Tasty Microwave Divinity Candy

Making old-fashioned divinity candy usually means standing over a hot stove, carefully monitoring temperatures with a candy thermometer, and hoping you don’t mess up the timing. It’s one of those recipes that can feel intimidating, especially during the holidays when you’re already juggling a million other things in the kitchen.

Luckily, this microwave version takes all the stress out of the process. You’ll get the same fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth candy your grandmother used to make, but without the constant stirring or worrying about whether you’ve hit the soft-ball stage. Plus, it comes together in about half the time, leaving you free to tackle the rest of your to-do list.

What Kind of Egg Whites Should I Use?

For divinity candy, fresh egg whites work best and will give you the fluffiest, most stable results. You’ll want to make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start, as they’ll whip up much better than cold eggs straight from the fridge. If you’re in a pinch, carton egg whites from the grocery store will work too – just measure out about 1/4 cup to equal two large egg whites. One important tip: make sure there’s absolutely no yolk in your whites, as even a tiny bit of fat can prevent them from whipping up properly and your divinity won’t set right.

Options for Substitutions

While divinity is a bit finicky, there are still some swaps you can make:

• Egg whites: Fresh egg whites work best for divinity, but you can use pasteurized egg whites from a carton if needed. Use about 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites to replace 2 large eggs. Just know that the texture might be slightly different.
• Light corn syrup: You can substitute with dark corn syrup, though it will give your divinity a slightly deeper flavor and color. Honey can work too, but it will change the taste noticeably.
• Pecans: Walnuts, almonds, or even pistachios make great alternatives to pecans. You can also leave the nuts out completely if you prefer smooth divinity or have allergies.
• Vanilla extract: Try almond extract for a different flavor profile, or use peppermint extract during the holidays. Just use the same amount.
• Granulated sugar: Don’t substitute the granulated sugar – it’s essential for getting the right texture and consistency in divinity candy. Other sugars won’t give you the same results.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge with microwave divinity is humidity – if you try making this candy on a rainy or humid day, it simply won’t set up properly no matter what you do, so save this recipe for dry weather.

Underbeating the egg whites is another common issue that leads to flat, grainy candy instead of the fluffy texture you’re after, so make sure they form stiff, glossy peaks before you start adding the hot sugar syrup.

When microwaving the sugar mixture, watch it carefully during the final minutes since it can bubble over quickly and make a huge mess, and always use a large microwave-safe bowl to give it room to expand.

The candy needs to be beaten until it loses its gloss and holds its shape when dropped from a spoon – if you stop too early, it’ll spread out on the pan, but if you beat it too long, it becomes too stiff to scoop.

What to Serve With Divinity Candy?

Divinity is one of those sweet treats that’s perfect on its own, but it really shines as part of a holiday cookie platter alongside fudge, peanut butter balls, and chocolate chip cookies. Since divinity is so sweet and fluffy, I like pairing it with a cup of strong black coffee or hot tea to balance out the sugar. It also makes a great gift when packed in a decorative tin with other homemade candies like pralines or toffee. If you’re serving it at a party, set it out with some salted nuts and dark chocolate pieces so guests can mix and match their favorite flavors.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your divinity candy in an airtight container at room temperature, with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together. It’ll stay fresh for about a week, though it rarely lasts that long in my house!

Avoid Moisture: Divinity is pretty sensitive to humidity, so don’t refrigerate it or it’ll get sticky and lose that perfect fluffy texture. If you live somewhere humid, try storing it in a cool, dry spot with a piece of wax paper on top before sealing the container.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-1850
• Protein: 8-10 g
• Fat: 14-18 g
• Carbohydrates: 415-435 g

Ingredients

• 2.25 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup (prevents crystallization)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, optional but adds nice texture)
• 2 large egg whites (room temperature for best volume)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred for better flavor)
• 1/2 cup water

Step 1: Prepare Egg Whites and Mise en Place

• 2 large egg whites
• 2.25 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Remove your 2 large egg whites from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes—this is crucial because room temperature egg whites whip to much greater volume than cold ones, which is essential for divinity’s light, airy texture.

While they’re coming to temperature, measure out all your dry ingredients (sugar, corn syrup, salt, water) into a microwave-safe bowl and gather your pecans, vanilla extract, and a candy thermometer.

Having everything ready before you start cooking is essential because once the sugar mixture reaches temperature, you’ll need to work quickly.

Step 2: Cook Sugar Mixture to Hard Ball Stage

• sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt mixture from Step 1

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in your microwave-safe bowl and stir until well blended.

Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then remove and stir thoroughly to redistribute heat.

Return to the microwave and cook for another 6–8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the mixture reaches 260°F on your candy thermometer (this is the hard ball stage).

I always insert the thermometer into the mixture without letting it touch the bottom of the bowl for the most accurate reading.

Watch carefully during the final minutes—temperature rises quickly near the end and overshooting even by 5 degrees can affect your final texture.

Step 3: Whip Egg Whites to Stiff Peaks

• 2 large egg whites

While the sugar mixture is in its final cooking stages, begin beating your room temperature egg whites in a clean bowl using an electric mixer on high speed.

Beat for 3–4 minutes until stiff peaks form—the whites should look glossy and hold their shape completely when you lift the beaters.

Timing this step so it finishes right as your sugar reaches temperature is ideal, so you’re ready to combine immediately.

Step 4: Combine Hot Sugar Mixture with Whipped Egg Whites

• hot sugar mixture from Step 2
• whipped egg whites from Step 3

Remove the hot sugar mixture from the microwave and immediately begin pouring it into the beaten egg whites in a thin, steady stream while the mixer runs on medium speed.

This gradual addition is critical—adding it too quickly will cause the mixture to become grainy.

Keep the mixer running throughout the entire pouring process to ensure the hot syrup cooks the eggs safely and fully incorporates.

Once all the sugar mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to high.

Step 5: Beat Until Candy Reaches Proper Consistency

• combined mixture from Step 4

Continue beating on high speed for 15–20 minutes until the mixture transforms from glossy to matte and becomes thick enough that it holds its shape when a spoon is lifted from the bowl.

This beating is what creates divinity’s signature light, fluffy texture by incorporating air throughout.

I like to stop and test the consistency every few minutes toward the end by dropping a small spoonful onto parchment to see if it holds—this helps you know exactly when to stop before overbeating.

Step 6: Finish and Shape Candy

• candy mixture from Step 5
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Quickly fold in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—don’t overmix at this stage.

Working rapidly (the mixture will start to harden), drop spoonfuls of the candy onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart.

Use two spoons if needed to shape them into mounds.

Let the candy set at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving or storing.

Tasty Microwave Divinity Candy

Delicious Tasty Microwave Divinity Candy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 24 pieces

Calories 1775 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2.25 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup (prevents crystallization)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, optional but adds nice texture)
• 2 large egg whites (room temperature for best volume)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred for better flavor)
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

 

• Remove your 2 large egg whites from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes—this is crucial because room temperature egg whites whip to much greater volume than cold ones, which is essential for divinity's light, airy texture. While they're coming to temperature, measure out all your dry ingredients (sugar, corn syrup, salt, water) into a microwave-safe bowl and gather your pecans, vanilla extract, and a candy thermometer. Having everything ready before you start cooking is essential because once the sugar mixture reaches temperature, you'll need to work quickly.
• Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in your microwave-safe bowl and stir until well blended. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then remove and stir thoroughly to redistribute heat. Return to the microwave and cook for another 6–8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the mixture reaches 260°F on your candy thermometer (this is the hard ball stage). I always insert the thermometer into the mixture without letting it touch the bottom of the bowl for the most accurate reading. Watch carefully during the final minutes—temperature rises quickly near the end and overshooting even by 5 degrees can affect your final texture.
• While the sugar mixture is in its final cooking stages, begin beating your room temperature egg whites in a clean bowl using an electric mixer on high speed. Beat for 3–4 minutes until stiff peaks form—the whites should look glossy and hold their shape completely when you lift the beaters. Timing this step so it finishes right as your sugar reaches temperature is ideal, so you're ready to combine immediately.
• Remove the hot sugar mixture from the microwave and immediately begin pouring it into the beaten egg whites in a thin, steady stream while the mixer runs on medium speed. This gradual addition is critical—adding it too quickly will cause the mixture to become grainy. Keep the mixer running throughout the entire pouring process to ensure the hot syrup cooks the eggs safely and fully incorporates. Once all the sugar mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to high.
• Continue beating on high speed for 15–20 minutes until the mixture transforms from glossy to matte and becomes thick enough that it holds its shape when a spoon is lifted from the bowl. This beating is what creates divinity's signature light, fluffy texture by incorporating air throughout. I like to stop and test the consistency every few minutes toward the end by dropping a small spoonful onto parchment to see if it holds—this helps you know exactly when to stop before overbeating.
• Quickly fold in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—don't overmix at this stage. Working rapidly (the mixture will start to harden), drop spoonfuls of the candy onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. Use two spoons if needed to shape them into mounds. Let the candy set at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving or storing.