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.

Chocolate turtles on a white plate with one cut in half showing the caramel pecan inside.

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

Chocolate turtles ingredients including pecans, chocolate, sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, butter and vanilla.

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 6-8 minutes, or until about 235 degrees F. Test caramel to see if it’s done (see instructions in recipe card).

3. Stir in vanilla and chopped pecans.

Sugar, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, and corn syrup in a bowl, then the cooked caramel with chopped pecans added to the bowl.

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.

Caramel pecan clusters on parchment paper and one being dipped in melted chocolate.

Storing and Freezing Chocolate Turtles:

Store turtles in an airtight container at room temp or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  You can also freeze chocolate turtles for 2-3 months.

Homemade chocolate turtles candy on a marble board.

CONSIDER MAKING THESE CHRISTMAS SWEETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:


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Recipe

A plate of homemade Chocolate Turtles, one of them cut in half to show the caramel pecan filling.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 45 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

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!). (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.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Set aside.
  • Microwave Caramel: 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, or use the ice water bath test.
  • (For Ice bath test, spoon a small spoonful of the caramel into a cup of ice water. Use your fingers to pinch the caramel—it should come together into a soft ball. If it won't come together to form a ball in your fingers, return it to the microwave for an additional 30 seconds, and test again.)
  • 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. (I usually get about 20, but you can make the candies as small or large as you like). Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
  • Melt almond bark or chocolate in microwave )or use a double boiler), 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.

Notes

Microwave Caramel: My caramel takes about 7 minutes in the microwave, but time may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Chocolate: I like to use Almond Bark because it sets up so well are room temperature. If using pure chocolate, make sure it's high quality so it will melt well, like Bakers chocolate bars or Ghirardelli brand chocolate chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 2gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 131IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 0.3mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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!

  2. 5 stars
    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.

  3. 5 stars
    Didn’t use the microwave other than to melt the chocolate. Turned out great just like the store bought ones.

  4. 1 star
    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.

    1. 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.

    2. 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

  5. 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

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