National Pralines Day is observed annually on June 24th.  This day honors the praline, a confection made from nuts (whether in whole pieces or ground) and sugar syrup. Pralines may also refer to any chocolate cookie containing the ground powder of nuts.

There are a variety of pralines to be enjoyed:

• Belgian Pralines – contain a hard chocolate shell with a softer, sometimes liquid, filling.
• French Pralines – a combination of almonds and caramelized sugar.
• American Pralines – contain milk or cream and are softer and creamier, resembling fudge.

At the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte during the 17th century, French sugar industrialist, Marshal du Plessis-Praslin (1598-1675), originally inspired the early pralines.   These first pralines were whole almonds, individually coated in caramelized sugar.

The powder made by grinding up sugar-coated nuts is called pralin.  This is an ingredient in many types of cake, pastries and ice creams.  When this powder is mixed with chocolate, it becomes praliné in French, which gave birth to what is known in French as chocolat praliné.

The French settlers brought their recipe into Louisiana,  an area of the United States where both sugar cane and pecan trees were plentiful.  During the 19th century, New Orleans chefs substituted pecans for almonds, added cream to thicken the confection and thus created what is known throughout the Southern United States as the praline.

More to Explore…

• National Candy Month
• Chocolate
• Milk Chocolate Day
• World Chocolate Day
• National Carmel Month
• National Nougat Day
• English Toffee Day
• Butterchrunch Day
• Salt Water Taffy Day
• National Candy Cane Day
• National Truffles Day
• National Jelly Beans  Day
• Chocolate Mints
• National Pralines Day
• Candied Orange Peel Day
• Peanut Clusters Day
• National Gum Drops Day
• Chocolate Covered Cherries
• Chocolate Covered Everything
• Peppermint Patties Day
• Hard Candy Day
• National Cotton Candy Day
• National Candy Day
• Trick or Treat
• National Candy Corn Day
• Sweetest Day
• Sour Candy Day
• Lollipop Day
• Peanut Brittle Day
• Trail Mix Day
• Gummy Worm Day

HOW TO OBSERVE

We enjoy this Louisiana tradition so much, try Aunt Sally’s in the French Market Shops, New Orleans to celebrate.  Of course, you can stop by your favorite confectionery and enjoy a few with friends and family.  Use #NationalPralinesDay on social media.