These soft and chewy Chocolate Turtles are so EASY to make and include clusters of homemade microwave caramel and toasted pecans, dipped in chocolate. They just may be the best homemade candy around!
Christmas candies and desserts are so much fun! Chocolate turtles make a great Christmas gift, and so do Homemade Caramels, Easy Truffles, and Chocolate Pretzel Rods.
I’ve been experimenting with this recipe because I wanted to make a chocolate turtle with homemade caramel, but I also wanted them to be EASY to make! After some trial and error, let me tell you, these homemade turtles are absolutely my new obsession! They have the perfect chewy soft texture and the right ratio of caramel to pecan and chocolate.
If you are looking for a candy recipe to WOW for the holidays (without any sweat equity on your part!) look no further! It does not get easier or more delicious than these homemade turtles.
Why I LOVE this recipe:
- Quick homemade caramel: Most recipes for chocolate turtles use melted store-bought caramels, but this recipe is a winner with a homemade microwave caramel recipe that is just as easy and tastes amazing! .
- Great for gifting: You can double or even triple this recipe to make homemade candy for friends and neighbors during the holidays!
Easy Homemade Turtles (an overview):
For this recipe you will need:
- salted butter
- light-brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- sweetened condensed milk
- light corn syrup
- vanilla extract
- pecans
- chocolate
1. Toast pecans. Use the oven or a skillet to toast the pecans. Chop them and set aside.
2. Make microwave caramel. Melt butter in microwave then stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and butter and combine. Return bowl to microwave and cook for 5-6 minutes. Test caramel to see if it’s done (see instructions in recipe card).
3. Stir in vanilla and chopped pecans.
4. Drop caramel pecan clusters onto parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet to create individual mounds of caramel candy. (I usually get about 20, but you can make them as small or large as you like). Refrigerate. Cool until set, about 20 minutes.
5. Melt Chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in a heat proof bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until melted and smooth.
6. Dip clusters in chocolate. Drop a 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.
Storing and Freezing Chocolate Turtles:
Store turtles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can also freeze chocolate turtles for 2-3 months.
CONSIDER MAKING THESE CHRISTMAS SWEETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:
- Caramel and Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Vanilla Creme Balls
- Christmas Cornflake Wreaths
- Caramel Cashew Clusters
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Recipe
Homemade Chocolate Turtles
Ingredients
- 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 pecans
- 16 oz high quality chocolate (I prefer Ghirardelli or bakers brand)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread pecans out onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring once, until toasted and fragrant (but not burned!). (Alternately, you can heat them in a hot skillet stirring constantly until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes.)
- Once cooled, roughly chop the pecans and set aside.
- Prepare 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. Fill a small cup with ice and water and set aside.
- Return bowl to microwave and cook mixture on HIGH power for 5 to 6 minutes*.
- Use hot pads to carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Spoon a small spoonful of the caramel into the bowl of ice water. Use your fingers to pinch the caramel—it should come together into a soft ball. If it wont come together to form a ball in your fingers, return it to the microwave for an additional 30 seconds, and test again..
- Stir vanilla into hot caramel. Stir in chopped pecans.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet to create individual mounds of caramel candy. (I usually get about 20, but you can make the candies as small or large as you like). Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
- Reserve a handful of chopped chocolate off to the side and melt the rest in a double boiler (I just place a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water), or in the microwave in a heat proof bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining chopped chocolate that you set aside (this will temper the chocolate to help it set up better).
- Drop a 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. Allow to set up in the fridge.
- Store turtles in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Fantastic recipe! I only had unsalted butter, so I added a sprinkle kosher salt on top before the chocolate set. Doing this took it to the next level!
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it
Thank you for this recipe worked a treat.
I have had turtle’s bought for me from USA. Now I can make my own. I live in Australia.
Delicious and easy to make. .i never thought of making caramels. Wonderful!
Didn’t use the microwave other than to melt the chocolate. Turned out great just like the store bought ones.
Overall an unsatisfactory product. Way way too sweet. Like inediblely too sweet. The caramel didn’t really get nice and soft. It cools down to a more pasty solid than gooey solid. Disappointing.
Also, not a fan of recipes that get made in the microwave. What is it with Americans and cooking food in the microwave? Don’t you know that’s extremely unhealthy? I did not microwave this recipe at all.
Overall a very unsatisfactory review.
Unconstructive and bitter. Like “table for one” bitter.
Completely missed an opportunity to provide insight or help in any way whatsoever. Very disappointing.
Also, what is it with non-Americans making blanket statements in criticisms of Americans? Don’t they realize that generalizations are a very unhealthy way to perceive the world? I didn’t use generalizations whatsoever.
U knew it was a microwave recipe before making it so why did u bother & then insult , u should have just moved on
Very rudev
I am familiar with checking the stage of candy with the cold water method. However, in this recipe for Chocolate Turtles, it does not mention what stage of firmbess the ball should be, soft, medium etc