Looking for Recipe: German Divinity Cookie with Chocolate and Walnut Chips

[ladywillow]

Hello, I am looking for a recipe for my all time favorite childhood cookie and am having no luck. We called it a Divinity cookie and I think it was maybe German. It was like a whipped shortbread maybe, was white and domed like a plop of half circle. It was crisp but light and airy with tiny chocolate chips and maybe walnut chips but the unique thing about it was the outer layer was a soft ??? I don't know how to describe it?. I don't think it was rolled in anything, I think it just came out that way, it was a layer of soft fluff that stuck to my fingers. I hope this makes some sense to someone out there. lol Thanks for any help and for taking the time to read this.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hello, I am looking for a recipe for my all time favorite childhood cookie and am having no luck. We called it a Divinity cookie and I think it was maybe German. It was like a whipped shortbread maybe, was white and domed like a plop of half circle. It was crisp but light and airy with tiny chocolate chips nut the unique thing about it was the outer layer was a soft ??? I don't know how to describe it?. I don't think it was rolled in anything, I think it just came out that way, it was a layer of soft fluff that stuck to my fingers. I hope this makes some sense to someone out there. lol Thanks for any help and for taking the time to read this.

Divinity is candy, not a cookie. It was extremely popular in the south in the 1950’s - 1960’s. It is big plops of billowy white cloyingly sweet egg whites, corn syrup and sugar.

My grandmother was a southerner; I, too have memories of divinity at Christmas. The little candy store in the tiny town of Pine Grove, population 100, sold handmade divinity. Of course my grandma would never buy it because why buy some thing you can make yourself.

But if divinity candy is not what you remember and you’re certain you ate a cookie, it could not be an actual German cookie because chocolate chips are an American invention. It would have been an Americanized version of a German cookie.

The only type of German cookie that would have the textured you describe is haselnussmakronen ohne oblaten. A Meringue cookie that is essentially the German version of a macaron made with hazelnut. It is not a sandwich cookie like the French macaron, rather it’s made as a single cookie and formed in a mound shape.

 

[ladywillow]

Thanks, not meringue and not candy though, thanks anyways though.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thanks, not meringue and not candy though, thanks anyways though.

If this treat is as you described, I do believe it is meringue based. Flour cannot produce the color and texture you describe. The only thing with the right molecules to produce the color and texture is egg whites.

1. Flour is comprised of two polysaccharides: amylose (25%) and amylopectin (80%) by weight. When these molecules bind with water and are subjected to heat, starch gelatinization occurs. The results of wheat starch gelatinization is extremely predictable. The starch granules lose their structure and water molecules penetrate the granule. As more water molecules enter, it the starch granules swell and eventually burst. When they burst, the micelles leak out. This causes a thickening and setting (hardening) of the batter/dough. Starch gelatinization is the opposite of soft, billowy and sticky. The types of molecules in flour simply will not set into the color and texture you describe: white, whipped (airy), domed shape, soft billowy sticky interior. It is molecularly not possible.
2. Amino acids (proteins) in egg whites, when whipped and stabilized with sucrose (table sugar) will produce the type of color and texture you describe: white, whipped (airy), domed shaped, soft billowy sticky interior.
3. Baked meringue, like a pavlova is like a marshmallow inside. Not all meringue is dry and crunchy. In fact, it takes particular attention to time and detail to produce a dry crunchy meringue.
4. Sugar is hygroscopic, so it pulls water from the environment. We see this effect when we leave hard candy unwrapped—it becomes sticky. That is the sugar binding with the water molecules in the air. After a meringue is baked, it will begin to soften on the exterior as the sugar binds with the water molecules. The only way meringue become dry and crunchy is when nearly all the water is evaporated out of it. The meringue must be baked for significant time at a very low temperature. But not all meringue is prepared this way. A lot is lightly baked to leave the center billowy and soft like you describe. Macaron and pavlova are just two examples.
5. Recipe names tell us a lot about origins. Divinity is candy. So if it was called a Divinity cookie, we can logically assume it is based on a Divinity candy recipe. Divinity is a meringue based confection. The name is the reason why I doubt it was a type of marshmallow. We name for continuity and to keep a record of our cultural history. We don’t just take the name of another well known food and reuse it for no logical reason. There’s a reason it was named a Divinity Cookie.
6. Chocolate chips were invented in 1940 by Nestle. So its origins would be American, not of German origins.

 

[ladywillow]

Thanks for the info but still not meringue or candy. When I say white it is a pale/white cookie, but not like paper and it is not sticky at all, it is light and airy but crumbly like a whipped shortbread. When I say sticks to my fingers, I mean it leaves residue from the soft powdery dough, not gooey though. I say German because they were sold at the German bakery near my house, they as well as other bakers have called them Divinity, the list time I had them was about 4 years ago and they were still called Divinity by yet another baker, all 3 places in So Cal if even that makes a difference.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thanks for the info but still not meringue or candy. When I say white it is a pale/white cookie, but not like paper and it is not sticky at all, it is light and airy but crumbly like a whipped shortbread. When I say sticks to my fingers, I mean it leaves residue from the soft powdery dough, not gooey though. I say German because they were sold at the German bakery near my house, they as well as other bakers have called them Divinity, the list time I had them was about 4 years ago and they were still called Divinity by yet another baker, all 3 places in So Cal if even that makes a difference.

OK your description of this cookie keeps changing. Initially you said it was white, sticky and you could like stick your finger into it. This implies a filling like a marshmallow.

Now you’re totally changing the description to pale in color and crumbly like shortbread. You seriously cannot stick your finger in shortbread.

I think what you remember as a child and the cookies you’re eating in SoCal are two totally different cookies.

Because these two cookies that you just described here are not the same cookie.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

OK your description of this cookie keeps changing. Initially you said it was white, sticky and you could like stick your finger into it. This implies a filling like a marshmallow.

Now you’re totally changing the description to pale in color and crumbly like shortbread. You seriously cannot stick your finger in shortbread.

I think what you remember as a child and the cookies you’re eating in SoCal are two totally different cookies.

Because these two cookies that you just described here are not the same cookie.

But now I’m really curious, what bakery because the next time I’m in SoCal I’m going to swing by and check this out for myself

 

[ladywillow]

Please re-read my initial description, it did not change, but thanks and yes it's a childhood cookie, but I have had it up to 4 years ago, same cookie every time. Merry Christmas.

 

[Sharzi]

Hello, I am looking for a recipe for my all time favorite childhood cookie and am having no luck. We called it a Divinity cookie and I think it was maybe German. It was like a whipped shortbread maybe, was white and domed like a plop of half circle. It was crisp but light and airy with tiny chocolate chips and maybe walnut chips but the unique thing about it was the outer layer was a soft ??? I don't know how to describe it?. I don't think it was rolled in anything, I think it just came out that way, it was a layer of soft fluff that stuck to my fingers. I hope this makes some sense to someone out there. lol Thanks for any help and for taking the time to read this.

When I read this all I could think of was a meringue cookies. Could this be the recipe?

Oven-off Chocolate Chip Divinity Cookies Recipe

My cousin gave me this recipe, as a cookie recipe. It is actually a kind of baked divinity with chocolate chips. Very rich and tasty. Easy to do also, except for the time it takes to beat the egg whites.

www.grouprecipes.com

 

[Sharzi]

But now I’m really curious, what bakery because the next time I’m in SoCal I’m going to swing by and check this out for myself

They're actually not two different cookies. A meringue cookie could be described both ways. If you hold it too long, it gets sticky. When you first grab it, it may feel like a shortbread cookie. I do think she's describing a meringue cookie called a Chocolate Chip Divinity cookie.

 

[monkeyboots]

Hi. I know you posted quite awhile ago, but take a look at this blog post if you are still searching:

Divinity Cookies

A bright and cheery blog featuring tons of recipes, DIY, home improvement, crafts, tutorials and more! Come join the fun.

kitchenfullofsunshine.blogspot.com

And also this recipe:

Divinity Cookies

An easy to make, delicate cookie...nice for wedding receptions.

www.allrecipes.com

I hope these help. : )

 

[ladywillow]

Hi. I know you posted quite awhile ago, but take a look at this blog post if you are still searching:

Divinity Cookies

A bright and cheery blog featuring tons of recipes, DIY, home improvement, crafts, tutorials and more! Come join the fun.

kitchenfullofsunshine.blogspot.com

And also this recipe:

Divinity Cookies

An easy to make, delicate cookie...nice for wedding receptions.

www.allrecipes.com

I hope these help. : )

Thank you for the reply. I 100% believe that every commenter on the first link is looking for the same exact recipe as me. They are even calling it Divinity. Unfortunately, none of them have the recipe. lol You were helpful, I'll see if I can follow any leads there, so far no luck but I'll keep trying. Thank you

 

[ladywillow]

When I read this all I could think of was a meringue cookies. Could this be the recipe?

Oven-off Chocolate Chip Divinity Cookies Recipe

My cousin gave me this recipe, as a cookie recipe. It is actually a kind of baked divinity with chocolate chips. Very rich and tasty. Easy to do also, except for the time it takes to beat the egg whites.

www.grouprecipes.com

not meringue but thank you very much

 

[PaddyL]

Could it be an icing sugar coating that stuck to your fingers?

 

[eerie_erin]

I totally am looking for the same exact cookie for my mom. They are so hard to find. They are Divinity cookies and not a merengue.

 

[ladywillow]

I totally am looking for the same exact cookie for my mom. They are so hard to find. They are Divinity cookies and not a merengue.

Thank you for knowing this wonderful cookie. This has been a very frustrating endeavor. I haven't had any luck yet finding it but will definitely let you know if I do.

 

[PaddyL]

I'm quite happily going through all the cookbooks I've collected over my years of baking (I'm 76), and am determined to find something for you. The word divinity appears mostly in older cookbooks, my books are almost all baking-related, and I'm enjoying myself. Thank you for giving me something to keep me occupied.

 

[ladywillow]

I'm quite happily going through all the cookbooks I've collected over my years of baking (I'm 76), and am determined to find something for you. The word divinity appears mostly in older cookbooks, my books are almost all baking-related, and I'm enjoying myself. Thank you for giving me something to keep me occupied.

You Miss Paddy are wonderful.

 

[PaddyL]

I've just discovered that the divinity cookie does exist, no recipe yet, and it's most likely a Southern thing, coming into existence in the early 1900s. I'll let you know how I get on. This is fascinating.

 

[ladywillow]

I've just discovered that the divinity cookie does exist, no recipe yet, and it's most likely a Southern thing, coming into existence in the early 1900s. I'll let you know how I get on. This is fascinating.

Fantastic, this is exciting.