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
Can you make this without a candy thermometer??
Hi Brandi,
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, just follow recipe as stated to the hardball stage. Enjoy! Thanks!
I have tried this recipe 5x now and can’t seem to get it right! Can you please help me identify what I am doing wrong.
In a heavy saucepan I put sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, at 250°F Inch of salt. Add the sugar mixture to the egg whites, add vanilla and beat for up to 10 mins. It will not get to where it doesn’t fall on itself. I get little pancakes! Please help. I’ve added a half cup of powdered sugar which makes it much better but I’d really like to just follow the actual recipe and have it work for me!
Isabelle, I’m not sure why your divinity is not turning out as it should. There are a few things that could cause this. Make sure you make it on a dry, clear day. It wont turn out well in a humid environment. The egg whites should be at room temperature before beating them. Beat them until they form really stiff peaks. Make sure the sugar mixture reaches the hard ball stage, not just a boil, so it forms a syrup. Pour the syrup into the beaten egg whites slowly as you whip the mixture. I hope this helps the next time you make this.
This was my first time attempting to make this wonderful treat. Such a great recipe to folllow! It turned out perfect 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Joy! It is one of my favorites of my Grandmother’s recipes! xo
This was my first time attempting to make this wonderful treat. Such a great recipe to folllow! It turned out perfect 🙂
That’s so wonderful that you loved it! It’s a very special recipe in my family so I’m happy you enjoyed it too! Thanks Joy! xo
AWESOME CANDY!!! LOVE YOUR RECIPE!!! MY Grandkids call it “WHITE CLOUD CANDY”. NO PRECIPITATION, (no rain or snowy weather) on the day you make it keeps it from GOING flat. MY MOM TAUGHT ME THAT EASY TRICK MANY YEARS AGO!!! THANK YIU FOR SHARING 🙂 Kaye
Definitely have to watch out for those rainy or snowy days, don’t you Kaye! Thanks so much! xo
Could you place this is the silicone candy molds? Or do you think it would stick to bad?
I’ve never tried putting into the molds, Eva, so I can’t say. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Just tried this divinity reciepe. Lovin it!!!
Isn’t it amazing, Kathy?! It’s a family treasure we all love to! Thanks! xo
I’m so glad you love it! xo
When you say this serves 8, does that mean 8 candies? Or what does that mean?
I’m a candy virgin, so I have a couple questions that, I imagine, are no-brainers. When you talk about whipping the mixture, am I to use a stand or hand mixer (assuming stand, but, ya know…). Also, does it require a wire whip attachment, or is a beater OK? Lastly, when you mention allowing to set for several hours or overnight, am I to leave the candies out, or go ahead and place them in the aforementioned airtight container? I know these things usually don’t need to be addressed in recipes because most people know what they’re doing.Thank you for humoring me!
Hi KJ!
You can use either type of mixer – if you have a stand mixer with a wire whip, it will make it easier. But if not, a hand mixer is just fine. That’s what my Grandmother used for years.
When you leave it to set, leave it out until it dries and hardens. Then, you’ll place in an airtight container.
As you make Divinity, I’d suggest to avoid making on a rainy, wet day as it may not do as well. (I talk about all of this in my post).
Have fun making this! It’s such a special and delicious candy! Thanks! xo
Thank goodness my grandmother taught me to beat it by hand because I have burned up a Sunbeam mixer and two Kitchenaid mixers over the past 40 years by making divinity. It takes longer and you have to have strong muscles. ☺
This is the same recipe we have used since we were kids. We also made different flavors and colors: green/peppermint, red/anise and yellow/butter pecan. Green and red was always gone first ?
Such a great treat, right Kim?! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
This recipe sounds very similar to my grandmother’s recipe. My grandmother would put hers in a baking pan and cut it into squares later. I never knew what size pan she used. Any suggestions??
This recipe 8×8 pan