If you’re lucky, you have an aunt like my Aunt Liz. She’s among the kindest, most generous women around, always willing to help not just her family and friends, but also total strangers. Aunt Liz gives great advice and has a wonderful sense of humor. Her home is a refuge surrounded by trees, forever smelling of the wood stove, filled with family photos and memories and comfort.
Aunt Liz is also a legendary cook and baker, whipping up delicious meals and treats. These graham cracker pralines are among my favorite of her offerings, a recipe as simple as it is delicious. They’re the type of treat you’d find in a church cookbook, basic but rich in flavor and texture, sure to please any crowd. This Christmas, I finally asked for the recipe, and was delighted that mine turned out just as delicious as hers always do. Thanks, Aunt Liz, for this recipe and for being the best aunt ever.
Ingredients
- 15 whole plus one-half graham crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed 11 x 17 baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease your baking sheet.
Place graham crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet. You’ll need to break some of the whole crackers into individual rectangles in order for them all to fit.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and pecans, then bring to a gentle boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring well.
Pour mixture over graham crackers, spreading gently so you don’t dislodge the crackers, but you still cover them as much as you can. The mixture will spread out as it bakes, so don’t worry if your crackers aren’t completely covered.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes in the pan. Break crackers apart; store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 