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How To Make Divinity Candy

This delicious, old-fashioned divinity candy recipe is the perfect dessert for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The easy recipe is fun for holiday parties, family gatherings, and gifts.

Let me take the fear out of making divinity fudge so you feel confident about cooking the popular and traditional dessert this holiday season.

Homemade Candy

Divinity candy on a red plate

I’ve heard it called candy, and I’ve heard it called fudge. Either way, the homemade sweet treat is good stuff.

Raise your hand if you made divinity candy with your family growing up. We didn’t make a lot of divinity but when I first discovered it, I was hooked. And my husband absolutely loves it.

It’s an interesting blend of egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and pecans. Just cook the sugars and whip the egg whites, and you’ll have candy fudge in no time.

The recipe is one of those keepers in your Christmas candy recipes file, because your family and friends will ask you to make it over and over again.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make The Easy Candy Recipe?

  • Egg whites
  • Sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Water
  • Vanilla extract
  • Pecans

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Divinity Fudge on a cookie sheet

How To Make The Divinity Candy?

  1. In a large bowl, add the egg whites and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  2. Next, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup to a medium-sized saucepan, mix and turn on medium-high heat.
  3. Bring the ingredients to a boil and keep cooking until a thermometer reaches 260 degrees.
  4. Once the sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees, pour it slowly into the egg whites, while mixing. Keep mixing for about two to three minutes.
  5. Add the vanilla extract and the pecans and mix about one to two more minutes.
  6. Spoon the divinity candy onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and allow to harden.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Egg whites in a Kitchenaid mixer

Start by adding the egg whites to a mixing bowl. Whip egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.

For this recipe, I used by stand mixer, but you can use a regular bowl. Just make sure it’s completely dry or the egg whites won’t fluff up.

Sugar in a saucepan to make divinity fudge

Next, add the sugar to a medium saucepan and turn on medium high heat.

White sugar and water in a saucepan to make fudge

Pour the water over the sugar.

Water, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan

Next, pour the corn syrup into the saucepan and mix everything together.

Boiling sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 260 degrees on your candy thermometer.

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test it by dropping a small spoonful of the sugar mixture into a cup of cold water. If the candy hardens when it hits the water it’s done.

I like having a good candy thermometer because I have a terrible time with the water test. I can’t ever seem to get the candy test right.

There’s a link to the candy thermometer I have in the recipe card below.

Pouring cooked corn syrup and sugar into egg whites.

Once the sugar candy mixture reaches 260 degrees, remove it from the heat and pour it slowly into the egg white mixture, while mixing.

Pouring vanilla extract into a bowl with egg whites and sugar mixture

Now, add the vanilla extract and mix.

Pouring pecans into divinity fudge mixture

Finally, add the chopped pecans and mix for about one to two minutes.

TIP: If the candy is too thick, add a couple drops of hot water and mix again for a few seconds to soften it.

Homemade fudge on a cookie sheet

Scoop the divinity recipe onto the cookie sheet with a couple of spoons. The divinity candy will set up pretty fast.

I used a large sheet of parchment paper to set the candy on so it wouldn’t stick to the pan.

Divinity fudge on a red plate

More Delicious Desserts

Divinity fudge on a cookie sheet

FAQs

How To Store Divinity Candy

Store the candy in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature.

Is Divinity The Same As Fudge?

Fudge and divinity are very similar. Many people call divinity fudge because the texture is very similar to a marshmallow fudge.

Divinity fudge stacked up on a red plate

How To Make Divinity Candy

Divinity is the perfect Christmas candy recipe and is a great dessert any time of year.

Print out the recipe card below and learn how to make the best divinity candy today.

Divinity candy on a red plate

Divinity Candy

Yield: 4 servings (3 each)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

This delicious, old-fashioned divinity candy recipe is the perfect dessert for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. If you've always wanted to learn how to make divinity candy, you came to the right place.

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Add the egg whites to a large bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup and mix. Turn the heat on medium-high.
  3. Boil until a thermometer reaches 260 degrees, stirring occasionally.
  4. Slowly pour the boiling hot sugar mixture into the egg white bowl while mixing and mix for about one to two minutes.
  5. Next, add the vanilla extract and chopped pecans and mix for about one to two more minutes.
  6. Scoop the divinity fudge onto a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper,

Notes

TIP: If the candy is too thick, add a couple drops of hot water and mix again for a few seconds to soften it. 

I used a candy thermometer to know when I reached the 260 degrees. Be sure not to let the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan or you will get an incorrect reading.

You can store divinity at room temperature in an airtight container.

If it's a humid or rainy day, I would wait to make the candy. The humidity doesn't always agree with candy-making.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 3
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 609Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 135gFiber: 1gSugar: 133gProtein: 3g

Nutrition is approximate. One serving is three pieces of divinity fudge candy.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Other fudge recipes you might enjoy:

Fudge thatwill make all your friends jealous, and want to stick around. This is the easiest and most delicious fudge recipe around.

Chocolate fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge being poured into a container

Peanut butter fudge to die for

Hershey's fudge cut up and stacked on the counter

Hershey’s chocolate fudge

Find more delicious recipes at

South Your MouthJulia’s Simply Southern, and Southern Home Express.

 

Nannette Mackechnie

Friday 1st of October 2021

Thank you. Also thank you for all the wonderful recipes.

Julie Pollitt

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

You're welcome, Nannette. I am glad you stopped by. :)

Nannette Mackechnie

Thursday 30th of September 2021

On the divinity can you use like the solid candies cut up in pieces instead of pecans?

Julie Pollitt

Thursday 30th of September 2021

Hi Nannette, I think that would work just fine!

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[…] Divinity candy – a great recipe for giving as gifts. And, it’s just like your grandma made. […]

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[…] the recipe for divinity candy here and make it for the […]

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