Divinity candy is a delicious homemade confection with a billowy cloud like appearance. This southern heirloom Divinity candy recipe is a family holiday tradition and always a special favorite!
Grandmother’s Divinity candy was always a part of our Christmas celebrations. Her billowy, white Divinity tasted a lot like marshmallows, and was always one of my favorite homemade candies. Some years, she’d add a tint of pink or green to it, but she would usually leave this special Divinity pure white.
She’d watch the weather carefully during the week before Christmas. Then she would pick the day with the lowest possible humidity and begin making this delicious confection.
Grandmother’s Divinity Candy Recipe
I always wanted to help my Grandmother as she made her Divinity recipe each Christmas.
Watching her as she worked magic before my eyes, I would get as close as possible for a better look. I was certain to keep my spot beside her while she turned the molten sugar into fluffy, light clouds of confection. I was always so excited to help her drop teaspoons full of Divinity onto the waxed paper.
Since Grandmother had chosen the best day with low to no humidity, her Divinity would dry well. Then she packaged it into waxed paper lined containers used to hold her Christmas candies until she later shared with all of us at Christmas.
When I married, Grandmother gave me a book of her recipes that she’d collected throughout the years. Many of them were taught to her by her own mother and grandmother, some were given to her from friends, but most she’d created herself.
Each year just before Christmas, I carry on the tradition and make Grandmother’s Divinity. I remember her advice and research the weather predictions to pick just the right day – the day with the lowest possible humidity. Then, I carefully pull out my treasured book of Grandmother’s handwritten recipes and turn to the pages of Christmas candies, including her date nut roll recipe and this Divinity recipe, and make them for my own family.
How to Make Divinity Candy
As I mentioned, Divinity is best made on a day with low to no humidity.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious heirloom candy:
Ingredients
- sugar – granulated
- white corn syrup
- cold water
- egg whites – at room temperature
- pinch of salt
- vanilla – if don’t make this, make sure to use good quality pure vanilla
- pecans – chopped (optional)
Step by Step Instructions
Prep. First, lay sheets of waxed paper onto two cooling racks and set aside.
Cook. Heat the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan until mixture reaches hard ball stage, 250 degrees Fahrenheit, checked on a candy thermometer.
Whip. As the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites, along with a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks have formed.
Remove from heat. When the sugar syrup has reached hard ball stage (250 degrees F), remove it from the heat.
Combine and whip. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites, whipping together at a high speed.
Add vanilla. Then add the vanilla and continue whipping the mixture on high speed until it holds its shape and does not fall back onto itself, about 5-6 minutes.
Add pecans (optional). Then very gently stir in the chopped pecans, if using. Barely stir the mixture, only just enough to add in the pecans.
Scoop. Using two teaspoons and working quickly, drop scoops of Divinity onto sheets of waxed paper that has been placed on top of cooling racks. If the Divinity begins to harden while you are scooping it, add a few drops of warm water to help loosen it while working.
Let it set. Allow the Divinity to sit on racks til it’s completely set. This usually takes about 2 hours to overnight.
How to Store Divinity Candy
Store the set Divinity in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.
More Holiday Treat Favorites
Here’s Grandmother’s Divinity Recipe in detail. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Divinity Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup white corn syrup
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Lay sheets of waxed paper onto two cooling racks and set aside.
- Heat the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat the mixture until it reaches 250º F, a hard ball stage.
- As the syrup is cooking, whip egg whites, along with a pinch of salt, until stiff peaks have formed.
- When the sugar syrup has reached hard ball stage (250º F), remove it from the heat and begin to slowly pour it into the beaten egg whites, whipping together at a high speed.
- Add the vanilla and continue whipping the mixture on high until it holds its shape and does not fall back onto itself, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in chopped pecans, if using.
- Using two teaspoons and working quickly, drop scoops of divinity onto sheets of waxed paper that has been placed on top of cooling racks. If the divinity begins to harden, add a few drops of warm water to help loosen it while working.
- Allow the divinity to dry and harden. This usually takes a couple of hours to overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Merry Christmas!
Robyn xo
Thanks for the recipe. I miss read the instruction, and added my nuts and vanilla before whipped 5 or 6 mins. I went ahead and it turn out fine, I toasted my pecans before using in my candy.
I also had a grandmother that made divinity. It’s such a special candy to me. What would you say is a low humidity? We live in Utah where it’s always relatively low, but it seems the month of December is always in the 50% range. Is that low enough to attempt this?
Thanks so much! And thanks for the recipe as I do not have my own from my grandmother. I hope it will work out for me 🙂
you dont have to have low humidity although it does help if your candy doesnt set up put it in microwave on high until you see it swell up in the bowl about to the top take it out put about a half cup of powder sugar in it and stir well this will fix any divinity problems and also might want to put maple flavor in it makes it way better
We make this same recipe only without the pecans. My great grandmother used to make it and sale it during the depression by going door to door. My grandmother is the one who taught me how to make it and I have passed it on to my daughter.
Just love this recipe , it’s the same as my Mother used to make! And the date nut roll recipe brought back wonderful childhood memories. Pam
My Mother used to make this and also a similar candy that she called “Seafoam” It was made with brown sugar. Sure wish I could get that receipt. Have you ever heard of it.
Thanks, Kay
Kay, I have that recipe. I am not home right now but I will post it later on. My great grandmother used to make seafoam and sale it door to door during the depression. My grandmother taught me how to make it. At first I thought this divinity recipe was it, but it doesn’t have the brown sugar in it.
Look up “fairy food” or “sponge candy” on Pinterest if you still need this recipe. This candy has several names, including “seafoam”, and is what you describe.
Yes. My mom also used seafoam as cake icing. Same recipe ingredients except used brown sugar.
My mother also made seafoam divinity. I had not thought of it in ages until you put it here. I’m sure you can google a recipe. I have hers at home in a cook book from her house. If I find it I will come back here and post it for you.
What a precious gift to be given those recipes from your grandmother. 🙂
So glad to find your recipe for divinity. Not only did my mom wait for a good weather day, she also wanted my daddy to be at home to do the heavy stirring! I guess that’s why I’ve never tried it myself! Do you think a stand mixer would work?
Don’t you love these recipes that our mothers and grandmothers made, Susan? I use a stand mixer to make my divinity.
I made mine & yesterday around 2 pm sat over night & still kinda firm but soft , di i throw back in to mixer & in a pot make more surup & do it again ??????? please help
Cheryl, this is not a really hard candy. It will be firm but still soft.
My mother always made divinity and made sure family, friends, teachers, coworkers and neighbors all had divinity. I was 9 when I started to help dip divinity. My mom has been gone 6 yrs and I still make divinity. At least one batch Nd hope to carry on the tradition for many years and pass it on to my daughter.
My recipe is the same except it uses 3 cups sauger instead of two.
I just had some lovely divinity last night! So soft and sweet. Merry Christmas Robyn!
Merry Christmas – thank you for all the recipes.
Looks perfect! Wish I had some right now!!!!!!! Merry Christmas!
Hi I scooped it out but I don’t think I whips it long enough cause it flattened out a lot. Do you think I can put it back in the mixer or will I have to scrap it?
You can try whipping it more, Amber.