A little reason to celebrate

National Nougat Day

Food · March 26

A day for nougat, the chewy confection of whipped egg whites, sugar or honey, and nuts, enjoyed on its own or tucked inside candy bars.

National Nougat Day falls on Friday, March 26, 2027. That is 150 days away.

Nougat is a confection made by whipping egg whites and beating in hot sugar syrup or honey, then folding in nuts. The hot syrup cooks the whites as it goes in, which is what turns a bowl of foam into something firm enough to slice.

There are two broad styles. White nougat is soft or chewy, pale and studded with almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts, often pressed between thin sheets of edible wafer paper. Brown nougat skips the egg whites and cooks sugar or honey into a caramel with nuts, so it sets hard and crunchy. Many Americans know a third version best: the light, fluffy layer inside a lot of chocolate candy bars.

Good white nougat has a slow, almost stretchy chew, and the nuts keep each bite from turning into one long pull of sweetness. It is usually cut into small bars or squares, because a little goes a long way.

Making it at home takes patience and a candy thermometer. The syrup has to reach a specific temperature, and humid weather can leave the batch sticky no matter how carefully you work. Cooks who try it tend to remember the stand mixer straining near the end, when the mixture gets thick and glossy.

If you buy a slab from a candy shop, keep it wrapped and away from moisture, which softens nougat and makes the surface tacky.

Ways to celebrate

Try a piece of almond or pistachio nougat from a local candy shop.
Compare soft white nougat with a crunchy brown nougat side by side.
Make nougat at home on a dry day, using a candy thermometer.
Share a candy bar with a nougat center and see who notices the layer.

Dates

Year	Date
2026	Thursday, March 26
2027	Friday, March 26
2028	Sunday, March 26
2029	Monday, March 26
2030	Tuesday, March 26

All national days on March 26

Also on March 26

Categories: Food days