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4.94 from 168 votes

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!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Rest1 hour
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 36
Author: Lil' Luna

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
  • 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