Chocolate ice cream, fluffy marshmallows and crunchy nuts: rocky road is a bumpy, delicious combination that has delighted ice cream fans for nearly a century. National Rocky Road Day, on June 2, celebrates this classic flavor, as well as rocky road candy, brownies and fudge. With summer approaching, it's the perfect excuse to grab a scoop.
History of National Rocky Road Day
Rocky road ice cream is usually credited to William Dreyer and Joseph Edy, ice cream makers in Oakland, California. In 1929, Dreyer reportedly cut marshmallows into pieces with his wife's sewing scissors and mixed them, along with walnuts, into chocolate ice cream. The walnuts were later replaced with almonds.
The name is often linked to the stock market crash of October 1929. As the country entered the Great Depression, Dreyer and Edy are said to have named the flavor 'rocky road' to give people something to smile about during a difficult and 'rocky' time. Another ice cream maker, George Farren, also claimed to have created a similar flavor, so the true origin is debated.
The flavor became one of the most popular in America. In Australia, 'rocky road' usually refers to a chocolate candy filled with marshmallows, nuts and sometimes fruit or coconut. Who created National Rocky Road Day is not documented.
Why National Rocky Road Day Matters
Rocky road shows how a simple idea can bring comfort during hard times. Its name and story connect a favorite treat to an important period in American history.
It is also easy to make at home. Rocky road candy requires no baking, so it is a great first recipe for young cooks working with an adult.
The flavor also encourages creativity. Cooks around the world add their own twists, such as dried cherries, cookies or coconut, proving that there is no single 'right' way to make a rocky road.
How to Celebrate National Rocky Road Day
- Eat a scoop: enjoy rocky road ice cream in a cone or sundae.
- Make rocky road candy: melt chocolate and stir in marshmallows and nuts.
- Bake brownies: top brownies with marshmallows, nuts and chocolate.
- Try a twist: add dried fruit, cookies or coconut.
- Make it nut-free: use crispy rice cereal instead of nuts.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, an ice cream social with rocky road and toppings makes a fun summer kickoff; offer nut-free and dairy-free choices. In classrooms, students can learn about the Great Depression and how businesses tried to lift spirits, or follow a no-bake rocky road recipe as a lesson in measuring (check allergy policies). At home, families can make rocky road bars together by melting chocolate in the microwave, stirring in mix-ins and chilling the mixture in a pan. Children love choosing their own add-ins.
Fun Facts About National Rocky Road Day
- Rocky road is usually credited to William Dreyer and Joseph Edy in 1929.
- Dreyer reportedly cut marshmallows with sewing scissors.
- In Australia, rocky road is usually a chocolate candy.
National Rocky Road Day FAQs
When is National Rocky Road Day?
National Rocky Road Day is June 2.
What is in rocky road ice cream?
Chocolate ice cream with marshmallows and nuts, usually almonds.
Who invented rocky road?
It is usually credited to William Dreyer and Joseph Edy in Oakland, California, in 1929.
Why is it called rocky road?
The name is often linked to hard times after the 1929 stock market crash.