Old-Fashioned Divinity

If you love the light, sweet texture and flavor of divinity but you’ve been scared to make it because you think it’s too difficult, think again! This easy recipe comes together with ease. . .and tastes amazing. You’re going to love this southern confection!

Is Divinity a Christmas Candy?

I always associate divinity with Christmas. My mother was the queen of Christmas candies and this was one of our favorites. That said, I don’t think you need to limit this fluffy white meringue treat with the holidays. It’s perfect all year round!

It’s still pretty warm here in South Texas but I was in the mood for a little candy-making, so I turned my attention to my Mama’s cookbook. She passed away several years ago but I was blessed to receive most of her recipes.

I started the day by making her Homemade Peanut Brittle. It was each and oh-so-delicious. I loved it so much that I made an cinnamon-almond version, too.

Then I turned my attention to Scotcheroos, a recipe I found online that calls for Chex cereal in place of Rice Krispies. Those, too, turned out great.

So, why make another candy when I had so much already? I’ll be with friends most of the weekend and I plan to divide these up to pass along. And how could I resist adding Divinity to the list? (And did I mention this was my first time to make it?)

Divinity Ingredients

I was absolutely shocked to see how few ingredients were needed for my mom’s divinity recipe. They’re easy ingredients you might already find in your pantry. I’ll give you all of the details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at the ingredients you’ll need:

• granulated sugar
• Karo syrup (light corn syrup)
• water
• egg whites
• salt
• pecans (optional)
• vanilla (optional)

You will also need a saucepan, a candy thermometer, a mixer, and wax paper.

Okay, time to get started! Let’s make some candy! (Note: You don’t want to make this one on humid days!)

How to Make Delicious Divinity

Like I said, this came together so easily I had to wonder why I hadn’t made it before!

Place water, sugar, and Karo Syrup in a large heavy saucepan and bring to a low boil. I started mine at medium-high heat. Add your candy thermometer.

Lower heat and cook over low to medium heat until the sugar mixture comes to 260 degrees (hard ball stage). Carefully stir the hot sugar mixture, being careful not to splash it on yourself. You can add drops of hot water to the sides to get rid of crystallization if you like.

While the sugar is cooking separate your egg whites from the yolks. You can save the yolks for later, if you choose. You’ll only need the whites for this recipe.

Place egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl. Whip egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Incorporate the pinch of salt then turn off the mixer. (You can do this with an electric mixer if you like. I used the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.)

When the sugar syrup reaches 260 degrees begin to drizzle a thin stream of the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites in a low steady stream, beating on low-medium speed.

Continue to beat until the meringue passes the glossy point. You want it to begin to firm up, but don’t let it harden.

Turn off the mixer and fold in the pecans and vanilla extract.

Scoop by spoonful onto a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so you don’t leave any of this delicious candy behind. Allow to cool fully before eating.

Store in an airtight container up to a week. Do not expose to humidity.

There is no need to refrigerate. In fact, refrigeration could increase the moisture level, causing them to break down. You can freeze and serve later, if you choose. They should stay good up to a month in an airtight container in the freezer.

What to Expect from this Wonderful Candy

This tastes just like Mama’s Christmas candy, exactly! I was so afraid I would mess it up but it came out perfect! The texture is light but firm. The addition of the chopped pecans adds that tiny bit of crunch you need. And the vanilla extract? It’s the perfect choice.

This is a delicious candy to add to your Cookie Exchange tray, the perfect complement to other sweet treats. It’s one of those family favorites you’re going to want to make again and again.

Variations on this Divinity Recipe

My mind is reeling as I think of other ways to make divinity, now that I see how simple it is. Here are a few ideas that came to mind:

Mini chocolate chips: Next time I think I’ll add some mini chocolate chips along with the chopped pecans.

Almond: I would love to add chopped almonds and almond extract in place of vanilla.

Maple Walnut: Add chopped walnuts and maple extract. (Yum!)

Lemon Craisin: I think these would be delicious with lemon extract and chopped Craisins (or Cherry Craisins) in place of nuts.

Other Christmas Treats from Out of the Box Baking:

22 Christmas Desserts for 2022: My master list! You’re going to love these sweet ideas.

Coconut Cake: It’s creamy, it’s light, it’s loaded with coconut. . .and it’s perfect for Christmas!

Peanut Brittle: Perfect all year round. This is my mom’s recipe and it comes highly recommended.

Easy Chex Scotcheroos: Make these festive by adding a bit of red and green decor. Perfect for Christmas!

Nutter Butter Snowman Cookies: Peanut butter cookies covered in white chocolate and candy? Yes, please!

Checkerboard Cake: Make this one with red and green squares and serve it to your Christmas guests!

Fudgy Pecan Pie: This is a favorite, loaded with pecans and something else. . .chocolate!

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That’s it for this post! I hope you enjoyed this old fashioned divinity candy recipe! It’s great during the holiday season or any time of year!

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.