This Divinity candy with peanuts is one of my favorite candy recipes, especially during the holidays! Light and soft with a salty crunch of peanuts, this candy always manages to find a place on the goodie plates we take around to neighbors and friends at Christmas time. Now, this yummy treat takes some patience and time to make, but every step is totally worth it! Take your time and follow the recipe to make the best divinity candy. Once you make your first batch, you will be a pro and making them all Christmas season!
What is Divinity?
Trying to explain to someone who isn’t familiar with this Southern treat can be tricky. Is it chewy? Fluffy? Or sweet? All of the above. Similar to nougat, this meringue-based candy is made with sugar, corn syrup, and egg whites. Traditional divinity is made with pecans, but as you can tell with this recipe, I love mine with peanuts and a little drizzle of chocolate. Feel free to use other nuts, or leave it nut free; both ways are delicious! Once the pieces of candy are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Ingredients for the Best Divinity Candy
Homemade candy is a fun treat to share with friends and family during the holidays. Combine all the ingredients together to make a sweet, sticky, and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness!
Sugar – Adds sweetness to this easy divinity candy! Light corn syrup – This helps create that soft, chewy, taffy-like texture. Cold water – Helps in making the candy softer as it is heating up and helps avoid making a hard ball. Egg whites – Keeps the candy soft and fluffy! Leave your eggs out at room temperature before cracking them open. Whip egg whites long enough to make stiff peaks form out of them. Vanilla extract – Blends the flavors together! If you are wanting a more holiday flavor, try peppermint extract, coconut, or almond for a more flavorful divinity candy recipe.Roasted peanuts – Purchase these peanuts roasted and chopped if possible. If not, you can use a food processor and finely chop the peanuts. Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds will also work too!Mini chocolate chips – Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave. This will be the drizzle over top of the divinity candy.
Tips for Making Divinity Candy
Divinity can be a tricky candy to make, but if you follow the directions closely, you can master this Christmas treat. It is so yummy and totally worth it. The most important things to having your divinity turn out right are in these tips.
Stiff peaks – Make sure you beat your egg whites long enough! You definitely want those stiff peaks.Candy thermometer – Be sure you have a candy thermometer before attempting to make this. Watch your candy thermometer closely, you want to pull your pan off the heat right when your candy thermometer hits 255-degrees. Combine – Pour the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites while the beater is running in a super slow, barely stream, drizzle. I’m talking painfully slowly. I think it took me about five minutes to pour it all in.Beat together – Be sure to let it beat for a good eight to ten minutes after that. My Kitchen Aid stand mixer was hating me, but you really do have to mix it that long.Go fast! – When making dollops of divinity, move quickly! It will start to stiffen, which makes it really hard to spoon out. If it really starts to get stiff, add a drop or two of hot water and re-mix what you have left so you can start spooning it out again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Store Divinity Candy
Once your divinity candy has cooled and hardened completely, you can start to layer them in an airtight container. Place parchment paper in between the layered candy to avoid them sticking together. They will store for a week in the container. Find a cool dry place so the candy does not soften too much and stick together.
More Sweet Holiday Treats
Along with this delicious Divinity Candy with Peanuts, try some of these family favorites to share with your loved ones this holiday season!
Christmas Crunch
Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies
Mom’s Homemade Caramels
Cinnamon Almonds (Crockpot Recipe)
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