Where To Get The Best Pralines In New Orleans, According To A Local
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.
(504) 523-5544
334 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Leah's Pralines
Located in the same shop for more than 75 years, Leah's Pralines has a long legacy in the Crescent City. It's right in the heart of the French Quarter, only a few blocks from St. Louis Cathedral. The company makes its small-batch pralines in large copper pots, a holdover from the original Cook's Confection business that Leah bought in 1944.
The candies are made with Louisiana cane sugar each day and come in a variety of flavors, like traditional, rum, and creamy. In my opinion, Leah's also has one of the best chocolate pralines in the city, and that's a high bar to reach. You might think that adding chocolate to the already sweet candy would be too much, but Leah's uses dark chocolate to keep the treat balanced. For those who prefer more crunchy options, the frosted pecans come in three flavors, and there are four kinds of brittles. The store has branched beyond candy, too, with a line of its own spice blends and hot sauces.
(504) 523-5662
714 St Louis St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Aunt Sally's Original Creole Pralines
Aunt Sally's has been making candies in the French Quarter since 1935. The family-owned business began as a stall in the open-air portion of the French Market before eventually moving into a building about a block away. Like many of the companies on this list, Aunt Sally's makes its pralines in copper kettles to ensure the candy is cooked at precise temperatures. Copper reacts quickly to temperature changes, making it perfect for delicate confectionery work. It's also particularly striking while watching the candy makers maneuver the pots and hand-dip the boiling syrup.
This shop has some of my favorite pralines because it's not afraid to experiment with new flavors. There are seven types of creamy pralines here, including sugar and spice, salted caramel, and café au lait. All are excellent, but do yourself a favor and try the sugar and spice one. It features Tabasco sauce to temper the treat's sweetness and add an unexpected tang.
Aunt Sally's also created a unique praline that the shop labels as "chewy." There are many chewy pralines in the city, but those are usually more fudge-like. Aunt Sally's uses more pecans in the mix than many places, creating a candy that's basically a mound of pecans held together with a little caramel and vanilla. Delicious.
(504) 524-3373
810 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70116
Laura's Candies
Laura's Candies has the distinction of being the oldest confectioner in New Orleans. Founded in 1913, the business is primarily known for its Mississippi Mud bark, which is made with chocolate, caramel, and pecans. Don't worry, though — the pralines here are stellar, too. There's even a praline fudge that combines a layer of praline with creamy vanilla fudge. Once you try it, you'll never forget it.
Laura's is one of my favorite candy shops because the pralines are made in full view of the public. You can watch the process from inside the shop or through the outside windows, and either way, the rich smell will have you waiting for them to cool. Laura's kicks the candy game up even further with its Southern pecan logs, heavenly delights, and a wide variety of jellied fruit slices. As if that weren't enough, there are nearly a dozen different truffles, including dulce de leche, amaretto, and Grand Marnier.
(504) 582-9651
305 Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Loretta's Authentic Pralines
In business for more than 30 years, Loretta's Authentic Pralines has locations in the French Market and the Marigny neighborhood. Named for the owner, Loretta Harrison, she was the first African American woman to have her own praline company in the city. That success has led to a loyal fanbase and delicious innovations like the praline beignet. Served at the Marigny location, this treat combines cream cheese and pralines that are stuffed into a fresh beignet.
But it didn't stop there. Loretta's created a praline that replaces the standard pecan with shredded coconut, and people went a bit wild for it. In fact, most of the products here involve pralines in some form. The shoe sole cookies, sometimes called elephant ears, take puff pastry and dip it into a combination of cinnamon, sugar, and ground pralines. Take it from me — the result is a shatteringly crisp pastry with a rich taste and crumbly texture. The shop is also known for its praline-filled King Cakes, but you can only get those during Mardi Gras season.
(504) 944-7068
1100 N. Peters St., Stall #9, New Orleans, LA 70116