National Chocolate Caramel Day
March 19, 2027
About National Chocolate Caramel Day
National Chocolate Caramel Day is celebrated annually on 19 March in the United States, honouring one of the most irresistible flavour combinations in confectionery. In 2027, it falls on a Friday. The day invites chocolate and caramel enthusiasts to indulge in everything from truffles and candy bars to homemade desserts featuring this beloved pairing.
How to Celebrate National Chocolate Caramel Day
This day is all about indulgence. Here are some ways to satisfy your sweet tooth:
- Make chocolate caramel truffles — Melt dark chocolate, mix with a spoonful of caramel sauce and cream, roll into balls, and coat in cocoa powder. Simple, elegant, and delicious.
- Bake a salted caramel chocolate cake — Combine rich chocolate sponge layers with salted caramel buttercream for a showstopper dessert that combines sweet, salty, and bitter in every bite.
- Drizzle caramel over chocolate ice cream — A quick and easy way to celebrate. Warm some caramel sauce and pour it generously over your favourite chocolate ice cream.
- Try a chocolate caramel coffee — Ask your local coffee shop for a mocha with caramel syrup, or make one at home by adding chocolate and caramel sauces to your espresso and steamed milk.
- Dip pretzels in chocolate and caramel — The combination of salty pretzels with sweet chocolate and chewy caramel creates an addictive snack perfect for sharing.
- Visit a local chocolatier — Many independent chocolate shops offer handmade chocolate caramels. Support a local business while treating yourself.
- Host a chocolate caramel tasting — Gather a selection of chocolate caramel candy bars, truffles, and treats from different brands and rate them with friends or family.
- Gift a box of chocolate caramels — Surprise someone you care about with a beautifully packaged box of chocolate-covered caramels. It is a small gesture that can make someone’s day.
What is National Chocolate Caramel Day?
National Chocolate Caramel Day celebrates the marriage of two of the world’s most popular confectionery flavours: rich, complex chocolate and smooth, buttery caramel. Whether combined in a candy bar, a dessert, a drink, or a homemade treat, the pairing has been a favourite for well over a century. The day is observed across the United States on 19 March.
When is National Chocolate Caramel Day?
National Chocolate Caramel Day takes place on 19 March every year. In 2027, it falls on Friday, 19 March. The date is fixed and does not change.
The History of National Chocolate Caramel Day
The specific origins of National Chocolate Caramel Day as a named observance are unclear, but the combination of chocolate and caramel has a rich history rooted in American confectionery. Recipes for chocolate caramels appeared in American cookbooks as early as the 1880s, when home cooks began experimenting with adding cocoa to traditional caramel candy.
The man most associated with popularising chocolate caramel is Milton S. Hershey, the founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company. Before building his chocolate empire, Hershey made his fortune producing caramels. In 1886, he founded the Lancaster Caramel Company in Pennsylvania, which became one of the largest caramel manufacturers in the country. It was at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago that Hershey saw German chocolate-making machinery in action and became convinced that chocolate, not caramel, was the future of American confectionery. He purchased the equipment, began coating his caramels in chocolate, and eventually sold the caramel business for $1 million in 1900 to focus entirely on chocolate production — though he retained the rights to continue making chocolate-covered caramels.
Today, the chocolate caramel combination is found in some of the world’s best-selling confectionery products, including Twix, Snickers, Milky Way, Rolo, and countless artisanal creations from craft chocolatiers. The global chocolate market is valued at over $130 billion, and caramel is one of its most popular flavour pairings.
Fun Facts About Chocolate Caramel
- Milton Hershey sold his Lancaster Caramel Company for $1 million in 1900 — equivalent to approximately $37 million today — to fund his chocolate-making ambitions.
- Snickers, which features a layer of caramel and nougat coated in chocolate, has been the world’s best-selling candy bar since its introduction in 1930.
- Salted caramel — caramel with added sea salt — became a major food trend in the 2000s and has since become a permanent fixture in chocolate shops, bakeries, and ice cream parlours worldwide.
- Caramel is made by heating sugar to between 170 and 180 degrees Celsius, a process called caramelisation that breaks down sugar molecules and creates complex new flavour compounds.
- The word “caramel” derives from the medieval Latin cannamellis, which combines canna (cane) and mel (honey).
Why National Chocolate Caramel Day Matters
Food celebrations bring people together through shared enjoyment and nostalgia. Chocolate caramel is a flavour combination that transcends age, culture, and geography — it is enjoyed by children and adults, home bakers and professional patissiers, in candy bars and in Michelin-starred restaurants. The day encourages people to pause, savour something sweet, and perhaps share a treat with someone they care about.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Chocolate Caramel Day?
National Chocolate Caramel Day is an annual celebration on 19 March dedicated to the pairing of chocolate and caramel in sweets, desserts, and confectionery.
When is National Chocolate Caramel Day in 2027?
National Chocolate Caramel Day 2027 falls on Friday, 19 March.
Who invented chocolate caramel?
While chocolate caramel recipes existed from the 1880s, Milton S. Hershey is widely credited with popularising the combination commercially through his Lancaster Caramel Company and later the Hershey Chocolate Company.
Spread the Word
Join the celebration and share your best chocolate caramel creations on social media with #NationalChocolateCaramelDay and #ChocolateCaramelDay2027. Whether you bake, buy, or simply bite into a candy bar, every indulgence counts! Fans of chocolate will also love World Chocolate Day on 7 July.
Related Awareness Days
- World Chocolate Day — Celebrated on 7 July, a global tribute to one of the world’s favourite treats.
- National Brownie Day — Observed on 8 December, honouring the rich, fudgy chocolate dessert that has been a baking favourite for over a century.
- National Candy Month — The whole of June is dedicated to celebrating confectionery in all its forms.
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