PECAN PRALINE APPLE PIE

February 27, 2020

Pecan Praline Pie (with apples!)
Published in the Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Homestyle Harvest Meals~ 2019

If you’re looking for a delicious pie that offers an amazing taste and flavor, you aren’t going to want to pass up your chance to make this Pecan Praline Pie. But this homemade pie has a twist. While it tastes like your regular praline pie at first, it’s the surprise ingredient of apple that really takes every single bite over the top.

This recipe started out as something I created in my head because I wanted to add a spin on my favorite apple pie recipe. I really liked the taste that it had but I felt like it was missing a little bit of sweetness and crunch. Low and behold, after several attempts, I created an amazing Apple Praline Pie that is still one of my favorites to this day. 

The creamy texture topped with the crunchy pecans is one of the best taste collaborations in the world. And just in case you need a tad bit more information with some of the most commonly asked questions regarding this type of pie, I’ve put them together and answered them for you as well. 

What praline means?

You’ve probably heard the term a time or two, especially if you’re from the southern states. The meaning of praline is actually the mixing of sugar and nuts and other ingredients to form the tasty treat. 

Are pralines and pecans the same thing?

Not at all! Pecans are nuts that we take out of the shell and yield roast, bake, or eat raw while praline is actually the term for the creamy mixture that is commonly used in a lot of nut of southern pies. In some pies, praline is a bit thicker and tackier while it’s runnier in others.

What are pecan pralines made of?

If you’re asking me, pecan pralines are made up of a little slice of heaven. It’s a sweet mixture that is one of the best dessert comfort foods in the south. Some recipes use corn syrup as their praline additive but for this recipe, we stick with the addition of brown sugar.

What does praline taste like?

It’s actually kind of difficult to describe but if I had to put a distinct taste onto it, it’s a combination between a melted caramel and soft fudge. (I bet your mouth is watering now!)

What type of pies typically have praline in them?

Thanksgiving pies seem to be popular pies that have praline added into them. Think pecan pies, cream pies, and even some pumpkin pies as well. 

Another really cool thing about baking and using a praline recipe is that it can take on different tastes as well. Some use light brown sugar to make while others prefer dark brown sugar. (and like I mentioned above, corn syrup is sometimes used as well) 

What happens if I want to thin out the praline used on my pies?

This is totally a thing! Some people actually prefer for their praline mixture to be thinner and less sticky than others. It’s really all about preference. 

If you’re wanting to thin out the praline mixture, all you really need to do is add in more butter (or whatever ingredient is the thinning agent in the recipe that you’re using) 

Do I have to precook my pie crusts for this recipe?

You don’t. For this recipe, the pie crusts will cook right along with the rest of the ingredients once you’ve added them into the crust.

The main thing to remember about this pie is that it’s a hybrid of apple pie and pecan pie, drizzled with homemade praline sauce. While I still refer to it as my pecan praline pie recipe, it’s also my favorite praline apple pie recipe as well!

What type of apples are tart?

This recipe does call for tart apples so make certain that you’re following that! The reason that you want tart apples is that they contrast in flavor goes really well with the sweetness of the praline sauce.

Tart apples that I love are granny smith apples because some of them are super duper tart. But you can easily use whatever apples you want to use for this recipe as well.

Do I need to peel the apples before adding them to the pie?

Yes, I would. Otherwise, there are going to be bites where the apple coating is going to be stringy and hard to chew through. It’s not a recipe that you’re going to want that to happen so peeling the apples before you slice them is a much better option and choice. 

Now that you’re prepared about this easy praline pie recipe and have some of the questions answered, let’s get down to the recipe on how to make this pecan praline dessert! 

Pecan Praline Pie (with apples!)

All you need to do to get started is to gather up the simple ingredients listed below.

Ingredients needed for Pecan Praline Pie

Praline topping ingredients:

As you can tell from the pecan pie recipe with praline pecans, it’s not a hard recipe to create! 

Since I’ve made this recipe a time or two, I also wanted to pass along this simple tip for creating this homemade praline sauce and pie.

After you’ve created your praline sauce, you might want to thin it out a bit. Simple up the amount of butter to 4 to 6 tablespoons and follow the recipe steps in the full recipe below. This will still give you that amazing taste and flavor but it will make the homemade topping sauce a lot more thinner as well. 

Directions to make this pecan praline pie with homemade praline topping:

Arrange a pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate, set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together apples, cinnamon, flour, sugar, salt, and lemon juice until apples are well coated.

Spoon apple mixture into pie crust: dot with butter.

Place remaining crust over apple mixture.

Press together to seal and flute edges; make several slits with a knife tip.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, until apples are tender. Oven time may vary depending on how thin your apples are sliced.

Spoon praline topping over crust.

Return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Directions to make the Praline Topping

In a sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt butter with brown sugar; stir well.

When the sugar starts to carmelize slightly, add pecans, stirring constantly, until golden.

Enjoy! 

And there you have it! This southern pie recipe might have a few steps to it but I can promise you that it’s worth every single one! 

You’re going to love the taste and flavor and it’s a great pie recipe to share with all your family and friends.

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