Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (2024)

This Old Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe is a wonderful, Southern confection that is perfect for adding to a plate of goodies to share with loved ones during the holidays!

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (1)
Table of Contents
  1. Old Fashioned Divinity Recipe
  2. Tests to Make Sure the Divinity is Done
  3. More Candy Recipes You'll Love
  4. More Favorites from House of Nash Eats
  5. Old Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe

Old Fashioned Divinity Recipe

This old fashioned divinity candy recipe is a sweet treat I love to make and share during the holiday season, and I'm guessing fewer people have heard of it, much less tasted it before, unless you grew up in the South.

Old fashioned divinity is a vintage recipe for a meringue-based candy that I would describe as somewhere between fudge (even though there is no chocolate in most divinity, it is often even referred to as Divinity Fudge), nougat, and marshmallow.

It's a billowy light, super-sweet, airy candy confection and it tastes...well, divine. Hence the name.

If you love making homemade candy during the holidays to share with friends & family, be sure to also check out mySouthern Pecan Pralines, English Toffee, Easy Homemade Peppermint Bark,andOld-Fashioned Homemade Peanut Brittle (my second most popular candy recipe after this divinity!).

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (2)

The only place I have ever actually seen it sold is on Main Street USA in Disneyland in the candy store where it comes packaged in little rectangular tinfoil trays next to the walnut fudge. It's what I would pick out as my special treat when I was a kid and we would go to the park with my aunts and grandparents, who would let us choose one thing to take home and share.

Divinity is a classic candy recipe made with just a few ingredients: granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water get boiled together with a pinch of salt until they reach a hard ball stage before very slowly pouring the liquid sugar mixture over stiff egg whites in a thin, steady stream.

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (3)

Then chopped pecans and a little vanilla are stirred in at the end for texture and flavor.

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (4)

Tests to Make Sure the Divinity is Done

The trickiest part to making this old fashioned divinity candy recipe is knowing when it is done and ready to be dropped into little mounds or poured into a pan to set. But I have two tests to help you out.

The first test is by just turning off your mixer and lifting the beaters. If the candy falls back into the bowl in ribbons that immediately merge back into themselves, the divinity is not done and you need to keep beating.

Eventually, the divinity candy will lose it's glossiness and sheen and stop being so sticky, which means it's ready.

The second test is even easier, I think, because all you do if you are having a hard time telling whether the divinity is still glossy in the first test is to go ahead and stop the mixer, drop a teaspoonful of candy onto wax paper, and check whether the candy will hold its shape.

If it puddles, the divinity isn't ready, but if it holds a peak and stays in a nice mound, you are good to go.

You definitely want a candy thermometer (affiliate link) for this recipe though, because if you don't bring the sugar/corn syrup mixture up to 260 degrees F before slowly adding it to stiff egg whites while beating, then candy won't set.

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (5)

Divinity Candy Variations

There are a few popular divinity candy variations because the base itself is such a great backdrop for mix-ins like the pecans that I chose to use here. But some other great flavor ideas would be to stir in the following combinations.

  • Walnuts and 1 teaspoon of maple extract for maple walnut divinity
  • Crushed peppermint sticks for peppermint divinity
  • Maraschino cherries for maraschino cherry divinity
  • 2 cups coconut for coconut divinity
  • Almond extract with dried cranberries for cranberry almond divinity

And you can color any batch of divinity with just a couple of drops of food coloring just to change things up. Although I love the pure white look and nutty taste of this classic, old fashioned divinity candy recipe. And it's the one that gets made most at our house.

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What are your favorite food gifts to share with others during the holidays?

More Candy Recipes You'll Love

  • Grandpa Johnson's Easy Homemade Rocky Road Fudge
  • Grandma Nash's Best Butter Almond English Toffee
  • Christmas Pretzel Hugs
  • Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods

More Favorites from House of Nash Eats

  • White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
  • Korean Short Ribs
  • Cuban Mojo

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (10)

PrintPinRate

Old Fashioned Divinity Candy

4.95 from 150 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 40 pieces

This Old Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe is a wonderful, Southern confection that is perfect for adding to a plate of goodies to share with loved ones during the holidays!

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • teaspoon salt
  • 2 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat and set aside.

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture starts to boil. Then clip a candy thermometer (affiliate link) to the side of the pan and continue to cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 260 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.

  • While the sugar mixture is cooking, beat the egg whites on high speed using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.Then switch to the paddle attachment.

  • Once the sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees F, remove from heat and very slowly pour it in a thin, steady stream, over the egg whites while mixing on high speed. It should take about 2 minutes to pour the hot liquid over the egg whites, so go slow and don't rush this step.

  • Continue to beat on high speed for another 5-8 minutes until the candy loses some of its glossiness and starts to hold its shape. You can stop mixing and test a small amount of candy by dropping a small spoonful of it onto the parchment paper to see if it holds its shape in a nice mound with nice swirls on top or if it melts down into a puddle. Continue to beat a minute or two longer if the divinity doesn't hold its shape yet, test again.

  • Mix in the vanilla and the chopped pecans when the candy stays in a mound instead of melting into itself.

  • Using two spoons sprayed lightly with cooking spray, drop tablespoon size scoops of divinity onto the prepared baking sheet, using one spoon to scrape the hot candy off the other spoon. You will want to work quickly while the candy is still hot.

  • Let the candy set, then store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

From everything I have seen, divinity can be finicky about setting up on humid days. I haven't experienced this firsthand, but thought I would give you a heads up that you might not want to try this recipe for the first time on a rainy day.

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Sodium: 12mg | Sugar: 3g

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (15)

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is divinity candy made of? ›

Divinity is a confection made from egg whites, corn syrup, and sugar. It's similar to nougat, fudge, or marshmallow. Tip: replace the sugar with brown sugar to create "sea foam." Other ingredients can be used to give the candy other tastes, like chopped dried fruit and chopped nuts.

Why is divinity candy so hard to make? ›

As sugar attracts water, any humidity or moisture in the air can affect how your divinity turns out. Divinity should be dry and set within two hours, but have patience. It may take a little longer.

What is the difference between meringue and divinity candy? ›

In a meringue, the sugar syrup is cooked to about 240°F or until the sugar forms a soft, malleable ball when a spoonful is dropped in cold water. For divinity, the sugar is taken a bit further to 250°F (or the firm ball stage) where it can hold more structure.

What is the difference between nougat and divinity? ›

The only difference between making nougat and making Divinity, I saw, was that nougat requires that after blending beaten egg whites without about half of your hard-ball-stage syrup, you heat the rest to near hard-crack before blending it in. So the Divinity process is basically an easier version of the nougat process.

Why is my divinity chewy? ›

Corn Syrup – This is added to stop the sugar from crystalizing giving you a very smooth, chewy texture that's not grainy. Sugar – White granulated sugar is the best for this recipe, avoid brown sugar or it'll affect both the taste and look of the divinity.

Why is my divinity grainy? ›

It's best to make divinity on a cool, dry day. If it's humid (over 50%) or rainy, the candy might end up with a more gooey, or grainy texture. If you're making candy on a hot or humid day, cook the candy a few degrees higher than the recipe specifies to overcome these undesired side effects.

Why does divinity fail? ›

You can't make it if it is "too" humid or if it's raining. The moisture in the air will keep the candy from setting and drying properly.

What to do with failed divinity? ›

You can sometimes correct a divinity fail. If it is too stiff, add very hot water, beating in a half tablespoon at a time until it reaches a fluffy consistency. If it is too thin and does not set, try adding 1/2 tablespoon at a time of powdered sugar until it thickens.

What is the most complicated candy to make? ›

What Is the Most Difficult Candy to Make?
  1. Rock candy. It requires a lot of patience and precision to create the perfect crystal formation. ...
  2. c.berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0. Turkish Delight. ...
  3. Fudge. ...
  4. Licorice. ...
  5. Hard candy. ...
  6. Marshmallows. ...
  7. Toffee. ...
  8. Caramel.

How long can you store divinity candy? ›

Divinity candy stays fresh even at room temperature for 10 to 14 days. The heat from the sugar syrup removes the danger of the egg content spoiling. To store the divinity candy, line an airtight storage container with wax paper.

Do you refrigerate divinity? ›

Store the divinity at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Make sure the environment is not humid, as excess moisture in the air will make the candy sticky.

Why is my divinity not fluffy? ›

There could be several reasons that your divinity did not turn out fluffy: The syrup was not at the right temperature when it was added to the egg whites. The egg white and syrup mixture was not beaten long enough. The humidity was too high.

Why is divinity candy called divinity? ›

It's a billowy light, super-sweet, airy candy confection and it tastes...well, divine. Hence the name.

Is divinity supposed to be soft? ›

I usually test it once at 15 minutes and then every minute or so after until the candy is ready to go. You don't want to over beat the candy. This results in brittle candy that is crumbly – not what you want. True divinity has a pillowy soft, chewy center that is in a word, divine.

Is Divinity Original Sin or Pillars of Eternity better? ›

PoE has fewer puzzles. I prefer the continuous combat in PoE, to me it seems more *realistic*. In my opinion the turn based combat in DOS feels a bit too much like a puzzle to be solved. Both games can drop you into *hopeless* fights (I'm ok with this) however it's easier to escape from them in DOS.

Is divinity the same as marshmallow? ›

Old fashioned divinity is a vintage recipe for a meringue-based candy that I would describe as somewhere between fudge (even though there is no chocolate in most divinity, it is often even referred to as Divinity Fudge), nougat, and marshmallow.

What is the difference between fudge and divinity? ›

Typically known as "divinity," this fudge is unlike your average. This is because it's a fluffy white or artificially tinted fudge. Whereas traditional fudge is made from your usual baking ingredients (sugar, butter, milk and cream) -- divinity is created out of sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, and artificial flavoring.

Is divinity a type of nougat? ›

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Divinity is a nougat-like confection made with whipped egg white, corn syrup, and sugar. Optional ingredients such as flavors, chopped dried fruit and chopped nuts are frequently added.

References

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