Light as air, divinity is a sweet and creamy Southern candy, a popular holiday treat. This old-fashioned divinity candy recipe is easy to follow with time-tested tips and tricks for your success!
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Ever since my mother-in-law taught me how to make divinity 10+ years ago, it has become my favorite holiday treat!
Every year, I whip up a batch and share the treat with her.
It brings fun memories of us making them together with her hand-held electric mixer, almost burning the motor as the mixer started to heat-up and smell of burn.
What is divinity?
Divinity is a classic southern Christmas treat made of egg whites, sugar and corn syrup.
It has melt-in-your-mouth soft and fluffy texture, sweet and creamy taste. The name says it all. It’s divine!
Nothing brings holiday cheer quite like old-fashioned divinity.
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar for this recipe. It’s one of the main components of the recipe, and there’s no substitution for it.
- Corn syrup is another key ingredient for proper set. Sometimes, you can substitute honey or maple syrup for cornstarch.
- Egg whites – Be sure to keep the egg whites away for any form of fat/grease/yolk. Or you won’t be able to beat into a nice meringue.
- Vanilla – In vintage recipe, you might see it’s advised to use clear imitation vanilla to keep its bright and white color. But I’m a passionate advocate for pure vanilla extract. In my experience, it doesn’t affect the color as much!
- Pecans are classic add-in in divinity candy. But walnuts are also a popular option.
How to make divinity candy recipe:
1. Make sugar syrup
- In a heavy-bottomed medium (2qt) saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup and cook the mixture on low heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar is fully dissolved, turn the heat up to medium high and continue to cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 250°F on candy thermometer.
- As the syrup approaches 240°F, start whipping the egg whites.
2. Make the divinity
- In a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until hard peaks form.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly and continuously pour the hot syrup mixture in to the egg whites.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Increase the mixer to high speed and continue to beat the mixture until it loses its gloss and holds its shape, about 15 minutes. Check the consistency after 15 minutes. If the mixture is stilly runny and shiny, beat for another 5 minutes and check again.
Tip
Divinity is ready for shaping once the mixture is thick and no longer glossy, it slowly falls into a ribbon and holds its shape too.
3. Shape and set the candies
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper and spray 2 spoons with non-stick cooking spray.
- Using the buttered spoons, drop a spoonful of divinity mixture onto the prepared sheet.
- Let the candies set at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Tip
As soon as divinity batter is ready, work quickly to shape the divinity candies right away.
Divinity Tips for Success:
- Wait for a dry day to make divinity, because sugar attracts water from humidity. And it takes longer for the mixture to reach proper consistency and candies take longer to set. If it’s a humid day or raining , you better put it off for another day.
- A stand mixer and a thermometer are your best friends in making these sweet confections. Because it takes a long time to beat the mixture, hand-held mixers are just not powerful enough and you may burn the motor of your mixer. A thermometer is a must in divinity-making affair. If the syrup isn’t cooked to hard ball stage, your divinity won’t set, and that’d be sad.
- Be patient. It does take a fair amount of whipping to get that perfectly matte batter, even with a stand mixer.
Why stand mixer is necessary for making divinity?
Your grandma probably made this candy by hand, but there’s just no way I can whip this batter by hand for 15+ minutes!
It’s also super easy (…and much safer) to beat the egg whites in a stand mixer while pouring hot sugar mixture, unless you have a helper.
Even if you have someone there to help you, it’s 100 times easier to have the mixer do all the mixing and your job is to watch the process, because otherwise it’s quite a workout!
Divinity Variations:
You can make lots of variations by mixing in different adds-ons.
- You can chop up the pecans and mix it into the batter.
- You can use walnuts, or even black walnuts, too.
- Mini chocolate chips or mint chocolates are also a great additions.
- Maraschino divinity is another classic!
- And last but not least, colored divinity! Play around with food coloring to add a fun holiday twist. Smear red and green strips inside a piping bag and then add the divinity mixture. Then pipe the divinity and swirl into whatever shape your heart desires.
Storing Tips:
Once the divinity candies are set, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper in between layers and store a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.
FAQs:
Divinity is made of egg whites, sugar and corn syrup. Optional add-ons are pecans/walnuts and vanilla or other extracts for flavoring.
Although both made of similar ingredients, divinity and meringue have very different textures.
Divinity is fudge or nougat-type of candy made with hot sugar syrup that’s cooked till 250°F.
Meringue, on other hand, is crispy and sweet cookies, and is made of whipped egg whites with sugar, or sugar syrup that’s cooked till 240°F.
Your grandma probably made this candy by hand, but there’s just no way I can whip this batter by hand for 15+ minutes!
It’s also super easy (…and much safer) to beat the egg whites in a stand mixer while pouring hot sugar mixture, unless you have a helper.
Even if you have someone there to help you, it’s 100 times easier to have the mixer do all the mixing and your job is to watch the process, because otherwise it’s quite a workout!
Old-Fashioned Divinity
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) light corn syrup
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- 2 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pecan halves
Instructions
To make the syrup:
- In a heavy-bottomed medium (2qt) saucepan, mix together sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring continuously until sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, turn the heat up to medium high and continue to cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 250°F on thermometer.
To make divinity batter:
- As the syrup approaches 240°F, start whipping the egg whites.
- In a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until hard peaks form.
- Reduce the speed to low and slowly and continuously pour the hot syrup mixture in to the egg whites.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Increase the speed to high and continue to beat the mixture until it loses its gloss and holds its shape, about 15 minutes. Check the consistency after 15 minutes. If the mixture is stilly runny and shiny, beat for another 5 minutes and check again.
To shape and set:
- Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper and spray 2 spoons with non-stick cooking spray.
- Using the buttered spoons, drop a spoonful of divinity mixture onto the prepared sheet.
- Push a pecan half on top of each divinity. Alternatively, you may chop the pecans into smaller pieces and stir them into the divinity batter.
- Let the divinity set at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on December 18th, 2013.
My mother always tinted about 75% of her batches of divinity – pastel green, yellow and pink. She added the color right into the mixing bowl and she also added mint to many batches. We used to cover our huge dining room table every year with wax paper sheets of divinity for her to give away.
Wow, what a fun memory, Kim. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try mint divinity!
Would it work to add mini chocolate chips or mini M and M’s? If not plain looks just fine!
Hi, Sheree. Yes, you can definitely add choco chips and M&Ms. I got comments on FB that people add chopped maraschino cherries, and planning on adding it this year. Hope you enjoy!
This is the first recipe that has actually worked! I’ve tried many times and this is the first time its ever succeeded. Thank you!
Yay, so happy you’ve tried it and loved the candies. And thank you for your feedback, Meghan!
I have tried to make this dozens of time. It has never turned out right! I live in Mississippi. It is very humid. Others can make it. I don’t know what I am doing wrong!
Me too. I’m from Texas. I’ve read to cook syrup longer. Also, to stir in half the sugar syrup into egg whites, then cook syrup longer and add?? Kudos to others success.
Hmm, interesting, Joyce. I’ve never heard of dividing the syrup like that. But thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi, Judy. I saw in the comments on my FB post, that people in humid areas turn on AC to help with humidity. I don’t have experience making divinity in humid environment, so I have no input. Maybe try cranking up the AC on the lowest humidity day.
I have made divinity in all sorts of weather–hot/humid, cold/rainy, etc.
It’s all in the cooking. It will turn out in any weather. This is from 50 years of experience in making several batches of divinity a year. I don’t use a candy thermometer and I use a hand held mixer. All 3 of the no no’s work for me. 🙂
Hi, Linda! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!! What part of US do you live? I live in ND, and it works fine even on a snowy/cloudy day here, because we have dry climate. But I think it’d be a different story in the south. But if you live in the south and have no problem with humidity, that’s awesome!! Many people probably would want to know your secret. 🙂 And hand-held mixer does work, but it just requires break time (ours was almost smoking!) and a helper for safety.
It’s been forever and a day since I had divinity. Love this!
Thank you! Hope you’ll make these soon. 🙂
I learned to make Divinity from my aunt and grandmother….but we never used a candy thermometer. We always just dropped a bit off a spoon in to a glass of water and knew when it was done. Times have changed, but it’s still one of my favorite candies :), thanks for sharing your recipe.
Yes, dropping the syrup in cold water does the trick too. Thanks for sharing your memory, Faith!
My grandmother taught my mom. My mom taught me and I taught my daughter. Now my granddaughters come every Christmas to help me with our candy making tradition. The divinity is my favorite. I live in Louisiana so yes it is of the utmost importance to pick a dry cool day to make it. MERRY CHRISTMAS????
Wow, what a great tradition you have, Rhonda! Thank you for sharing! Hope weather cooperates and you all enjoy some divinity! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
My mother makes the best divinity, soft but firm enough, melt in your mouth goodness with every bite. She will love the swirl.
Ah, I bet those are quite a treat from mom, Michael! Maybe she’ll try with swirls next time. 😉
Do you have the recipe fore ‘hard tack’? It isn’t the biscuit carried on cattle drives in the old West.
It is a crystal looking candy that you can flavor and/or color whatever way you want. In old times I think they probably made only Anise. I have made this, but don’t remember what I did with the recipe. I only remember I had to move fast as it cools quickly after the hot liquid is poured out, something like peanut brittle, and must be pulled out (stretched) to make it thinner. I made mine red that year, and put in a drop or two of cherry flavoring.
If you have, or could find the recipe we. We would really appreciate it.
Hi, Jane. I’ve never heard of “hard tack”, but I asked around and found one hand-written recipe. I’m sending it to you via e-mail. Hope it’s what you’re looking for. And thanks for reaching out.
I would love to have that hard tack recipe
i bought some divinity today! i haven’t seen it in so long. it looks so yummy!
Yeah, they’re so good. It’s now my once-a-year indulgence! 🙂
Shinee minii corn syrup aray 1/2 cup hurehgui bololtoy, tal talaar ni zugiin bal corn syrup holichihvol yah bol?
Deer usnii orond corn syrup geed 2 oruulchihsan baina uu
Bolnoo, bolno. Gehdee zugiin bal amtagdana shuu. 🙂
Bi savaa shavhaad hiisen gehdee yag 15 min mixerdelgui dutuu avsan bololtoy. Mixerdeed duusahad utgun boloh yostoy baisan uu, miniih jaahan ursaad ch baisan. Uutand hiigeed shahsan chin yamarch helbergui yum bolson kk. Ternees bolohiin huvid bol bolson. Gel color hiisen chin miniih goyo ungu oroogui shdee, sonin hataad tugsgul havitsaa ungu ordog baigaa.
Huuhduud maani goyo baina geed ideed baisan. Yadag ch baisan shine zuil turshij uzsen shuu, bayarlalaa.
Zaaval 15min mikserdene gesen yum bhgui, gol ni utgun bolood toligor bish bolood irtel mikserdene. Miksernii huchin chadlaas hamaaraad 15min-aas udaan mikserdeh tohioldol bii. Bi bas gel color hiisen, bas hataad ungu orohgui bolov uu gesen chini bolj bsan. Taniih yamar hurdan sain hatsan yum be te? Hehe
Za huuhduuded taalagdsan bol ch yahav! 🙂