This homemade Chocolate Turtles recipe has clusters of homemade microwave caramel and toasted pecans dipped in chocolate. They are soft, chewy, and so EASY to make.
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.
Why I LOVE this treat:
- 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!
- Chewy: These have the perfect soft, chewy texture you want and the right ratio of caramel to pecan and chocolate. They will WOW any friends and family!
How to make Homemade Chocolate Turtles:
Toast Pecans: Use the oven or a skillet to toast the pecans. Chop them and set aside.
Make Microwave Caramel: Melt butter in microwave then stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter. 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). Stir in vanilla and chopped pecans.
Drop caramel pecan clusters onto parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls of the pecan clusters 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.
Dip in Chocolate: Melt almond bark or chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in a heat proof bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until melted and smooth. Drop a cluster into the melted chocolate then use a fork to coat it all over. Lift 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 pecan clusters on the parchment paper to set up.
Storing and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Keep the best chocolate turtles in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
To Freeze: Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place in the freezer for one hour. After this point, you can store them in a freezer Ziploc bag for 2-3 months.
More Christmas Candy:
- Caramel and Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Vanilla Creme Balls
- Christmas Cornflake Wreaths
- Caramel Cashew Clusters
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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 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!). (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.
- Form Turtles: 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.
- Dip: 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
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe December 2019. Updated December 2023.
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Look forward to trying some
Hi! Thanks for this great recipe! I’m so excited to try it to add to all my Christmas cookies.
QUESTION: I don’t have a microwave. Will the caramel work just as well if I try it on the stove? I really hope you see this! Thanks!
This recipe was SO easy. I’ve never made caramel before and was nervous it was either going to burn, or not come together. It came together effortlessly. I made these for dessert at Thanksgiving, and they were such a hit, I’m giving them away as part of a gift basket for Christmas!
Is this recipe gluten free? Thank you so much!!!!
somehow they turned out crumbly? 6 minutes was also too much for the caramel. burnt it the first time and it’d be smart to stir every couple minutes or so. i had to turn it into like a turtles bark.
Do you have directions for making the caramel on the stove? I have really bad luck trying to cook in the microwave.
Yes, you could make my homemade caramel on the stove, or melt candy caramels on the stove: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/homemade-caramels/
Came out great but very chewy
Can’t wait to try this recipe for turtles but I am wondering why I need to toast the pecans. Why can’t I just chop them straight from the packaging?
You don’t have too–I just adds a better flavor!
I always toast nuts before adding to my recipe. It brings out the natural oils of the nut and enhances the flavor.
This is mine and my husband’s favorite turtle recipe. We’ve had a couple different types and we keep going back to this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
Could you use halves pecans or do they have to be chopped?
That would be fine! Enjoy.