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Turtle candy has a baked pecan base covered in delicious homemade caramel and melted chocolate. They are the perfect treat for sharing!
You also need to try Turtle Thumbprint Cookies and Turtle Cheesecake, which have all the same flavors as these candies.
We Love Chocolate Turtles!
These chocolate turtle candies are a family favorite (my mom’s all-time favorite) and are often sold and made year round, but they’re especially popular during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Here’s why we absolutely love them:
- Flavor combination. The crunchy pecans, the chewy caramel, the chocolate that melts in your mouth. Simply incredible.
- Homemade. This version is better than any turtle candy I have ever purchased. Plus, they’re less expensive to make than buy.
- Simple. Don’t be intimidated about the candy-making process, this turtle candy recipe is really quite simple to make and is great to gift.
If you’re on the hunt for candies and cookies to give out around the holidays, make sure to include these homemade turtles!
Why is it called turtle candy? If you use your imagination, the pecans covered in caramel and chocolate look like little turtles – hence the name!
Ingredients
- whole pecans
- butter – If you use salted butter reduce the amount of added salt.
- brown sugar
- corn syrup – light or dark corn syrup
- salt
- sweetened condensed milk – Do not use evaporated milk.
- vanilla extract
- chocolate chips – I used milk chocolate chips, but you can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
- vegetable oil – or shortening
How to Make Turtle Candy
- PECANS. Place pecan halves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes or till lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. Arrange in clusters of 3-4 on silicone liners or parchment paper.
- CARAMEL. Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 6-quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
- CORRECT TEMP. Continue cooking and stirring till the mixture reaches 235-240°F.
- I like to use the ice water test, it’s more accurate. Drop a small spoonful of the hot caramel into a bowl of ice water. When you take it out, you should be able to roll it into a ball. Then it’s done.
- ASSEMBLE. Quickly spoon the caramel over the pecan clusters, making sure the caramel is touching each of the pecans. Let sit to harden.
- CHOCOLATE. Melt the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave at half power, stirring often till smooth. Spoon chocolate on top of each layer of caramel (sprinkle with salt if desired). Let sit for 1-2 hours, or till hardened.
Variations
- Start with a pretzel base, top with chocolate, then add caramel and pecans.
- Top with sea salt to give more contrast in flavors.
- Use melted white chocolate on top instead of milk chocolate.
Store-bought caramel
If you are running short on time, you can use store-bought caramels.
- Use about 25-30 soft store-bought Kraft caramels or a bag of caramel bits.
- Melt them in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
- If the caramels are a bit tough, add a little spoonful of half and half to yield a smoother end result. Pour over the pecans to solidify them together.
Recipe Tips
Use these simple tips when making caramel for this recipe!
- Use a candy thermometer to ensure the caramel reaches 235-240°F.
- Elevation may play a role in how long to boil the caramel and what temperature it should reach. To test, use the following tips:
- In general, subtract 2° from the stated temperature for every 1,000 feet above sea level. For example, if you are 4,000 feet above sea level, subtract 8° from the stated recipe making it 227-232°F.
storing info
- STORE. Store chocolate turtle candy at room temperature in an airtight container so the caramel stays soft.
- FREEZE. For long-term storage, place caramel turtles in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4-6 weeks. Set them out on the counter to soften, or you may be asking Santa for your two front teeth.
For more holiday candy, try:
Turtle Candy Recipe
Turtle candy has a baked pecan base covered in delicious homemade caramel and melted chocolate. They are the perfect treat for sharing!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole pecans
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- dash salt
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half of a 14 ounce can)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil or shortening
Instructions
- Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes or till lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. Arrange in clusters of 3-4 on silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 6-quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
- Continue cooking and stirring till the mixture reaches 235-240°F. I like to use the ice water test, it's more accurate. Drop a small spoonful of the hot caramel into a bowl of ice water. When you take it out, you should be able to roll it into a ball. Then it's done.
- Quickly spoon the caramel over the pecan clusters, making sure the caramel is touching each of the pecans. Let sit to harden.
- Melt the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave at half power, stirring often till smooth. Spoon chocolate on top of each layer of caramel. Let sit for 1-2 hours or till hardened.
Video
Notes
- STORE. Store chocolate turtle candy at room temperature in an airtight container so the caramel stays soft.
- FREEZE. For long-term storage, place caramel turtles in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4-6 weeks. Set them out on the counter to soften, or you may be asking Santa for your two front teeth.
Nutrition
Serving: 36g, Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 37mg, Potassium: 63mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 115IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe inspired by Jamie Cooks It Up!
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Kara! For more amazingly delicious recipes by her, head over to Creations by Kara!!
Loved this caramel!! So good and so easy! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s definitely a keeper for holiday baking!
Awe, thank you so much!! I am glad to share 🙂
BEST RECIPE!! I have friends and family repeatedly asking me to make these again and again. I always add a pinch of coarse sea salt on top. Super easy and well written recipe!! Thx
You are welcome! I love to hear that! Thank you!
Delicious thank you
You are welcome! I am so happy you think so 🙂
Confused about the nutrition. What is considered a serving?
Dude, nutrition? Really? Pretty sure you can figure out that any “nutrition “ comes from the one pecan. Everything else is pure sugar! If you’re worried about that you probably shouldn’t eat it!
Best recipe ever! The caramel and chocolate consistency were absolutely perfect!
Yay, I am so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for sharing that!
Love this I made it for my bunco crew and they said it was the best turtles they ever ate I did not have corn syrup so I substituted with honey and maple syrup so good!🥰🍯
Great option!! Glad they loved them! Thank you so much!!
Do you remember the measurements for the honey and maple syrup?
How many pieces when you break it down to calories?
Good day!
Could you please let me know if the nutritional value is accurate for the turtle recipe?
Thanks so much!
I love these suggestions. And can’t wait to make the pecan turtles. I love new receipts. And try an try them all the time
I hope you like them!! Let me know what you think 🙂
Delicious! Easy to make and the caramel is soft and delicious. I recommend letting the caramel sit a bit before topping the pecans, or it is a bit too thin. Great recipe.
Thank you for sharing that!! Happy to hear you like them!