Martha Washington Candy

4.34 from 6 votes

This Martha Washington Candy is an old fashioned candy that's perfect for the holidays. Each bite is loaded with cherries, pecans, and coconut with a chocolate shell wrapped around it.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Chill Time2 30

Total Time2 45

Servings: candies

Author: Miranda Couse

Ingredients

1 cup maraschino cherries drained and patted dry
1 cup butter cubed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 pound box
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
3 cups pecans chopped
16 ounces chocolate almond bark semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips will work too
sprinkles optional

Instructions

Coarsely chop the 1 cup maraschino cherries. Dap the pieces with a paper towel to dry any juice that comes out of the cherries after being chopped. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add in the 1 cup butter. Cover with paper towel and microwave in 30 second intervals until the butter is completely melted. Let cool to room temperature.
Add in the 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, and chopped 3 cups pecans. Stir until well combined and the pecans and coconut are evenly distributed.
Place in the refrigerator to set up for 2 hours.
Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the balls and place on a parchment paper/wax paper lined rimmed tray.
Place the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
While the candy is freezing, melt the 16 ounces chocolate almond bark in a large microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals and stir after each interval until the almond bark is smooth.
Using a fork, dip the frozen candy into the chocolate, tap the wrist holding the fork until the excess chocolate drips off and place on back on the parchment paper/wax paper lined tray.
Decorate with sprinkles if you choose and place in refrigerator to set up.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Notes

Maraschino Cherries: Make sure the cherries are completely dried. Excess juice makes it harder for the candies to keep their shape and firm up. You can use cherries are have been soaked in alcohol that's thoroughly dried off for a boozy candy.

Pecans: You can substitute these with walnuts if you prefer. The pecans would taste great if they were toasted before added into the candy. Do this by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and bake on a baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes until the pecans turn golden brown and are fragrant.

Coconut: You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut for this recipe. You can also toast the coconut for extra flavor and to change the texture slightly.

Almond bark: Almond Bark is so easy to work with that's why I prefer it, but candy melts or chocolate chips will work. The chocolate chips will take a bit longer to set though.

Storage: Store these candies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or 3 to 4 weeks if stored in the fridge.

Freezing: Freeze the candies on a baking sheet first for about 30 minutes and then place them in a freezer bag or freezer container. Freeze up to 3 months and thaw by placing in the fridge overnight.

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