Martha Washington Candy
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Martha Washington Candy is a classic candy made with chocolate, coconut, and pecans. I simplify the recipe without losing any of that classic taste!
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Martha Washington Candy
My Childhood Christmas Memories
While the gifts and toys were nice, looking back, however, my fondest memories are of the family being together; cooking, laughing, reminiscing, and eating. We were always in the kitchen. Maybe, I should have realized then my passion for cooking. Additionally, the clinking and clanking of utensils, pots, and pans, and the talking and laughing, I love the sound of being in the kitchen.
It’s no surprise either that one of my favorite holiday treats is a candy that my mother made every Christmas, but only at Christmas. For that reason, the making of Martha Washington Candy recipe signifies Christmas is near. It is a tradition. As well, it wouldn’t be Christmas without it. As you know, this candy has been around for years. Most notably, it’s simple yet elegant, quick yet gourmet, and outrageously rich!
This candy recipe is a favorite and cherished family tradition!
Why is it called Martha Washington Candy?
It’s unclear how this particular confection got its name. However, most foodies conclude that it originated in the chain of candy stores named Martha Washington Candies. These stores started opening in the 1890s and were quite popular until the depression hit in the 1920s.
It’s likely that Martha Washington, the person, had little if anything to do with the stores or the candy.
Original Martha Washington Candy Recipe
This is the original recipe that my Mother passed along to me. Be sure to scroll past it to the new, revised, and easier recipe!!
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 cupbutter , melted
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 pound chopped pecans
14 ounces coconut
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 lb paraffin
Combine sugar,butter , milk, pecans, and coconut.
Roll into small balls and chill.
Melt chocolate and paraffin in a double boiler.
Dip ball in chocolate and lay on parchment paper to dry.Below is the recipe that I altered. I use Ghirardelli Melting chocolate to dip the truffles in. Simply melt it and dip the candy balls in it then allow them to dry. The recipe below makes half of the original recipe.
More truffle recipes are here and below
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I updated this post from an earlier version dated December 3, 2012. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
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Martha Washington Candy
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 4 cup powdered sugar* sifted
- 1/2 cup butter room temp (not melted)
- 6 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup coconut** chopped in food processor
- 2 cup chocolate candy melts You can find tips on melting chocolate here. I use Ghirardelli brand.
Instructions
- Cream sugar and butter together. (This mixture will be thick.)
- Add milk, pecans, and coconut.
- Roll into small balls and chill at least 1 hour.
- Melt chocolate. Dip candy in chocolate and allow to dry on parchment paper.
- Share and Enjoy!
- *If your mixture isn't thick add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until thick (think cookie dough consistency)
- **I use coconut that is found on the baking isle, usually close to chocolate chips and nuts (not frozen).
Can you use cocoa instead of chocolate bits?
You could roll it in cocoa instead of the chocolate candy coating. I actually think that’s a great idea!
Parafin is must with martha washington candy all it does it make the chocolate shiney..it will not harm you in any form or fashion..shoot i am 40 fixin to be 41 an ate them every christmas from time i could rember ..my grandmother made them every year now my mom an me make it .. an it would not be martha washington candy with out chocolate chips.. an i notice you forgot the 1 lg jar of crunchy peanut butter .. that is must also..
Yes…paraffin is still used in some high end chocolates….I personally don’t care for the taste or texture, but I don’t think it will hurt you…..
point of interest re the paraffin: the paraffin was added to the chocolate to make it less easy to melt. A few years ago, Hershey candy company came out with a very special Desert Storm candy bar. It had Lots more paraffin than usual to decreasr its meltability in Iraq. I didnt like the taste, but as the wife of a guy in the U.S.Navy, i appreciated the thought.
Interesting, Linda, thanks for sharing. I actually love food trivia like that. I love the show on Food Network, that shows how candy is made. I can’t think of the name at the moment.
Would like to try your M.W. candy recipe, but, being Canadian, I don’t know how much icing sugar is contained in a “box”.
It’s just powdered or confectioner’s sugar. 2 boxes would be the equivalent to about 8 cups. The mixture should be thick enough to form a ball and hold it’s shape. Add extra sugar if needed to get it to this consistancy. Hope this helps.
I love chocolate and coconuts
I totally agree! Thanks for stopping by.
My mom has made these for years, too! Somehow I don’t think they’d be as reminiscent of her making them if they didn’t have the paraffin.
On a tangent, just adding the copyright symbol and some words to a website doesn’t actually copyright it. It must be registered and the pages must have the year of publication on them.
I’ve made these for years and they are everyone’s favorite in the gift baskets I give every year. I keep trying to get family members to make them with me so “when I’m gone” the tradition will have been passed down, but to no avail. Maybe by posting your recipe, they will “catch on”, The only thing I do differently is I refrigerate the mixture for less time, maybe about 30 min., make the balls, place them on a cookie sheet, insert toothpicks, put them in the freezer for about 5 or 10 min. then dip them. When they dry (on wax paper) which with the paraffin doesn’t take long I take the toothpick out with a turn and just redip it enough to cover the little whole left from where I took out the toothpick. They freeze extremely well too. I’ve made them well in advance and frozen them and once my husband hid some and forgot and found them a year later and they were still good! No freezer burn and tasted great!!
I’m so glad you posted this! My mom used to make this at Christmas every year too. Then she was diagnosed with diabetes and she destroyed all written copies of her candy recipes and refused to pass on Granma’s recipes. She said she wasn’t going to contribute to any more of us getting diabetes. She was like Granma, she didn’t like to share her personal recipes. Unfortunately when she finally had a change of heart, she couldn’t remember the recipes. Though I still hve got her peanut brittle recipe or Granma’s Never-Fail Divinity recipe at least I have Mom’s bon-bon recipe. That’s what she called them, bon-bons. Your mom didn’t happen to make Vinegar Rolls too did she? I’ve been trying to find a recipe like Mom and Granma .used to make.
I’m so happy I was able to help you with this recipe. Recipes and food is so important in my family memories. The first recipe is the exact recipe my mom and her mom used for years and years. She did not do breads, but I do have my grandmother’s recipes that I’l look through for you. I will let you know if I find it. Thanks for stopping by, Donna.
You can add a teaspoon of crisco to the chocolate to get the gloss for candy. I do that when I
Make my peanut clusters.
Wow! Sharing this on facebook and twitter and just pinned it to my high follow board and the board I actually keep things I want to make. Wow!
this is one of my favorite childhood favorits and still is so good and brings back such good memories. Thanks for stopping by and for sharing