Pralines are sweet, creamy candies with a fascinating history that stretches from French kitchens to the streets of New Orleans. National Pralines Day, on June 24, celebrates these treats, which come in different styles around the world. In the American South, pralines are flat, creamy disks made with sugar, butter, cream and pecans, and they are a beloved souvenir of New Orleans.
History of National Pralines Day
Pralines are named after César, Count of Plessis-Praslin, a 17th-century French diplomat. According to tradition, his cook, Clément Lassagne, created a candy of almonds coated in caramelized sugar, which became known as the praline.
French settlers brought pralines to Louisiana in the 1700s. Because almonds were scarce, cooks used local pecans, and they added cream to create a softer, creamier candy. In New Orleans, Black women known as pralinières sold pralines on the streets in the 1800s and early 1900s, providing them with a way to earn income.
Today, pralines remain a symbol of New Orleans and Southern hospitality. In Europe, 'praline' can also mean nut paste or filled chocolates. Who created National Pralines Day is not documented.
Why National Pralines Day Matters
Pralines tell a story of cultural exchange, adapting a French candy with American ingredients.
They also honor the pralinières, whose entrepreneurship is an important part of New Orleans history.
Making pralines teaches candy-making skills, such as cooking sugar to the right temperature.
Pralines are also part of New Orleans' rich food culture, which blends French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and Native American influences. Visitors often bring pralines home as gifts, and many local families have treasured recipes. Learning about pralines is a sweet introduction to the city's history and its many cultural traditions.
How to Celebrate National Pralines Day
- Make pralines: cook sugar, butter, cream and pecans.
- Visit a candy shop: buy pralines from a New Orleans–style shop.
- Try praline ice cream: enjoy a scoop.
- Learn the history: read about New Orleans' pralinières.
- Give as gifts: wrap pralines in wax paper.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, share a box of pralines with the team; label nuts for allergies. In classrooms, students can learn about French settlers in Louisiana, the pralinières, and how recipes change when ingredients change. At home, families can try making pralines with adult supervision, since hot sugar can cause serious burns, or enjoy store-bought pralines and learn their story together.
Fun Facts About National Pralines Day
- Pralines are named after the Count of Plessis-Praslin.
- Louisiana cooks used pecans instead of almonds.
- Pralinières sold pralines on New Orleans streets.
National Pralines Day FAQs
When is National Pralines Day?
National Pralines Day is June 24.
Where did pralines come from?
France, named after the Count of Plessis-Praslin.
What's in a New Orleans praline?
Sugar, butter, cream and pecans.
Who were the pralinières?
Black women who sold pralines in New Orleans.