Passed down by my grandmother and mother, this Martha Washington candy recipe is a cherished family tradition. We've even had each grandchild and great-grandchild take a turn stirring the candy mixture! &mdash;Cindi Boger, Ardmore, Alabama

Martha Washington Candy

butter, softened

confectioners' sugar

(14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

vanilla extract

coconut

pecans,

chocolate chips

shortening

When I made this recipe, I used the 1/4 cup of shortening in the chocolate and the results were not good. I added more shortening ( 1/2 cup) shortening and I got much better results. I'm not sure why no one else mentioned this. I like the recipe and will continue to use it with the 3/4 cup of shortening, just hoping to give other candy makers a heads up.

My Grandmother and Mother taught me and my Sister how to make these, except they made them with paraffin wax instead of shortening, and walnuts instead of pecans.

I love this recipe. It was given to me on Christmas the first year I was married in 1966.  I have made it every year since for my family and friends.

My mother made this candy every year at Christmas & I’ve made this candy for years now. The reason this was called Martha Washington Candy was because is had chopped up pieces of Maraschino Cherries in it. I put the small jar of cherries in a small chopper and then press all the juice out between paper towels. I also use paraffin & semisweet chips no oil. I refrigerate for overnight & used a small cookie scoop. So much easier than rolling in a ball. Dip using a plastic fork with the two middle tines broken out.

Okay people, so this is called Martha Washington Candy because in the 1920 or 30's there was a candy company called Martha Washington Candy Company and they were the original creators of the candy. The stores all closed during the Great Depression, but the recipe for this candy has held the test of time.

These were awesome!!! People like KathyCooks1943 and Catie really need to get a grip and stop nitpicking over stupid stuff.  Next they'll blow all our minds and tell us there's no dogs in hotdogs, that chili is served hot, there's no ham in hamburgers and it's unlikely that General Tso ever made General Tso's chicken.  Just sayin....

My first memory of Martha Washington candy is from around 60 years ago while visiting a family friend in south Texas. We helped her roll the dough because that's how you got to taste it!  We begged Mom to get the recipe from her and make them for us.    We had to shell the pecans ourselves if we wanted the candy.    But there were five kids so it didn't take long and it was SO worth it!    We used the paraffin wax back then (Mom kept it in the freezer in case her iron was dragging) and never added coconut or cherries.    I think its the easiest candy of all to make because it doesn't require an thermometer!

This is one of my favorite candies to make at Christmas!  I do add maraschino cherries as that was the way I first ate and learned to make this candy with and my husband thinks they are fabulous.  Either with or without, this recipe is a keeper and one that generations back made only without the condensed milk as they made their own using heavy cream, butter and sugar.

I plan to make this ASAP!  My grandmother used to make this with chopped cherries, never peanut butter. We loved it and looked forward to it. Soo delicious!  I know it will be five stars!!!

Delicious and easy recipe. Chilling is the most important step.  I made the coconut balls and put them on a tray in the freezer and I found that to be more helpful than just putting them in the frig. Toasting the nuts is a must for getting the best flavor. These are a hit with everyone who tries them!

Hello Cindi, I'm in Huntsville.  Thank you so much for posting this feel-good recipe.  My mother had been making these all my life.  She's passed now and I had lost her recipe.  Fond memories coming.

Try different flavors by adding chopped cherries, add maple flavoring, pepperment or any other favorite extract.  I grew up with these and still make them to this day.

My mother made a nearly identical recipe back in the 1960's, only her recipe called for food-grade paraffin wax instead of oil.  So glad times have changed!  Everyone who ate one of my mom's "bon bons" raved about them  Few asked for the recipe as these take time to make.

I made this for my husband who is a lover of coconut candy like mounds bars, etc. He went nuts over it so it's a keeper in our home!

Growing up in the southwest, I've never even heard of these little gems! Traditionally, for Christmas, we make a soft coconut cookie, sometimes with peppermint flavoring, sometimes dipping in chocolate, but those don't begin to satisfy the tastebuds as well as these candies. Definitely messy, but ooooh soooo worth it. Thank you so very much for our new Christmas tradition!!!

I love this candy.  When my son was in Afghanistan I mailed some to him.  He shared it with his buddies and they asked for the recipe.  I sent it over and over and they never tired of it.  I did send copies of the recipe.  Thanks for sharing.  Marie

I am giving this 5 stars though I haven't made it.  My Mother made this every year only she cracked, cleaned

It's been years since I've made this candy.  Thanks for the inspiration!  I checked 8 different sites and although the Martha Washington Candy recipes vary slightly they all used the same basic ingredients that you see here.  The only one that mentioned peanut butter was one where the lady said that she and her mom leave out the coconut and pecans, divide the base dough into 3 portions and add different ingredients to each one, one of them having the addition of peanut butter......sounds like fun!   The Martha Washington Candies brand-name was trademarked in 1906 and they made a variety of candy so there could be many more recipe formulations out there with the name!!  (Buckeye balls are made with peanut butter, and of course, so are all the different variations of peanut butter balls but Martha's name wasn't on any of the ones I've seen).  Share your recipe with us!

A neighbor gave me this wonderful candy recipe years ago and it has become a family favorite.  I add some chopped up maraschino cherries to the mixture and a little bit of the cherry juice to give the inside just a bit of color.  I roll the balls and then place them on  a waxed paper lined sheet and freeze them.  They dip very nicely when cold.

This is a great recipe. It's the samerecipe I made with my daughter and granddaughter when they were little. I always doubled the recipe because I gave it as gifts to friends at Christmas time.

https://videodam.tmbi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MarthaWashingtonCandy_DIYD_071519_189146_H.mp4

Check out this video on how to make Martha Washington Candy

martha washington candy

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 3

Author : Taste of Home

Ingredients

Instructions

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