This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!
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!!
Made these! Everyone loved them!!
These are my favorite holiday treats!
Very tasty and easy. Carmel is sticky but soft and easy to eat
Way too long for the pecans. They burned within 4 minutes. Caramel was at the right temp and balled in ice but still turned out too sticky/didn’t form enough to pick up without becoming a mess (tasty though).
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
I used the caramel recipe for chocolate covered caramel.
Sounds so heavenly! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
These turtles are fantastic! Every Christmas I make turtles for a friend who loves them. She said these were the best she had ever eaten! So did two of my other recipients!! I agree! After reading a couple of reviews regarding the caramel not setting up enough I cooked mine to 240-245 degrees. That was perfect. I also weighed the sweetened condensed milk to be sure I was actually using the required 7 ounces. Thank you so much for this recipe! It will be the only one I use from now on!
You are so welcome! Glad it was a hit & thank you for letting me know!
Absolutely the best recipe ever! I have tried many and almost gave up. Decided I’ll try one more time. This turned out marvelously! My hubby is so happy perfect taste and consistency. Thanks so much!
I am glad you didn’t give up! Thank you for letting me know!
How far in advance can I make these without freezing them?
I think a few days would still be ok 🙂 But, that’s me..the fresher the better!
This is an excellent recipe and relatively easy to make. Had a small Christmas dinner and everyone raved about them! I am now making two batches and with that said, I discovered that the contents of a 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk is actually 10 oz. of the milk! So if you’re following this recipe as is, it’s actually 5 oz. of SCM. I also added a just a little sea salt to the top of one group. So yummy!
I am so glad you tried them 🙂 Happy they were a hit! Thank you!
Can I make ahead and freeze for a week
I personally have not put them in the freezer, but they should be fine. Just make sure you thaw them ahead of time, so the caramel can get soft 🙂