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
Robyn, I can’t thank you enough. My granddaughter threw out my mother’s recipe book and I have been going crazy trying to find one that was enough like mom’s to work. The proportions of your are perfect and I can tweak it with the temperatures and differences that I remember from making this for 60 years. I am 75 now and intend to make this for Easter. Thanks so much. Now, if you just happen to have one for vanilla fudge? LOL
You have a great week and again a million thanks.
I’m so happy this recipe is close enough to your mother’s that you can make this candy again, Susan. I am so fortunate that I have my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. I’m sorry but I don’t have a recipe for vanilla fudge.
can you add peppermint instead of vanilla?
Kathy, you could use peppermint extract if you prefer.
Can you double this recipe? Would you modify it at all?
Heidi, you can double this recipe without changes. I hope you enjoy!
I replaced the vanilla with almond extract and it gave the divinity a soft cherry flavor.
Instead of adding vanilla extract to divinity could you use almond extract and give it kind of a cherry flavor?
Paula, you could add almond extract if you wish. Hope you enjoy!