Divinity Candy recipe is a Southern classic. Just one bite and you’ll be hooked on this chewy, soft vanilla treat packed with crunchy pecans!
Love Pecans? Our Pecan Pie Truffles are delicious for the holidays, or as an year round treat! Be sure to add a batch of English Toffee to all your holiday baking as well.
What is Divinity Candy
If there’s ever one standout recipe request that I receive, it’s always for the ever popular southern treat, Divinity.
If you’ve never had this sweet treat, the texture is marvelous.
It’s a combination of marshmallow, fudge, and taffy! Add in the crunch of pecans and this is a dessert made for the holidays.
Divinity can be finicky, so be sure to read all my tips and tricks on how to make divinity candy!
Tips and Tricks
- Be Patient. When the recipe states to beat the mixture for 6 minutes, do that. Don’t rush it. Don’t skip a single minute.
- Stand Mixer. While a handheld mixture may work, most people find a stand mixer to not only be more convenient, the higher power is needed for this longer run!
- Watch the humidity. Don’t attempt to make these on a humid day. Much like meringue cookies, this Divinity candy recipe won’t set up properly.
- Candy thermometer. Use it! And make sure while you are boiling the mixture, the bulb of the candy thermometer is completely covered with liquid and is not touching the bottom or side of the pan.
- Vanilla extract. Using my homemade vanilla extract or store bought extract works great. Make sure it’s PURE and not immitation, you want that flavor to stand out. Almond extract is great too!
Recipe FAQs
Check your candy thermometer before using it, to make sure it’s calibrated correctly. To do this, place your thermometer in boiling water for a few minutes. It should register at 212° If it is above or below that, add or subtract the same difference in degrees from the recipe temperature!
Anywhere from 1-2 hours for divinity to set properly.
Store divinity candy in airtight container at room temperature. I use parchment paper between layers.
More Candy Recipes:
- Pralines
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Buttercream Truffles
- Peanut Brittle
- Cream Cheese Mints
- How to Make Chocolate Fudge
- Christmas Crack
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Divinity Candy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 2 egg whites
- 1-2 teaspoons pure Vanilla extract or almond extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and the water. Cook and stir constantly until boiling. Clip the candy thermometer to the pan and without stirring over medium heat, bring the temperature up to 260°F (hard ball stage). This will take approximately ten minutes.
- When the candy is nearly to the hard ball stage, begin the next step. In a large mixing bowl, attached to an electric freestanding mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually, in a slow steady stream, pour in the hot mixture, beating on high the entire time. This should take about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in your Vanilla extract (or almond).
- Continue to beat on high speed for approximately 6-10 minutes, until the candy starts to lose it’s glossy finish. When the beaters are lifted, the mixture should mound on itself, and not flatten. You can test it by dropping a spoonful onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. If it stays mounded, the mixture has been beaten sufficiently. If it begins to flatten, continue beating and check again after a minute or so.
- Once it’s properly beaten, fold in chopped pecans and spoon (I use a heaping tablespoon) onto your parchment paper lined baking sheets. Allow about an hour or two to set. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature. ENJOY
Notes
- Be Patient. When the recipe states to beat the mixture for 6 minutes, do that. Don’t rush it. Don’t skip a single minute.
- Stand Mixer. While a handheld mixture may work, most people find a stand mixer to not only be more convenient, the higher power is needed for this longer run!
- Watch the humidity. Don’t attempt to make these on a humid day. Much like meringue cookies, this Divinity candy recipe won’t set up properly.
- Candy thermometer. Use it! And make sure while you are boiling the mixture, the bulb of the candy thermometer is completely covered with liquid and is not touching the bottom or side of the pan.
- Vanilla extract. Using my homemade vanilla extract or store bought extract works great. Make sure it’s PURE and not immitation, you want that flavor to stand out. Almond extract is great too!
Video
Nutrition
Divinity Candy recipe is a Southern classic. Just one bite and you’ll be hooked on this chewy, soft vanilla treat packed with crunchy pecans!
I’ve made this and it’s just like my grandma’s!
I always make this for my Christmas cookie trays! Definitely trying this recipe soon!
Great recipe, thank you for sharing!
I grew up making this with my mom, along with English toffee, pralines, fudge, angel candy, bourbon balls, and more. We beat it by hand when I was a little girl, so I really appreciate my KitchenAid mixer!
There is one additional requirement, though, that is really a necessity for successful candy making, along with your tips about not making when it’s humid, and using a tested candy thermometer. Use sugar that says that it is pure cane sugar. If it doesn’t explicitly say pure cane, then it’s beet sugar. Beet sugar is fine for other things, but doesn’t work well for making candy.
Great tips. And I can’t imagine beating this by hand, oh my gosh!
Just looking at this and reading the instructions is making my mouth water. Next non-humid day, I’m going to try this (again). It is just so deliciously delicious! Thanks for the recipe and insider notes.
I once was given divinity fudge that was so very light in weight . Is this done by adding more egg whites to the mixture ? Love your recipes !
When it is humid I remove two tablespoons of water and my divinity stands up.
Great tip!
This recipe is THE BEST! I’ve failed at this so many times and NAILED it this time thanks to you. I even remarked to my husband, before making your recipe, “This is the year that I conquer Divinity!” Thank you so much!
Yes!!! And now you get to reap the rewards of eating ALL THE DIVINITY 🙂
My grandmother, my mother and now myself have made the same recipe that
Karmella made. Syrup cooked to softball, half added to egg whites remaining syrup mixture cooked to hard ball then added to egg whites to finish mixing.
I can endorse my KitchenAid stand mixer, since three previous stand mixtures
could not endure. Humidity, glossy and peaks are all key words in this recipe.
My grandmother was 93, my mother was 98 and I just turned 70 we all enjoyed making this special Christmas treat. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
I have a stand mixer now, but I have burned up one hand mixer over the years. It set up quickly so be ready when it looses that gloss to put it by tablespoon out on wax paper.
I have made divinity both as a kid and now as an adult, but now I also cover it in chocolate — just dip it like any other candy/truffle. It’s soooooo sinful it’s heavenly 🙂
Oh that sounds good.
My Grandmother and the my Mother would make divinity for Christmas every year. Now I make it every year at Christmas time. My recipe is very similar. The only difference is you add 2-3 Tbsp. of Cherry jello to the egg whites once they are beaten to stiff peaks. I have also used Lime jello. Depending on what flavor you want you can use any flavor. Just omit the vanilla. The red and green are a pretty combination.
Ohh I love that idea, thank you!
Divinity is my favorite candy, particularly with black walnuts. When I was much younger, I would try every year to make it for the holidays and always had a flop. Our farm family was very conservative and if possible didn’t waste anything. I learned if it didn’t set up I would put those little sticky patties in the freezer until solid, then dip them in chocolate yummy. I don’t know how many people asked me for my Valomilk candy recipe. One day I decided to make it right if it took all day. The first time I managed to cook it to the right temperature and realized the change in texture was the key. Now it is my “go to” anytime I need to take treats to work or for community bake sales. Every year I make at least 10 lbs. For Christmas gifts. My recipe is exactly like yours.
I love hearing everyone’s stories about this old fashioned candy 🙂
I have been making divinity from a family recipe (same recipe as this one) for at least 30 years. Never had a standing mixer, I use my good quality hand mixer and just mix for 5 minutes or so after mixing in the syrup. Then I switch to a wooden spoon and incorporate air while I stir the mixture – it just needs to cool down to thicken enough to drop from spoon. Also, I bring the syrup to 250 degrees – 252 on humid days (I’ve made divinity on many humid days). 260 degrees seems way too high. Also, if the mixture gets too hard when you are spooning it out and not soft and pretty looking, add a few drops hot water and stir, it will fix it.
Divinity doesn’t keep well, but I have discovered that it freezes very well. Just freeze in single layer on a cookie sheet, then stack carefully (once frozen) in a container.
Oh my. You all crack me up. You do know a recipe is a suggestion and you can use whatever mixing device you want. Nothing has to be done exact. If you don’t like kitchen aid then don’t use it. The only thing you can’t do is make it when it’s humid out. This recipe is science and moister is an enemy. Just say thank you for the recipe and move on.
This looks so delicious, and it would be so pretty for Christmas, I am going to try it, hope it turns out for me!
Can you use sweetener, instead of sugar. I’m diabetic