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National Pralines Day

Food · June 24

A day for pralines, the creamy pecan and brown sugar candies of the American South, and for making, sharing or simply eating a few.

National Pralines Day falls on Thursday, June 24, 2027. That is 240 days away.

Pralines, as most Americans know them, are flat, rounded candies made from sugar, butter, cream and pecans. They are cooked in a pot, then spooned onto a sheet to set. The result sits somewhere between fudge and brittle, with a soft, slightly grainy center and nuts in every bite.

New Orleans is the city most tied to them, and candy shops there often sell them by the piece, wrapped in wax paper. In Louisiana the word is usually said "PRAH-leen." Elsewhere it is often said "PRAY-leen." Both get you the same candy.

The French version is a different thing: nuts coated in hard caramelized sugar, often ground into a paste for pastries. So a recipe calling for praline might mean either one. Read the rest of the recipe before you buy pecans.

Making them at home takes a little patience. The sugar mixture has to reach the right stage, and then it is stirred until it starts to thicken and turn cloudy. Stir too little and the candies stay sticky. Stir too long and the pot sets before you finish spooning. Many cooks use a candy thermometer and work fast once the mixture changes.

People enjoy them plain, crumbled over ice cream or alongside a cup of coffee. Some versions add vanilla, a pinch of salt or a splash of bourbon flavoring. The classic stays simple, and a good one breaks cleanly and then melts.

Ways to celebrate

• Try making a small batch of pecan pralines at home.
• Share a few wrapped pralines with a neighbor or coworker.
• Crumble a praline over vanilla ice cream.
• Look for pralines at a local candy shop or bakery.
• Compare a Southern praline with French praline paste.

Dates

All national days on June 24

Also on June 24

• National Bomb Pop Day
• Swim a Lap Day

Categories: Food days