National Pecan Pie Day

National Pecan Pie Day History

National Pecan Pie Day is dedicated to celebrating a distinctly American creation, the pecan pie. The day is marked with an irresistible anticipation of the indulgence in the sweet, sticky, nutty goodness of the dessert that brings about lasting fond memories of home and comfort for many.

While the origin of National Pecan Pie Day remains unclear, the pecan pie itself, with its rich history, has been a cherished part of American culinary tradition. Pecan pie, in its traditional form, surfaced to culinary prominence in the late 19th century in the southern United States, although pecans had been consumed by Native Americans for millennia. These delicious pies typically are made with pecan nuts, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla flavoring, sitting atop a pastry crust, though regional and familial variations often occur.

National Pecan Pie Day, celebrated across America, encourages families, friends, and communities to share in the baking, selling, and most importantly, the enjoying of this ultimate comfort food, strengthening bonds and creating new memories. Celebratory activities may include making homemade pecan pies, visiting a local bakery known for its pecan pie, or even participating in a pecan pie bake-off. National Pecan Pie Day is observed each year on July 12th, culminating a day of great flavor and fun.

National Pecan Pie Day facts

• According to eater.com, the first printed pecan pie recipes started to appear in Texas cookbooks in the 1870s and 1880s. More modern recipes would start to be published in 1898.
• According to Google trends, the most popular pies in the US in 2023 were:
  1) Apple Pie
  2) Pumpkin Pie
  3) Key Lime Pie
  4) Sweet Potato Pie
  5) Pecan Pie
• A single slice of pecan pie is about 117 calories. That is excluding whipped cream.
• The largest pecan pie ever baked was made in 2013 for El Paso, Texas's 32nd annual Pecan Festival. The pie was 50 feet in diameter and used over 150,000 pecan halves.

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Top things to do for National Pecan Pie Day

• Visit your local bakery and order some pecan pie. They may be offering special deals to celebrate the day.
• Bake your own pecan pie. For ideas, check out this recipe for southern pecan pie.
• Host a pie bakeoff. Invite your friends and family over and see who can bake the tastiest pie.