Divinity Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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
Why did mine turn out like taffy!
If you heated the syrup to hard ball stage ((between 250-260 degrees), it is likely that yours turned out like taffy because it wasn’t beaten enough. 1. Be sure to beat the egg whites/vanilla until STIFF peaks form. 2. It is pretty essential to pour the syrup in very slowly with beaters on med-low setting so that it mixes well. 3. After mixing thoroughly, it needs to be beaten at high speed for anywhere between 6-10 minutes (higher humidity requires more beating time) until the mixture cools, loses its sheen, and loses its stickiness. In this case, patience is a virtue.
Once you think its ready, spoon onto waxed paper. If it does not hold its shape, you will need to beat even more. If at some point it becomes too difficult to drop from spoon(s), add small amounts of hot water as needed so that it’s workable.
I hope these tips help. Now, I have to go make a batch or I might not be able to sleep tonight!
Thanks so much for adding your tips, Gregg! I hope you had fun making a batch of Divinity like you mention – and that you slept well! 🙂
Thanks!
About how much does this make? It says it serves 8 but how many pieces is that per person?
Hi Robyn, I was wondering if you have come across or maybe made with your grandmother a boiled frosting. My mom made it was light and fuffy and super sweet. I’ve wanted to try it but can’t find it in mom’s recipe box or online for that matter. Thanks in advance. Janet
Hi Janet – Another frosting I make is a boiled frosting or one I call Marshmallow Frosting. I hope this is what you are looking for. This is a light, fluffy frosting that is delicious! Thanks so much! xo
Swiss meringue can be used for frosting and I have made left over to make meringues with them. They are sooo good.
I know humidity plays a part. I’ve forgotten the degree it has to be
I made divinity and it did not turn out. Does anyone know why mine has small waxy pieces in it?
Perhaps you poured the syrup in too quickly. Having made divinity off and on for several years, I never had waxy pieces in it. The syrup needs to be poured in at a slow and steady pace especially in the beginning. Pouring it in too fast might not allow it to disperse evenly. I would try again just to make sure.
I added Raspberry’s, just a cpl of them a and it turned runny. How d9 I fix that. Please help
I’m sorry, Stephanie. I have not tried adding fruit to the divinity and I’m not sure how to fix it. Maybe someone else on here has and can tell you what they did.
we made ours with ckopped black walnuts. So good.
I love divinity…I haven’t had it in years. Started following you on FB and pinterest.
Margaret
I remember my grandmother making this and some she added the pecans and some she would add cherry’s. Can you tell me would it be the candied cherries or the Maraschino cherries and when would you add them? Thanks
I have made divinity for years with my dad, but I was thinking this year about changing it up. Possibly doing a cinnamon caramel or cranberry pecan? Have you tried adding other ingredients does it upset the process? Last years batch didn’t set up for some reason so I don’t want to waste this years batch! Thanks for the advice.
Hi Ashley,
You should be able to stir in dry ingredients as one of the last steps before you make your candies and allow them to set and dry. For adding wet ingredients, you’ll want to make sure that you change the ratios of the base divinity recipe based on the amount of the new liquid you add. I hope that helps!
Ladies; the only difference in Divinity & Seafoam is the sugar. Divinity with white & Seafoam with Brown. The cooking process is identical. Enjoy. Robyn, thanks for sharing your recipe.
Thank you Sherryl for posting this, I was confused why everyone was calling it “divinity” Mom & Granny always called it seafoam.