\/h3>\n<p>Ritz crackers work especially well because their buttery and slightly salty flavor balances the sweetness of the caramel. However, similar buttery round crackers can also work.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I use dark brown sugar?<\/h3>\n<p>Absolutely. Dark brown sugar will give the caramel a deeper, richer molasses flavor.<\/p>\n<h3>Why did my caramel become too hard?<\/h3>\n<p>The caramel may have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Next time, cook it only until it is smooth, bubbling, and slightly thickened.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I add chocolate?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes! Chocolate is one of the best additions to these pralines. You can drizzle melted milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate over the cooled candy.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caramel Pecan Ritz Cracker Pralines &nbsp; These Caramel Pecan Ritz Cracker Pralines are an easy and delicious homemade candy made&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4949"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4951,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949\/revisions\/4951"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}