This Divinity Recipe is a classic, old-fashioned Christmas candy that is so nostalgic, easy to make, and absolutely scrumptious! Fluffy egg whites are whipped and sweetened to create a beautiful meringue, chopped pecans are folded in, then all that’s left is for them to harden to become a light, delightful treat that will blow your mind! Once you try the special, holiday treat that is Divinity Candy, you will want to make this every year.
Reasons You’ll Love This
Simple Candy Recipe – Sometimes you have to switch it up with all the Christmas cookies, and make Christmas Candy instead.
Gift Recipe – I love when a recipe also doubles as a gift. A batch of this Divinity Candy Recipe makes the perfect Christmas gift!
Easy to Make – Other than waiting for the candy to dry, this recipe is so simple to make. It’s got 6 ingredients, and you can just drop it on the sheet pan to harden!
No Bake Recipe – Give your oven a break this holiday season and make these quick and simple divinity candies!
Divinity Candy is one of those treats that grandma always had a batch of during the holiday season. Whether you ate them plain, with walnuts or with pecans, you’ll remember the feeling of biting into one of these for the first time. I personally love adding a few of these to my Christmas cookie tins every year to break up the textures and flavors of my mix. They’re always a hit!
Ingredient Info
This is a discussion about the ingredients. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Sugar – White, granulated sugar is ideal for this recipe. I would not substitute as other sugars may hurt the structure of the meringue.
- Corn Syrup – Light corn syrup is best for this recipe to keep that light, white color.
- Egg Whites – Just the whites, don’t use the yolks. I also recommend using actual eggs, not the cartons of egg whites.
- Nuts – Pecans are the classic choice, but my family always went with walnuts. You can use cashews or other nuts as well.
Step by Step Instructions
This is a discussion about the recipe. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe below.
- Dissolve sugar, syrup and water in a saucepan. Stir then remove from heat once done.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly pour in the hot syrup, beat some more then add the vanilla. Gently fold in the chopped nuts.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto wax paper. Let it harden at room temperature until done, then enjoy!
Tips & Advice
Christi’s Kitchen Tips
Moisture – Unfortunately, with these candies, they are susceptible to losing their shape due to humidity and moisture in the air. If you live in a humid area, and your home is humid, this recipe might not work unless you have a dry area to keep them in. If it is humid, and you still want to make them, these candies may require you to beat the mixture 3-5 minutes longer than normal to help them hold their shape.
Storage – Store the candies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing or refrigerating because the moisture can make the candies wet.
Equipment
For this divinity candy recipe, here are a few equipment tips.
You’ll need a saucepan for boiling down the sugar and a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the sugar. If you don’t want to buy a candy thermometer, you can test the sugar for doneness by dropping a small amount of it into a bowl of cold water. If it hardens into a ball that holds a shape, but is still flexible, that means it’s ready.
A stand mixer is the best option versus a hand mixer because you’ll need to be constantly whipping the egg whites from anywhere between 10-15 minutes. If your hand tires easily go with the stand mixer.
FAQs
Yes, you technically can freeze divinity candy, as long as you separate your layers of candy between wax paper. However, I really don’t recommend it, because once they thaw, the texture will be drastically different.
Some say it’s because the first person to try it called it “divine” and the name stuck, so it’s been called that ever since.
Yes, the hot sugar and syrup combined with the egg whites makes them safe to eat after sitting at room temperature to harden.
Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this simple and delightful divinity candy recipe, I have a few more seasonal recipes I think you’ll absolutely love. Check them out!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Divinity Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup nuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook this while stirring constantly over a low heat until dissolved. Once everything has dissolved, let it cook some more without stirring until the candy reaches 260°F.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Continue beating and slowly pour in the hot syrup in a very thin stream until all of it has been added. This will likely take about 10 minutes total. Add the vanilla and mix that in until the mixture becomes stiff, and can hold its shape. Gently fold in the chopped nuts.
- Butter a spoon or spatula, and drop tablespoon sized spoonfuls of the mixture onto a waxed paper line sheet pan or flat surface. Allow this to harden for 13 hours at room temperature, only turning the candies over once, halfway through. Once firm, you can store them and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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