These decadent homemade chocolate turtles combine rich chocolate, buttery caramel, and crunchy pecans into an irresistible candy treat. Ready in just 45 minutes, they deliver the perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors that chocolate lovers dream about.
At 317 calories each, these classic confections make wonderful holiday gifts, special occasion treats, or indulgent weekend desserts that rival any candy shop’s version.
Ingredients for Chocolate Turtles
- Butter: 6 tablespoons salted, brings richness to caramel
- Sugars: 1/2 cup each of light brown and granulated, creates perfect sweetness
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1/2 cup, adds creamy texture
- Light Corn Syrup: 1/2 cup, helps prevent crystallization
- Vanilla Extract: 1/2 teaspoon, enhances flavor
- Pecans: 2 cups halves, foundation of the treats
- Almond Bark/Chocolate: 16 oz, creates perfect coating
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Toast Pecans: Heat oven to 350°F, toast pecans 5-10 minutes until fragrant
- Prepare Workspace: Line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Make Caramel: Melt butter, combine with sugars, milk, and syrup. Microwave 6-8 minutes to 235°F
- Finish Mixture: Add vanilla and chopped pecans to caramel
- Shape Candies: Drop spoonfuls onto lined sheet, creating about 20 clusters
- Setting Time: Refrigerate 20 minutes until firm
- Chocolate Coating: Melt chocolate, dip clusters using fork for even coverage
- Final Touch: Let set at room temperature until chocolate hardens
Candy-Making Tips
Making caramel can be fun and simple! The ice water test is your best friend here – it’s an old-school method that works like magic. Just drop a tiny bit of caramel into cold water and pinch it with your fingers.
When it forms a soft ball, you’ve got perfect caramel. Don’t worry if you need a few tries to get it right – that’s totally normal and part of the learning process!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These chocolate turtles are perfect for making ahead! Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or pop them in the fridge for 3 weeks.
If you’re gifting them, layer them between pieces of wax paper to prevent sticking. They’re amazing holiday gifts – just package them in pretty boxes or cellophane bags with a ribbon!
Variations
Love to mix things up? Try these tasty twists:
- Switch pecans for almonds, cashews, or mixed nuts
- Use dark, milk, or white chocolate instead of almond bark
- Add a pinch of sea salt on top right after dipping
- Drizzle with a contrasting chocolate color for extra flair The basic recipe is so flexible – have fun making it your own!
Serving Ideas
These turtles shine on their own, but they’re extra special:
- On a holiday cookie platter
- Chopped up over ice cream
- Served with after-dinner coffee
- Added to a dessert charcuterie board They’re perfect for parties, gifts, or sweet little treats whenever you want one!
Homemade Chocolate Turtles
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Microwave
- Instant read thermometer
Ingredients
For Turtles
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 16 oz almond bark or high quality chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast and chop pecans: spread pecans out onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring once, until toasted and fragrant (but not burned!).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Set aside.
- Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave until melted. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and corn syrup and stir well to combine.
- Return bowl to microwave and cook mixture on HIGH power for about 6-8 minutes, or until it reaches about 235 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- Use hot pads to carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir vanilla into hot caramel. Stir in chopped pecans.
- Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet to create individual mounds of caramel candy. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
- Melt almond bark or chocolate in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
- Drop a pecan cluster into the melted chocolate and use a fork to coat it all over. Lift the cluster up with a fork, and tap it several times to allow excess chocolate to fall through the tines of the fork, into the bowl.
- Place dipped clusters on the parchment paper to set up. Store turtles in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
