Homemade Chocolate Turtles — Fast, easy, no-bake and just 4 ingredients! Chewy, gooey, salty-and-sweet! Homemade always tastes better! Yum!!
Caramel Pecan Turtle Recipe
I’ve always loved Turtles and decided to make my own. Everything tastes better when it’s homemade, even Turtles.
Lately I can’t get enough of the pecan-caramel-chocolate combination. Crunchy, chewy, salty-and-sweet.
First there was Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, then The Best Turtle Brownies, and now these.
I first made Turtles in 2009. Holy antique photography but I don’t delete old posts because they remind me how far I’ve come and how far my daughter has come. She was in cloth diapers then and now she’s in glittery lip gloss.
These homemade turtles candies are no-bake, easy, ready in under a half hour, and you only need 4 ingredients.
Some Turtles in the photos below are coated with milk chocolate and others with dark. On some, I sprinkled sea salt to play up the salty-and-sweet aspect. On some I drizzled milk chocolate over a dark chocolate-coated Turtle and vice versa.
Between the salty-and-sweet component, the crunchy pecans, chewy and gooey caramel, and the rich chocolate, they’re hard to resist. Save this recipe for holiday candy-making, birthdays, or for a last-minute hostess gift.
Or just hoard them all for yourself.
Ingredients in Chocolate Turtles
To make these homemade caramel turtles, you’ll need the following:
- Pecan halves (I used Trader Joe’s roasted, salted pecan halves)
- Caramel squares
- Cream or half and half
- Chocolate
- Sea salt (optional)
How to Make Chocolate Turtles
Homemade turtle candy is simple to prepare and requires no baking! Here’s a look at how the chocolate turtles are made:
- Make piles of about 5 pecans each and top each pile with caramel sauce.
- I melted 25 caramel squares with 1/4 cup cream in the microwave (or use the stove). Take your time and stop and stir frequently so you don’t burn the mixture and have to start over. The caramel sauce is runny and loose when you first take it out of the microwave, but firms up quite a bit as it cools.
- After topping each pecan pile with caramel, cover with melted chocolate.
What’s the Best Type of Chocolate for Turtles?
I used Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bars because they melt smoother and easier than chocolate chips. You may use semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate. Pick your favorite!
Can I Use Another Type of Nut?
Yes, but caramel turtles are traditionally made with pecan halves. However, roasted peanuts or almonds would also taste delicious here!
What Type of Caramels Should I Use?
You want to buy soft, individually wrapped caramel candies (not hard caramels). I’ve made the chocolate turtles recipe with both Kraft brand caramels and Werther’s Baking Caramels and can recommend both.
How to Store Homemade Turtles
Store the pecan turtles at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Tips for Making Homemade Turtles Candy
When making the pecan piles, I recommend overlapping some of the nuts so that the caramel doesn’t ooze straight through.
Melting the caramel can be tricky, so I’ve given very detailed tips on how to melt it in the recipe card below.
You’ll want to chop up chocolate bars for this recipe rather than use chocolate chips. Chocolate chips don’t melt as well and can seize up in the microwave.
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Homemade Turtles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pecan halves, I used roasted, lightly salted
- 25 caramel squares, unwrapped (about 1 heaping cup)
- ¼ cup cream or half-and-half, divided
- about 16 ounces roughly chopped chocolate, melted (I used 8 ounces dark and 8 ounces milk, both Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bars)
- sea salt, optional for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets or large platters with parchment paper. It’s helpful if they will fit in either fridge or freezer.
- Make small piles of pecans, using 5 to 6 pieces per pile. Overlap the pecans some to reduce gaps so the caramel doesn’t seep through.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the caramels, half of the cream (reserve the remainder), and heat on high power to melt. It will probably take about 3 to 4 minutes total, but you must stop and stir the mixture every 30 seconds so you don’t burn it. Alternatively, you can melt caramels on the stove over low heat, using caution and stirring frequently. **(see notes below on melting the caramels)
- Add about 1 tablespoon caramel to the top of each pecan pile; set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add 8 ounces chocolate and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power. Heat in 15-second increments until chocolate can be stirred smooth. I prefer working in smaller batches with chocolate and recommend doing the same and not heating all 16 ounces at once; melt additional chocolate as necessary.
- Add about 2 tablespoons chocolate to the top of each pecan cluster by dolloping it on top and letting it fall down the sides.
- Optionally add a pinch of sea salt to each Turtle.
- Allow Turtles to firm up at room temp (will take many hours) or in the fridge or freezer (about 15 minutes) before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made these last night and although they aren’t as good looking as your pics, they are delicious! I made half the batch with milk chocolate and half with white chocolate (my fav). What a difference to eat turtles with fresh ingredients!
What a difference to eat turtles with fresh ingredients! = Isn’t that the truth!! Your white choc version sounds wonderful and creative!
I made this to take to Christmas dinner today, and I’m so glad I did, they were such a hit!
I made a couple of changes to your recipe, like I used rough-chopped macadamia nuts because I had some that needed to be eaten (they’re really bland when plain!), and I used a tart pan (it’s like a mini-muffin pan where the base of each spot is 1.5″ diameter) which I generously greased with butter because I detest using Pam if it can be avoided.
I also figured out that for melting the caramels, the Ziploc containers with the screw-on caps (the heavier plastic ones, 2 cup size) were almost non-stick and worked way better than a ceramic or glass bowl. I only used about 1 or 2 tbsp of cream for 1/2 a bag of caramels at a time and that was enough to make it runny when hot and it firmed up really well but was still chewy.
Once the caramel was firm, I popped them out of the pan and dropped them into the melted chocolate. I used the Lindt squares because they were on sale at the grocery store yesterday, and they melt into a really smooth, almost liquid consistency. After the chocolate, I set them on a parchment lined pan to set.
I ended up with perfectly round “turtles” and they’re about 2 bites each.
I’m so glad that I found your recipe with the caramels instead of making it from sugar and water or butter as that sounded really tricky & I don’t have a candy thermometer.
Sounds like you made the recipe your own and so glad they were a hit with everyone!
I made these for Christmas and they were amazing! My family said they were better then the store bought ones. I always buy them for my husband but this year I packaged them up for him and he lived them so much I will always make them instead! Thank you!
What a lovely thing to make for your husband and sounds like you scored some points :) Glad the recipe is a keeper!
I just made turtles last night and I tried two different methods with the pecans, the first was clumping the pecans into mounds as your recipe states.
The second method is to chop the nuts and cover a parchment lined cookie sheet with them. Pour the carmel on top of the nuts in circles the size you want your turtles to be and then cool (I cooled mine outside). When cool they easily come off the parchment & then can be topped or dipped. I found the second method to be faster & was able to make my turtles all the same size.
Glad you found a method that worked great for you!
I made these but my caramel ran… What did I do wrong?
It was probably on the thin side and you could have used less milk/cream so that it stayed thicker. That’s my guess. Thanks for trying the recipe.
I made these tonight and they are delicious! My husband loves the store bought Turtles and he said these were way better than store bought! I made some milk chocolate and some white chocolate, as well as some with Score toffee bits sprinkled on top. Yummy! Thanks for the super easy recipe
Glad they were voted way better than storebought! I love all your variations you made! I’d love to sample 1 of each :)
Definitely add the cream to the caramel a bit at a time. Mine, like some of the others, is not setting up when prepared as directed. I made five dozen for a swap, trying to decide if it’s ok to give to others in cupcake holders (because of stickiness) or if I should scrap these and start over?
Just put them in cupcake holders! People will love them, it’s homemade, it’s not from a factory, it’s the amazing thought that counts :) Thanks for trying the recipe.
This is such a good idea for holiday gifts! I have to advise though, I made the recipe as written twice and both times it was a flop (using two different brands of caramel). The caramel is simply too loose, making it impossible to package them for gifts. It’s too loose to dip entirely even. I ended up melting my caramel in the microwave with no added liquid on the third try and that worked beautifully. Thank you for the inspiration :)
Sorry the caramel was too runny for you as written. I have made them with Kraft brand and Werther’s brand caramels and both were fine; but caramels vary soooo much in their composition (how much water, sugar, and milk – if any) is included which will impact how runny or loose they are when melted, but it sounds like you figured it out and glad to hear things turned out okay!
help! Made these today and have learned a lot! need to let caramel cool a bit or it runs all over. My question: even after several hours in fridge the caramel sticks to whatever I put them on…..ugh….help! want to give as gifts but not sure how to give them…..thanks!
Parchment paper is usually great in situations like this.
Hi Avery… made these today, when it is cold and snowing at my house. I left them out on the porch to firm up, but even after a few hours out there, the caramel is still pretty gooey/sticky. Is this expected?
I used the square caramels as indicated in the recipe with 1/4 c heavy whipping cream.
Thanks for posting this! I hope my mother enjoys her birthday treat!
Yes if you know what a real Turtle tastes like, the inside has some looseness to it. I mean it should be as loose as caramel sauce, but it shouldn’t be rock hard. I don’t know if you’ve covered them with chocolate yet but that will encase everything and I think you’ll be set! Happy Bday to you mom!! So nice of you to make these for her!
These were excellent!!! Instead of using parchment paper, I sprayed cupcake tins with some Pam and they turned out amazing! It was a much easier clean up as well. :) Although I did burn a bit of my chocolate while melting it in the microwave, I added some half and half to it and it turned out perfectly! Thanks for the recipe! I think they will be a hit for Halloween tomorrow!
sprayed cupcake tins with some Pam <--- great idea and glad that worked out well for you! And glad you were able to save your chocolate. Yes, easy does it with the micro and chocolate. 15-second bursts usually is what I do! Enjoy your treats!
I just copied you but mine aren’t coming out of the tin. Did yours pop out or did you have to loosen them abit? Maybe mine haven’t firmed up enough either.
I have seen and ate Turtles but not sure if Trader Joe’s chocolate is available in my area, can you suggest an alternative chocolate….would Baker’s chocolate ( that comes in hunks) work? Wanting to put together goodie boxes for holidays and everyone would love these and the no-cook is even better! Thks
Yes Baker’s Chocolate is fine. You want a fairly dark chocolate that melts smoothly. You probably could use chocolate chips, but for these, baking chocolate in hunks is preferred!
I know this is probably a dumb question, but when you say square caramels – are you talking the Kraft kind or something else?
Yes the Kraft, or similar, in the clear cellophane wrappers.
1/4 cream or half-and-half. 1/4 of what? 1/4 cup?
Cup yes! Fixed!
I love turtles and these look delicious! This is a recipe that you could mix up as well with different ingredients which is great.
Feel free to check out my baking blog as well, For the Love of Baking!
http://www.forloveofbaking.com xoxo, Sydney
Averie, these look irresistible! I had a craving earlier today for chocolate and caramel(big surprise there!) and these would have been perfect! Along with every other recipe of yours I just scrolled through… I’m totally drooling over them all! Pinned!
You’re so sweet and thank you for pinning :) I can’t remember which board I saw it on today, but your Neapolitan Fudge. I really need to make it but I would seriously just pay you to make it for me. I wish I was your neighbor. I LOVE THAT STUFF :)