Back in the day, my big mama would make divinity candy for the holidays. It was such a treat for my mama and her siblings. Now I’m bringing that Southern fave back. If you’ve never had it, it’s a creamy candy that literally melts in your mouth. It also gets some bomb texture from toasted pecans. You can either give it out as gifts or polish it off yourself on the couch this holiday season. Thank you to my assistant Lindsay who make sure this recipe was tested until perfect.
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How to make divinity candy
- Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, place sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently together until all sugar has been hydrated, careful not to slosh the mixture on the sides of the pot. Cook.
- Whip egg whites. Once foamy, add cream of tartar. Slowly add the remaining sugar, then increase speed until the mixture thickens and becomes white in color.
- Slowly add hot syrup into the bowl while whipping egg whites, careful to aim right between the whisk and sides of the bowl.
- Add salt, vanilla, and maple. Continue whisking on high until the mixture looks like a marshmallow and starts to lose its shine.
- Reduce speed and add cooled pecans and continue whisking for another minute. The mixture should be extremely white and fluffy with a dull sheen and should fall off the whisk into thick ribbons.
Make Your Divinity Balls
- Grab your prepared sheet pan.
- Quickly scoop tablespoon-size portions of divinity and drop the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan.
- Let the mixture set in a cool, dry space for 4 hours.
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Divinity Candy Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Confectioner’s sugar
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 cup pecans chopped, toasted
Instructions
- Prepare sheet pan with parchment paper and sift confectioners’ sugar over surface. Gather either two tablespoons or a #60 disher in a small bowl in preparation for scooping.
- Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, place 1 ¾ cup sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently together until all sugar has been hydrated, careful not to slosh mixture on sides of pot.
- Cook on medium-high heat until mixture reaches 260F, about 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, when your syrup reaches about 230F, whip egg whites on medium-high speed for about 1 minute. Once foamy, add cream of tartar. Slowly add remaining ¼ cup of sugar, then increase speed to high until mixture thickens and becomes white in color. The goal is to reach soft peaks in your egg whites and have your syrup reach 260F at the same time.
- Carefully pour syrup into bowl with whipping egg whites, careful to aim right between the whisk and sides of the bowl. Add salt, vanilla, and maple.
- Continue whisking on high until mixture looks like marshmallow and starts to lose its shine. Reduce speed and add cooled pecans and continue whisking for another minute. Mixture should be extremely white and fluffy with a dull sheen and should fall off the whisk into thick ribbons and take time to absorb back into the rest of the mixture. If it absorbs quickly, continue whisking.
- Add hot water to the bowl with your disher or spoons. Quickly scoop tablespoon-size portions of divinity onto prepared sheet pan, continuing to dip in hot water in between every couple scoops. Mixture will set up as you scoop.
- Let mixture set in cool, dry space for 4 hours. Divinity can be stored in an airtight container for 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Invest in a candy thermometer: Precise temperature control is necessary. A thermometer will help you heat the syrup to the correct temperature and get the right consistency.
- Avoid stirring during boiling: Stirring can cause crystallization and and make the candy grainy.
- Pour the syrup in a thin stream: When adding the hot syrup to the whipped egg whites, pour it in a thin, steady stream while you keep beating the egg whites.
- Avoid overbeating: Overbeating can give the candy that grainy texture.
Recipe Help
If your divinity is not fluffy, there could be a few reasons. Ensure the syrup is boiled to the right temperature (around 250°F or 120°C) and whip the egg whites to stiff peaks before adding the hot syrup. Beat the mixture until it thickens and holds its shape without overmixing it. Be cautious of humidity and moisture, as they can affect the candy’s texture. Avoid stirring while boiling and use a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
More Candy and Treat Recipes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Candy Corn Buttercream Frosting
- Turtle Candy
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- Cosmic Brownies
- Peanut Brittle
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
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This Divinity candy recipe takes me back! I always loved it as a kid and now I can make it for my children right at home with this recipe.
Your post on divinity candy truly captured its essence. The details and descriptions were spot on, making me reminisce about my own past experiences with this treat. You have a knack for bringing out the best in every topic you touch.
This really was melt in the mouth! Everyone loved it at our church bake sale!
These are just so lovely. Airy, delicate, and sweet. Very reminiscent of meringues and very easy to make!
This divinity candy was SO good!! My family devoured them within a few days.
What a wonderful trip down memory lane! My lovely grandmother-like neighbor growing up made this with her Southern touch. Thanks for this recipe that is so fun!