Chocolate Turtles

 

Making chocolate turtles at home is easy and fast, they’re ready in just minutes. Homemade turtles are crunchy and chewy, salty and sweet, and perfect as an edible gift. The combination of toasted pecans, soft, chewy caramel, and delicious chocolate is nothing short of amazing. Making homemade candy is a fun way to share during the holidays!

Chocolate Turtles Recipe

Making homemade chocolate turtles is so easy you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before now! Skip the chocolate shop! Add these to cookie tins with your favorite fudge and plenty of holiday cookies.

Ingredients you will need:

This combination of toasty pecans, chewy caramel, and sweet chocolate is one of my favorite treats. There’s only 4 ingredients and no baking required!

• 8 ounces pecans, toasted
• 12 ounces caramels, unwrapped
• 1 tablespoon water
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

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Helpful baking tools:

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
• Glass bowls
• Spoon

Kitchen Tips:

• Instead of semi-sweet, you can your favorite chocolate. Dark, milk, or even white chocolate will work. You can also use Candi-Quik or almond bark or those colorful candy melts.
• If your chocolate gets a little thick, you can loosen it with a drop or two of coconut oil or vegetable oil.
• While homemade caramel would be a fun thing to do, it will add a lot of time to this recipe. So we are using wrapped caramels instead.
• Toasting pecans brings out their flavor. You can toast pecans in the oven or on the stovetop. I’ve provided instructions for both in the printable instructions below.

How to Store Chocolate Turtles

Turtles can be stored at room temperature and in the freezer.

• Store your turtles at room temperature in an airtight container. They can be stored this way for up to 2-3 weeks. If your house tends to be a little more on the warm side, store them in the refrigerator, just bring to room temperature before serving.
• You can also freeze your homemade turtles. Layer between sheets of parchment or waxed paper and store in airtight containers. Chocolate turtles can be frozen for up to 3 months.

How to Make Chocolate Turtles

First, toast the pecans. Toss pecans lightly in oil. You can lightly salt them too if you like!

Oven method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
2. Place pecans on the prepared baking sheet. Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Pecans will be lightly browned.

Stovetop method:

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans until fragrant, tossing or stirring occasionally about 2 to 5 minutes. Pecans will be lightly browned.

Making the chocolate turtles

1. On a lined baking sheet create 18 small mounds of pecans, about 4-5 pecans in each mound.

2. Combine the unwrapped caramels and the water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
3. Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted caramel over each mound of pecans. Allow to set for 2-3 minutes before topping with melted chocolate.

4. Place chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals. I prefer to melt at 70% power so as not to scorch the chocolate. When melted or almost melted, stir until smooth.

5. Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over each caramel cluster. Allow chocolate to set completely.

I love to make treats for the holidays. These chocolate turtles are all of my favorite things: crunchy, chewy, salty, and sweet all in one! This delicious holiday candy makes a great hostess gift too!

More Candy Recipes

Here are a few more of my top candy treats.

• Saltine Toffee
• Candied Pecans
• Homemade Peanut Brittle
• Candy Cane Pretzel Sticks
• Chocolate Walnut Fudge
• Microwave Caramels
• Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Turtles

Making homemade chocolate turtles is so easy you'll wonder why you haven't done it before now! Skip the chocolate shop! Add these to cookie tins with your favorite fudge and plenty of holiday cookies.

5 from 22 votes

IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 18 turtles

23 minutes mins

Calories: 269

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces pecans toasted
• ▢ 12 ounces caramels
• ▢ 1 tablespoon water
• ▢ 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

Things You'll Need

• ▢
  Baking sheets
• ▢
  Silicone baking mat
• ▢
  Glass bowls
• ▢
  Spoon

Before You Begin

• Instead of semi-sweet, you can use your favorite chocolate. Dark, milk, or even white chocolate will work. You can also use Candi-Quik or almond bark or those colorful candy melts.
• If your chocolate gets a little thick, you can loosen it with a drop or two of coconut oil or vegetable oil.
• While homemade caramel would be a fun thing to do, it will add a lot of time to this recipe. So we are using wrapped caramels instead.
• Toasting pecans brings out their flavor. You can toast pecans in the oven or on the stovetop. I've provided instructions for both in the printable instructions below.

How to Store Chocolate Turtles

Turtles can be stored at room temperature and in the freezer.

• Store your turtles at room temperature in an airtight container. They can be stored this way for up to 2-3 weeks. If your house tends to be a little more on the warm side, store them in the refrigerator, just bring to room temperature before serving.
• You can also freeze your homemade turtles. Layer between sheets of parchment or waxed paper and store in airtight containers. Chocolate turtles can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Instructions

• First, toast the pecans. Toss pecans lightly in oil. You can lightly salt them too if you like!

Oven method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• Place pecans on prepared baking sheet. Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Pecans will be lightly browned.

Stovetop method:

• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans until fragrant, tossing or stirring occasionally, about 2 to 5 minutes. Pecans will be lightly browned.

Making the chocolate turtles

• On a lined baking sheet create 18 small mounds of pecans, about 4-5 pecans in each mound.
• Combine the unwrapped caramels and the water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
• Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted caramel over each mound of pecans. Allow to set for 2-3 minutes before topping with melted chocolate.
• Place chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals. I prefer to melt at 70% power so as not to scotch the chocolate. When melted or almost melted, stir until smooth.
• Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over each caramel cluster. Allow chocolate to set completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1turtle | Calories: 269cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

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