I am going to beg the forgiveness of all of my healthy readers in advance. I have already secured it from my IRL friends by letting them serve as taste testers for this delicious homemade divinity recipe. 🙂
I enjoy baking and making candy during the holiday season, but when doing a lot of baking the cost can add up. The great thing about divinity candy is it is made from items that most people have on hand and all of the ingredients are fairly inexpensive except for the nuts, which are optional. It makes a great food gift because it has the “wow factor”. People think it is hard to make, but I am going to break it down into steps so you can see how easy it is.
How to Make Divinity – Candy Recipe and Tips
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Equipment Needed:
Free standing mixer
candy thermometer
In a medium sauce pan, mix sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over a medium-high heat, while stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat without stirring until it reaches 260 degrees ( hard-ball stage).
Once you no longer need to stir the sugar mixture, you can prepare the egg white. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until they form stiff peaks, when pushed with a spoon.
Gradually pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites, while the mixer is still set on medium ( I am wondering if I should have vlogged this step?!?) After all of the hot mixture has been added to the egg whites, increase speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes.
Turn off mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Add vanilla. Continue beating on high until the candy starts to lose its gloss ( about 5-6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, the candy should fall in a thick ribbon and form a mound.
Stir in nuts, if you like, then drop with a tablespoon ( I use a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scoop
Let them set until they have cooled and the outer layer has become somewhat dry and not sticky ( 1 –2 hours). Store in an airtight container.
Printable Divinity Candy Recipe
- 2½ cups sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 2 egg whites
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- In a medium sauce pan, mix sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over a medium-high heat, while stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat without stirring until it reaches 260 degrees ( hard-ball stage).
- Once you no longer need to stir the sugar mixture, you can prepare the egg white. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until they form stiff peaks, when pushed with a spoon.
- Gradually pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites, while the mixer is still set on medium.After all of the hot mixture has been added to the egg whites, increase speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Turn off mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Add vanilla. Continue beating on high until the candy starts to lose its gloss ( about 5-6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, the candy should fall in a thick ribbon and form a mound.
- Stir in nuts, if you like, then drop with a tablespoon ( I use a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scoop) onto wax paper.
- Let them set until they have cooled and the outer layer has become somewhat dry and not sticky ( 1 –2 hours). Store in an airtight container.
More Homemade Candy Recipes:
Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe
Chai Spiced Divinity with Pecans
What treats do you enjoy making during the holidays?
vickie says
November 8, 2010 at 10:54 amAlea,
It looks divine! I bet your family loved you this weekend.
vickie
Sheila says
November 8, 2010 at 12:02 pmAlea,
Thanks so much for the memory. My Ma-Maw used to make divinity each Christmas. It was so good!! Have a lovely week.
Melynda says
November 8, 2010 at 12:18 pmYou certainly have made this look easy enough for even me! I am a candy baby, in that I don't make much, too scared! Might change due to this great recipe. I do make toffee, it is foolproof, which is good for me.
A Cooks Quest says
November 8, 2010 at 4:39 pmMy absolute favorite candy ever! I have to limit myself to Christmas and Easter though because I can eat so much. I have never made it with corn syrup though, mine comes from a very old cook book of my grandmother's that requires, sugar, water, vanilla and eggs. I can't wait for December to arrive!
Rebecca says
November 8, 2010 at 10:33 pmThat DOES look good…maybe I need to go get myself a candy thermometer?! And I agree that you made it look easy. I loved divinity as a kid, but I remember whenever I requested it, my mom would beg off that it was too much of a pain to make. I think she passed on to me her fear of candy thermometers.
So, with that said, my other favorites are chocolate-covered peanut butter balls, Russian teacakes, and spritz cookies!
Alea says
November 9, 2010 at 8:30 amA candy thermometer was the first gadget I bought for my kitchen when I moved out. My mom was always hesitant about making candies too and it is easy to pick up on our mother's cooking aversions – but my dad got me started making candy and it really isn't hard.
Ashley says
December 13, 2014 at 8:51 amI picked that up from my mom, too! And I also bought a candy thermometer shortly after moving out! I haven’t used it much, yet, though….
Brenda says
November 9, 2010 at 3:59 pmI love nuts in my divinity but I like the idea of using crushed candy cane to make them festive.
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
October 19, 2011 at 4:09 amThis looks amazing! I have never tasted divinity but I’ll be remedying that by making this recipe just as soon as I can!
Cat Davis - Food Family Finds says
October 19, 2011 at 1:17 pmI’ve seen divinity, heck, even my mom has made it but I’ve never once tried it. Looks easy enough to make though.
Ash says
November 8, 2011 at 12:05 amMy Mim still says to this day that the best day to make divinity is when it is storming, she says it all has to do with getting those peaks stiff. haha
Judith says
December 15, 2014 at 6:40 pmtried it not as easy as it seems.. Epic Fail. Will try again.. Love divinity
Katy says
December 22, 2014 at 2:58 pmThank you for this! My grandma made divinity every year and it was (and still is) my favorite Christmas treat. When she died it was my goal to make divinity like my grandma and for 10 years I tried and failed over and over again. Until today. Thank you for this tutorial it was SO helpful!
Regina says
February 26, 2015 at 8:06 pmI have a lot of leftover divinity from a party. Any ideas how to turn it into something else?
Leigh says
November 23, 2015 at 2:38 pmOh it’s been years since I have made divinity. I must try it again!
Raquel says
November 26, 2015 at 9:06 amLove this! I have never made Divinity before Alea! Happy Thanksgiving!
Chassity Hawkins says
December 28, 2015 at 12:57 pmI’ve tried making divinity twice now, the first time was way to dry, the second time was way to soft and to marshmallowey. Both were different recipes. I’m going to try this for the 3rd attempt and hopefully the 3rd time is a charm!! I’m determined to get this right! Any tips or tricks?
Jane says
December 10, 2016 at 5:03 pmI have tried for years to master this along with my father as we both loved it when I grew up. As he passed this year, I wanted to try again to master this. Your instructions made it a success. Thank you for helping me to honor his memory with this shared treat.
Alea Milham says
December 11, 2016 at 1:02 pmThank you for your kind words. I am so pleased that my recipe was able to help you honor your father’s memory. Focusing on the things you both enjoyed is a lovely way to honor him!
Lisa says
December 13, 2016 at 10:22 amTHANK YOU!!! his is my husband’s favorite candy. My husband and I have been married 16 years, and for 15 of those years I have attempted to make, and fail miserably at making this particular confection (they’d never set, always a gooey, runny mess, that he scraped into a bowl and ate by the spoonful anyway) And thanks to your step by step tutorial WITH PICTURES and times and everything, I can finally say that year 16 of attempting, I FINALLY DID IT!! I can’t wait to surprise him when he gets home 🙂 Thank you so much again!
Alea Milham says
December 15, 2016 at 1:58 pmI am so happy my recipe was able to help you make your husband’s favorite candy! He sounds like a great guy!
Roz says
December 18, 2016 at 1:05 pmThis is a great recipe. So easy to follow and the divinity is great. I slightly toasted my pecans before chopping them and adding to the mixture.
Lynn Miller says
December 2, 2017 at 9:21 amI used my Kitchenaid stand mixer with whisk attachment. I followed the time whipping minutes at first but the final whipping minutes I cut down to 3 minutes and it still came out dry.
Alea Milham says
December 3, 2017 at 3:59 pmDon’t use the whisk attachment.