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 tried these out (I know they will taste delicious) but the only thing is, that the process was difficult. The caramel slid off the pecans (not the chocolate) so make sure the caramel is smooth and not runny. That was my mistake that made this difficult. Other than that, I applaud the recipe and the baker behind the recipe! Bravo!
I made these turtles last night mine were stuck on the parchment paper i put them in the freezer they hardened but then once they were out they continued to stick grrrrr. I think the 1/4 cup of cream is too much. I had 40 caramels i used less cream and they still stuck. I will try these again with a tablespoon at a time. They are so tasty and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
I made these turtles last night mine were stuck on the parchment paper i put them in the freezer they hardened but then once they were out they continued to stick grrrrr. I think the 1/4 cup of cream is too much. I had 40 caramels i used less cream and they still stuck. I will try these again with a tablespoon at a time. They are so tasty and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
I made these for the first time last year and they turned out great! I decided to make them again this year since they were a hit last year. I had carmels to make a few batches. My first batch I put 25 carmels to 1/4 cup of half & half and they turned out perfectly! The second batch I decided to make a double batch so I put 50 carmels and used 1/2 cup of half & half. The carmel mixture was liquidy but perfect to spoon. Instead of making the Homemade Turtles on parchment paper I decided to make them in my mini cupcake pan that makes 48 at once. So I sprayed the pan really good, then placed a layer of pecans on the bottom, poured the carmel on top of pecans, and then the chocolate on top of the carmel. Then I placed the pan in my freezer. I had the Homemade Turtles in my freezer for 1.5 hours (I forgot to take them out after 15 mins.). I had to let them unthaw a bit in order to be able to move them enough to get them out. As I was trying to get them out I noticed that the carmel was looser than my first batch. The carmel wasn’t stiff enough to hold together. I immediately push the tops of the chocolate back down and headed to my freezer to stick the Homemade Turtles back in the freezer. It’s been over 6 hours since I stuck them into the freezer. I am scared to take them out to see if they still are to soft and still haven’t gotten hard enough to get them out of the pan. I will try in the morning to see if they are firm enough to get out of the pan. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for me that I could do to get the caramel firm enough to get them out of the pan and into gift buckets that I’m making for friends and family?
Once you’ve already put the caramel on them, it’s not possible to change the structure of the caramel and make it thicker. I’m sorry that it’s not sick enough. Sometimes with doubling recipes, it doesn’t always work out to be exactly doubling them. And unfortunately it sounds like this was the case for you here.
I made these for the first time last year and they turned out great! I decided to make them again this year since they were a hit last year. I had carmels to make a few batches. My first batch I put 25 carmels to 1/4 cup of half & half and they turned out perfectly! The second batch I decided to make a double batch so I put 50 carmels and used 1/2 cup of half & half. The carmel mixture was liquidy but perfect to spoon. Instead of making the Homemade Turtles on parchment paper I decided to make them in my mini cupcake pan that makes 48 at once. So I sprayed the pan really good, then placed a layer of pecans on the bottom, poured the carmel on top of pecans, and then the chocolate on top of the carmel. Then I placed the pan in my freezer. I had the Homemade Turtles in my freezer for 1.5 hours (I forgot to take them out after 15 mins.). I had to let them unthaw a bit in order to be able to move them enough to get them out. As I was trying to get them out I noticed that the carmel was looser than my first batch. The carmel wasn’t stiff enough to hold together. I immediately push the tops of the chocolate back down and headed to my freezer to stick the Homemade Turtles back in the freezer. It’s been over 6 hours since I stuck them into the freezer. I am scared to take them out to see if they still are to soft and still haven’t gotten hard enough to get them out of the pan. I will try in the morning to see if they are firm enough to get out of the pan. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for me that I could do to get the caramel firm enough to get them out of the pan and into gift buckets that I’m making for friends and family?
I adore this recipe and have made it several times at the holidays. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these are something you adore!
I adore this recipe and have made it several times at the holidays. Thanks for sharing!
I just made these for mothers day after she mentioned liking turtles. This recipe really is easy. I followed it just as written. They came out with caramel bits instead of the squares, just like the morsels so I used those and it cut down on the microwave time and it prevented me from burning the caramel which I was concerned about. I put them in my deep freezer on wax paper so I’m hoping when I get up in the morning that they will come off the paper. I tried one and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I hope I never lose it!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a success!
I just made these for mothers day after she mentioned liking turtles. This recipe really is easy. I followed it just as written. They came out with caramel bits instead of the squares, just like the morsels so I used those and it cut down on the microwave time and it prevented me from burning the caramel which I was concerned about. I put them in my deep freezer on wax paper so I’m hoping when I get up in the morning that they will come off the paper. I tried one and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I hope I never lose it!
I love this recipe. Turtle’s are my husband’s fave’s.
I am really writing you just say how sweet you are to have commented on everyone’s comment’s. I think that say’s a lot about the person you are.
Wow that is really nice of you to notice that I reply to all my comments! I feel like if someone took the time to buy the ingredients, make the recipe, and came back to tell me how it went, the least I can say is great job and thank you for trying the recipe! I wouldn’t have a website without readers like you who did just that as well. Thank you for taking the time :)
I made these today and couldn’t be happier as they turned out perfect! I used the Trader Joe’s roasted salted pecans but had to use 2-8oz packages as there were a lot of broken pieces but they’re great. I used dark chocolate & the caramels from Nuts.com and both are fabulous & I highly recommend!! I only used 1/2 of a 1/8 cup measuring cup to their 25 caramels & the consistency was perfect. I measured both caramel and chocolate more like how I thought they should look & topped them off with Maldons Sea salt flakes.. they look perfect & everyone loved them. Thanks for this great recipe & mine set up in no time without putting them in the cold.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
OMG. I love turtles. Thank you!
I made these the other day and it turned out perfect. I used about a bag and half of caramels and then 2 cups of chocolate pellets and that made about 40 turtles for me. Was great for a father’s day gift.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! What a lovely gift!
How can I make this without a microwave?Â
Melt everything on on the stovetop.
I made these when I hosted my first AvaHour and it was such a hit! They were easy, albeit time consuming, but everyone was so impressed I made homemade turtles, it really was worth the time!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that you impressed everyone!
Yummy recipe and beautiful pics as always, Averie!
I can’t have pecans, so I’ll have to use almonds instead.Â
Thanks – pinning!Â
thanks for the pins today!