This divinity candy recipe is a classic, old-fashioned candy recipe that my kids request every year. It’s the perfect treat to give to neighbors or friends.
Before we got married, my husband made divinity, and he’s made it for Christmas every year since we got married. My recipe is slightly adapted from the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook we received as a gift at our wedding.
My kids grew up eating divinity, and it just wouldn’t be Christmas for them without it.
What Is Divinity
According to Wikipedia, divinity is a nougat-like confection made with egg white, corn syrup, and sugar. It’s softer than most store-bought nougats but not as soft as a marshmallow. It’s very sweet and sort of melts in your mouth when you’re eating it.
Often nuts, especially pecans in the South, are added to divinity. However, my family prefers it without nuts. (Two of my grown kids still don’t care for nuts.) If your family loves nuts, definitely add them.
How to Make Divinity
Making divinity isn’t difficult, especially if you have a stand mixer and an instant-read thermometer. You can use a hand-held mixer to beat your egg whites and do the initial mixing, but once the divinity gets thick and creamy, you’ll have to finish mixing it by hand. The hand mixer motor isn’t strong enough to beat it when it’s thick.
It’s important to cook the sugar mixture to 260°F or until a small amount of the hot sugar mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball that holds its shape but is pliable.
Next, you’ll beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the egg whites are whipped, you’ll continue beating while you slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites.
Lastly, you’ll beat in the vanilla extract and stir in the nuts, if using. Instead of using traditional vanilla extract, I used a clear vanilla extract so my divinity is a brighter white.
Once the divinity has thickened to a creamy consistency, you need to quickly divide it into individual portions. We’ve found it’s easiest if you use two spoons to portion it out.
Use one spoon to scoop up the divinity and a second spoon to push the scoop off of the spoon on to the parchment paper. You could also spoon it onto a Silpat or wax paper.
How to Store Divinity
Let the divinity set up on the parchment paper for about an hour or two. You want to wait until it’s no longer sticky and removes easily from the parchment paper.
Store the divinity in an airtight container. Or, we prefer to wrap the divinity in plastic wrap in individual servings. Then the divinity stays softer and is easy to give away as gifts.
When I’m making it for the kids, we generally skip the plastic wrap and use small size sandwich bags.
I decided to put my divinity candy recipe on Barbara Bakes so the recipe would be easy for my kids to find and make themselves one day with their kids. I hope you’ll give the recipe a try too.
Divinity Candy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water**
- 2 egg whites
- 1 ½ teaspoons clear vanilla extract*
- ⅔ cup coarsely chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Stir sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring to 260ºF on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball that holds its shape but is pliable.
- Beat egg whites in a stand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly on medium speed. Add vanilla. Beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (If mixture becomes too stiff for your mixer, you'll need to beat it by hand.) Gently stir in nuts if using.
- Use two spoons to push dollops of candy onto parchment paper or a Silpat. Let stand at room temperature until candies feel firm. Store in airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap to give as gifts.
Notes
Nutrition
More candy recipes you might like:
Chocolot Butter Toffee, Barbara Bakes
Black Licorice Caramels, Barbara Bakes
Peanut Butter Gianduja Chocolates, Barbara Bakes
Old Fashioned Potato Candy, Belly Full
Martha Washington Candies, Mom On Time Out
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Marilla Rapp
With respect to the nurtimill artiste. Would it make sense to switch from the whisks to the dough hooks for the final mixing of the divinity fudge?
Barbara Schieving
It might be hard to switch but you could certainly give it a try.
Grace Capuano
The problem with the nutrimill artiste mixer was the the mixer, but rather the whisk attachments themselves. I just got my mixer and the whisk attachments broke when the divinity started to thicken. My 25 yr old kitchen aid hand held mixer, has nice study whisks, and would of done the job. Disappointed, I really wanted to like this mixer. This was the first time using it too.
Barbara Schieving
That’s so frustrating Grace. Have you contacted the company? The divinity does get really thick and most hand mixers have a hard time, the motor gets bogged down, but you wouldn’t expect the beater to break.
Barbara Schieving
Our whisk broke this year too. I have removed the references to the Nutrimill mixer. Again sorry for the frustration!
Nora Mitchell
I’m eyeing that Artiste with growing envy. How can I persuade them to send me one? 😄
Seriously, I gave up my huge stand mixer when I downsized to an apartment with limited space, but my hand mixer was nearly killed while making royal icing at Christmastime and I’ve been pricing stand mixers again ever since.
Barbara Schieving
It really is a workhorse, especially great for making a double batch or rolls.
Patricia
I’ve made divinity from a Betty Crocker cookbook I received as a wedding gift 46 years ago. I had tried a couple of different recipes and they were total failures. It tasted good enough, but never did set up. We always had to use a spoon to eat it. That all changed when I tried Betty’s recipe and as they say, the rest is history. I make it every Christmas as the family demands it. I make several batches; some with nuts and some without. Also use a drop or two of red and green cake coloring to different batches to make it more festive. It’s great to give as gifts to neighbors and friends. I’ve found a lot of women are intimidated to make divinity. If you can make fudge, you can make divinity. It’s just part of celebrating the season at our house. One can’t go wrong with this great recipe.
Barbara Schieving
I love the idea of adding color. Thanks for sharing Patricia!
Toni
Thank you so much for the recipe! Fun, easy and delicious!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
These sound amazing! I’ve never actually heard of these before. Thanks mum! xxx
Carol
I’ve never made Divinity-my Mom did when I was little. I never saw her make it, it was before I spent time with her in the kitchen. She used to make different flavors I think she said. Isn’t it fun that your kids look forward to it every Christmas-that it wouldn’t be the same without it? That’s how it is with a couple things I make…Italian Cookies and Scotch Kisses-both are a staple for family and friends.
That’s quite a mixer too-it’s a beauty. Looks like it made short work of mixing the candy.
I love the bags you packed them in too….they’re so cute!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Barbara.