Dessert
Vegetarian
Nuts
Milk
Old-Fashioned Pecan Logs
A classic road trip treat!
Kristy Norrell
Kristy Norrell
Published On: November 21, 2025
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The Pecan Log isn’t a candy that you see everywhere, but that wasn’t always the case. Popularized by Stuckey’s in the ’30s, a roadside farmstand created by a pecan farmer in Georgia, it eventually become a treat that reached far and wide as Stuckey’s locations expanded. Eventually, that pecan candy become synonymous with road trips for so many people and to this day, that chewy caramel-pecan coating and vanilla nougat center are something to look forward to. Lucky for all of us, if you can’t find this treat near you, you can make your own at home. It makes a great gift for friends and family and a wonderful addition to your Christmas cookie plate!
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What Ingredients Do You Need for Pecan Logs?
It’s not a long list. You’ll need:
Butter.
Light corn syrup.
Granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
Powdered milk and regular milk.
Caramel candies.
Chopped pecans. A lot of them.
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How Do You Make Pecan Logs?
Candy making can be intimidating but this is one of the easier ones out there. You don’t need a candy thermometer or any special equipment, just a little bit of patience.
The candy has a core that’s a cross between a vanilla fudge and nougat and you’ll start by making that component. To do that, just take a saucepan and combine the butter, corn syrup, and granulated sugar and stir it until the mixture melts and comes to a simmer. Off the heat, stir in the powdered sugar, powdered milk, and vanilla. The mixture will be thick but it will come together eventually.
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Press that mixture into a greased baking dish and let it cool. Then, you’ll want to cut the mixture into four even strips, then slice it down the center so you have eight strips of equal size.
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Take out a slice, put it on some parchment or wax paper, and roll it into a log. Repeat with the rest of the slices and then put them on a plate or tray in the freezer until they’re totally solid. That should take about an hour.
The next step is to then dip those logs in caramel. (It sounds messy, but it doesn’t have to be.) Set a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, making your own double boiler, and then melt the caramels and milk in the bowl, while stirring constantly.
Once the caramel is melted, use a fork to dip the nougat log in it and coat it completely, then let the excess drip off.
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Spread the chopped pecans out in a shallow dish on your work surface. Drop the caramel-coated log into the pecans, and roll it around, pressing the pecans into the caramel.
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Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and keep going until all those logs are coated.
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To serve this, you want to slice the candy into slices about a half-inch thick. This makes a lot of slices, so it’s great for sharing for special occasions like the holidays. They’re a very welcome gift — this stuff is irresistible!
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
