Southern Divinity Candy

Southern Divinity Candy is a classic holiday confection. The soft and pillowy nougat is filled with toasted pecans making it the perfect small bite to satisfy your sweets craving.

Easy Southern Divinity Candy Recipe

What is Divinity? It’s a nougat like candy made with egg whites, sugar and corn syrup. It’s sometimes embellished with chopped nuts or candied fruit and other times it’s simply adorned with a single pecan on top. It’s also possible to change the flavor of divinity by adding flavored extracts such as cherry extract, maple extract, raspberry extract, almond extract or peppermint extract. This recipe is for classic homemade vanilla divinity mixed with toasted pecans although you could also use walnuts.

Checkout this quick list of ingredients you’ll need to make this easy Southern Divinity Candy Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Sugar – Granulated sugar for sweetness.
• Corn Syrup – Light corn syrup forms the base of the fluffy texture.
• Water – Water for moisture.
• Eggs – Whipped egg whites stabilize the sugar mixture.
• Flavoring – Clear vanilla extract for creamy floral notes plus it keeps the white mixture white.
• Nuts – Toasted chopped pecans for crunch and texture plus 42 pecan halves to garnish the top.

How to Make the Best Southern Divinity Candy Recipe

While divinity is worth the effort, there are a few things I’d like to mention for your candy making success.

• Heat Oven and Toast Pecans – Spread pecan halves and chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until fragrant.
• Make Corn Syrup Mixture – On low heat, cook sugar, corn syrup and water together in a heavy bottomed saucepan or large pot fitted with a candy thermometer. Stir constantly, just until sugar is dissolved then stop.
• Don’t Stir – Continue cooking, without stirring until the temperature reaches 260°F on a candy thermometer, or hard ball stage.
• Whip Egg Whites – Beat egg whites using an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Combine – Lower speed to medium-low beating constantly while pouring hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla extract. Continue to beat on medium speed until mixture holds its shape
• Add Pecans – Fold chopped pecans into the marshmallow cream mixture.
• Prepare Sheet Pans – Have nearby 3 large sheet pans lined with wax paper.
• Divide – Working quickly use a small cookie scoop or a two tablespoons, to drop marshmallow fluff mounds onto wax paper. Press one pecan half onto each.
• Cool – Let dry completely at room temperature overnight.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Southern Divinity Recipe

• Large saucepan or deep skillet.
• Stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Candy thermometer to check the temperature for proper texture.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Small scoop for dividing the divinity mixture.
• Baking sheet pans lined with wax paper.

Recipes Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Marshmallow Fluff – I think homemade Southern divinity has a better texture than using the Kraft jet-puffed marshmallow creme technique which can be grainy. In this recipe, we’re making our own marshmallow cream fluff!
• Humidity – Don’t attempt to make this divinity on a humid day. When doing so, it will take much longer to beat, and may not work at all. Divinity is finicky that way.
• Use the Proper Equipment – This is one of those moments a stand mixer is a godsend. You can certainly make divinity using a hand mixer, but it might be helpful to have an extra set of hands to assist in pouring the hot liquid into the egg whites.
• Small Scoop – Divinity can be made in various forms. Most often it’s dropped by the spoonful in mounds onto a non stick surface such as a silicone mat or wax paper. My preference is to use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) for a more uniform look. If preferred, you can always use a regular tablespoon to drop into desired size mounds.
• Hot Water – Keep in mind divinity is sticky and it’s helpful to have bowl or glass of hot water nearby to dip the spoon, then dry before continuing. You don’t have to have special equipment, a scoop or a tablespoon will work.
• Alternate Pan – Divinity can also be spread into a 9×9-inch baking pan, lined with wax paper. Leave enough overhang for easy lifting. When doing so, let the divinity dry according to the recipe, then lift from the pan and cut into desired size squares for serving.
• Vanilla Extract – Clear vanilla helps divinity keep its snowy white appearance.
• Cook to the Proper Temperature – Hard Ball stage is between 250-262°F. I find that divinity does best on the high end of that range.
• Yield – The yield for this recipe can vary depending on how the candy is divided. Make the pieces smaller, or larger depending on your preference.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers – The best way to store leftover Divinity Candy is in an airtight container lined with wax paper at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• Freezer Storage – When stacking divinity, place wax paper or parchment between the layers to prevent the candy from sticking together. It can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight freezer safe container.

More Easy Candy Recipes to Make

 More Southern Style candy recipes you may like to try:

• Sweet and Salty Crock Pot Candy is a holiday must-make using your slow cooker.
• Toffee Peanut Clusters are a decadent little treat that comes together in no time flat.
• Bourbon Pecan Pralines are rich and buttery.
• Chocolate drizzled Peanut Butter Fudge.
• Vintage Pretzel Turtles made two ways.
• Chocolate Peppermint Truffles are super easy to make and will go perfectly with your goodie platters during the holiday season.
• Creamy Christmas Fudge from Recipe Boy.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Sheet Pans
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Silicone Baking Mats