These chocolate turtles are the perfect homemade candy, that are crunchy, chewy, and sweet with the delicious combination of toasted pecans, gooey caramel, and chocolate!
Homemade candy is the best, especially around the holidays. When we’re so busy rushing around with all the errands we still need something easy though, and these chocolate turtles are the answer.
These chocolate turtles are made with only 4 ingredients, and can be ready to enjoy in less than an hour. They’re the perfect mix of textures, with gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans. And with a little sea salt on top they’re a great sweet and salty treat!
If you want an even easier version you can try our rolo pretzel turtles.
What are Chocolate Turtles?
Chocolate Turtles are a classic candy made with pecans, and caramel, covered in chocolate. The shape sometimes resembles a turtle with the pecans sticking out from under the caramel and chocolate like little legs.
You can find these candies at a variety of grocery stores, or chocolate stores, especially during the holidays. But making them at home is super easy, and super satisfying, so you’ll have having them for a great holiday treat!
They’re a great option for serving at a holiday party, packaging a few up and sharing as a holiday neighbor treat, or just for enjoying!
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Why these Chocolate Turtles are the Best:
- Only 4 ingredients
- They come together in just a few minutes.
- Gooey Caramel, crunchy nuts, and smooth chocolate
How to make Chocolate Turtle Candies?
Start by toasting your pecans in the oven for a few minutes on a cookie sheet, until they start to get fragrant. After they’re toasted let them cool and chop them up.
Arrange small palls of pecans all over some parchment paper.
Then melt the caramel in the microwave with some heavy cream, until you can stir it nice and smooth, and spoon some over the top of each of the piles of nuts.
Then melt the chocolate in the microwave until it’s totally melty. Spoon it evenly over the caramel. Then let the chocolate sit until its totally set.
Sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt if you want.
Tips for making Turtle Candy:
- You can also toast the pecans on the stove top in a pan, for about 5 minutes if you don’t want to heat up the oven.
- You can also use melted white chocolate over the top of the caramels instead of regular chocolate.
- You can substitute your favorite nuts for the pecans, if you prefer macadamia nuts, peanuts, cashews, etc.
- You can help the treats set faster by placing the pan of them in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
- If you want more chocolate, and don’t want to see the pecans and caramel at the bottom, you can double the chocolate and dip them completely in chocolate rather than just putting some on top!
- For a little salty salty boost, sprinkle the top of the treats with coarse sea salt before the chocolate sets.
- You can also top the turtle candies with a half pecan for looks.
How to store Chocolate Turtles?
You can store these homemade turtles at room temperature in an airtight container for about 2 weeks. Separate the layers of candies with a layer of parchment paper or waxed paper. You can also store them in the fridge if your home is extra warm.
You can freeze homemade turtle candies by layering them in a freezer safe container with parchment paper or wax paper. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, bring out as many as you want to eat, and let them thaw for a few minutes, then enjoy.
These homemade chocolate turtles are so simple to make, and the perfect homemade candy to make all year long, but especially during the holidays! The perfect crunchy chocolate and caramel treat!
More homemade candy recipes:
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Chocolate Turtles
Ingredients
- 8 oz pecan halves
- 14 oz soft caramels
- 2 TBS heavy cream
- 1 TBS butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz chocolate
- coarse sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool.
- Roughly chop the pecans.
- Make small piles, about 1 heaping TBS each of the chopped pecans on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add the caramels, heavy cream, and butter to a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each until you can stir the caramel smooth. **
- Stir the vanilla extract into the melted caramel
- Spoon about 1 TBS of caramel over the top of each pile of pecans. Let the caramel set for a few minutes.
- Add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir as well as you can. Microwave in additional 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until you can stir it smooth. **
- Scoop about 1 TBS of melted chocolate over the top of each of the caramels.
- Let the candies set until the chocolate is firmed. It will probably take a few hours at room temperature, or you can place the pan in the fridge to chill for about 15 to 30 minutes.
Jodi says
These tasted amazing!! They turned out perfectly. My 11 year old son helped and we had so much fun making these together. They look so fancy and hard to make, but they couldn’t have been any easier! I will definitely add these to my holiday gift baking list for now on!
Aimee says
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!
Ken Williams says
Can’t go wrong with that goodie.
R says
Are you adding the butter and vanilla into the caramel/heavy cream mixture too?
Aimee says
Sorry I fixed that. Melt the butter with the caramel and cream, then add in the vanilla!