Pecan Logs

If you’ve never had a pecan log, you’ve been missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures, and today is your lucky day! Pecan logs are a marriage of two incredibly delicious homemade candies joined together and rolled in chopped pecans to form something even better than the sum of its parts.

Although there are several steps involved in the procedure for making these, it’s not a hard thing to do. Just plan ahead, follow the instructions I’ve provided, and create something spectacular. … Additionally, you’ll impress your family and friends with a wonderful homemade treat.

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Easy Step-By-Step Instructions for Pecan Logs

Make the Cream Fondant

How do you make Cream Fondant on a Marble Slab?
Pour 1 ½ cups heavy cream into a heavy saucepan, and swirl up to coat the sides.
Making Cream Fondant
Add 3 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, and ¼ teaspoon salt, and stirring constantly, …
Fondant Recipe
… bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup.
What is cream fondant?
Cook, stirring occasionally until it reaches 240 °F.
What is cream fondant?
Remove from heat, and pour directly onto marble slab (do NOT scrape the sides of the pan).
Nougat
As soon as fondant is cool enough to touch, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and …
What is cream fondant?
… beat and knead with a bench knife, wooden spoon, and your hands as follows:
How do you make cream fondant?
Use the bench knife or wooden spoon to fold over the edges, and then use the heal of your hand to flatten it back down. Then repeat.
fondant made on marble slab
Eventually, it will get stickier than it was before. At this point, beat it with the bench knife until the texture turns from sticky and stretchy to fudge. It happens suddenly.
Nougat
It should look like this.
Homemade Candies
Immediately form into rolls measuring approximately 5 inches long by ¾ inch diameter, and …
How do you make pecan logs?
… wrap tightly with plastic. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for 3 months. If you want more ideas for, check out this recipe for cream fondant.

Make the Caramel

Holiday candies
Line an 18×13-inch baking sheet with sides with parchment, and set aside.
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In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 1 cup butter over low heat. Add 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup light corn syrup, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil.
Christmas candy recipes
Cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 240 °F (the soft-ball stage).
Best Homemade Candy
Remove from heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Homemade caramel recipes
Pour caramel into the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread to edges. Allow to cool completely.
Old-Fashioned candy recipes
Once the caramel has completely set, use a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) to cut it into 10 (6×3-inch) rectangles.

Assemble the Logs

Favorite Homemade Candies
Place one log of fondant in the center of each caramel rectangle, and wrap the caramel all the way around it, sealing in all edges. Then roll each caramel wrapped log in chopped pecans.
Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Holiday candies
When ready to eat, slice and serve.
Holiday candies
ENJOY!

Free Printable Recipe for Pecan Logs

Holiday candies

Pecan Logs

Servings 10 pecan logs

Ingredients
  

Fondant Ingredients:

  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Ingredients:

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup corn syrup
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions
 

Fondant Instructions:

  • Pour cream into a heavy saucepan, and swirl up all sides. Add sugar, butter, cream of tartar, and salt, and stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in corn syrup. Then wash down sides of pan and the spoon.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally until it reaches 240 °F.
  • Remove from heat, and pour directly onto marble slab (do NOT scrape the sides of the pan). Allow to cool enough to touch and handle, and add vanilla. Beat and knead with a bench knife, wooden spoon, or your hands until it loses its shine, and becomes the texture of smooth fudge. Immediately form into rolls measuring approximately 5 inches long by ¾ inch diameter, and wrap tightly with plastic. This recipe makes approximately 10 rolls of that size. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for 3 months.

Caramel Instructions:

  • Line an 18×13-inch baking sheet with sides with parchment, and set aside.
  • Melt butter over low heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add sugar, cream, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until it reaches 238-240 °F (soft-ball stage).
  • Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour caramel into the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread to edges. Allow to cool completely.
  • Using a pizza cutter (or sharp knife), cut the sheet of caramel into 10 (6×3-inch) rectangles.

Pecan Log Assembly Instructions:

  • Place one log of fondant in the center of each caramel rectangle, and wrap the caramel all the way around it, sealing in all edges.
  • Roll each caramel wrapped log in chopped pecans.
  • Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  • When ready to eat, slice and serve.

Notes

May be stored in fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Nut Logs
For fun variety, try using different nuts. For this batch I used roasted salted peanuts.
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