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Chocolate Turtles
Chocolate turtles are a melt-in-your-mouth candy recipe that combines crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and rich milk chocolate into one amazing treat.
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Chocolate Turtles are bound to become your new favorite homemade candy. You can’t go wrong when you combine chewy buttery caramel, rich creamy chocolate, and nuts together to make these chocolate turtles. Skip the store-bought version and make these simple, yet incredibly rich and delicious classic gourmet chocolate turtles at home.
Homemade candy isn’t just for the holidays! Make a batch of Chocolate Peanut Toffee, Martha Washington Candy, or Homemade Caramels to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Chocolate Turtles Ingredients
You will need:
- 3 cups pecans halves
- 11 ounces caramels, 38 individually wrapped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 12 ounces milk chocolate chips (you could also use 12-ounce bag of dark chocolate chips)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt, optional sprinkles
Substitutions and Additions
HEAVY CREAM: You can use milk and butter as an easy substitute for heavy cream. Use ¼ cup of melted butter with ¾ cup of milk to make 1 cup of heavy cream.
PECANS: Walnuts are a great alternative to pecans as they are similar in texture, size, and taste. Use a 1:1 ratio for this.
DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS: You can use dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate if that is more to your taste. You can use a 1:1 ratio.
TOPPINGS: Use sprinkles or another kind of candy to top your turtle candy.
BLACK & WHITE TURTLES: Use dark and white chocolate chips to make “black and white” turtles.
How to Make Chocolate Turtles
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
STEP TWO: Evenly spread the pecan halves over the parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes. Allow the pecan halves to cool completely.
PRO TIP: Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your pecans as the suggested baking time approaches.
STEP THREE: Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with very lightly sprayed parchment paper, wax paper, or silicone baking liner.
STEP FOUR: Arrange the pecans in groups of 3 to 4 pecan halves. Make sure to space the pecan clusters at least 1 to 1½ inches apart.
STEP FIVE: Remove the plastic wrap from the individual caramels and place them in a medium-sized heat-safe bowl.
STEP SIX: Add the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the caramels. Heat the caramel and cream in 45-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the mixture is smooth.
STEP SEVEN: Once the caramel is smooth, immediately spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons over the center of the pecan clusters.
STEP EIGHT: Add the milk chocolate chips or the dark chocolate chips to a medium-sized microwaveable plastic bowl or microwaveable silicone bowl.
STEP NINE: Heat for 30 seconds and stir well. Heat again for 30 seconds and stir well. Then heat for 15 seconds and stir well. You can heat would be 10 seconds if needed, but you want to have a few whole chips still in the melted chocolate and not all the chips to be melted, risking overheating the chocolate. After this final heating, stir the chocolate until all chips are melted and continue stirring the chocolate for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
PRO TIP: Tempering the chocolate in the microwave is best done in a microwavable plastic or silicone container. This is better than using glass because glass maintains the heat, and if you are melting chocolate, it’s better to cool the chocolate down quickly after melting it.
STEP TEN: Spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the melted chocolate over the center of the caramel. Use the tip or back of your spoon to make a little swirl onto the top of the chocolate.
STEP ELEVEN: If you wish to garnish the top of the chocolate with sea salt, sprinkle just a dash on top of the chocolate.
STEP TWELVE: Allow the turtles to sit for at least 2 hours to ensure they set properly.
PRO TIP: To get your turtle candies off the pan, the easiest way is to lift the parchment paper from the pan and separate the turtles from the paper, bending the paper back. When you try to just lift the turtle flat off of the pan, you can easily break the cute little turtle feet!
How to Serve Chocolate Turtles
Homemade Chocolate turtles have the perfect ratio of caramel, chocolate, and pecan to create a soft and chewy treat that is the perfect treat to whip up for a party. You’ll want to serve your chocolate turtles at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
A staple during the holiday season, turtle chocolate candies are also a fantastic choice for homemade gifts. Put them in a pretty box or jar, and include a handwritten note to make it extra special. Make sure your candy is fresh by packaging it properly until you’re ready to give it as a gift.
Storage
ON THE COUNTER: It’s best to store your chewy caramel and chocolate candy on the counter for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep these turtles in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
IN THE FREEZER: Layer your homemade candy in an airtight container with wax or parchment paper between turtles, so they don’t stick.
You can freeze these turtle candies for up to 2 months and then defrost them at room temperature before serving.
Chocolate turtles are a melt-in-your-mouth candy recipe that uses just 5 simple ingredients. Crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and rich milk chocolate combine into one amazing treat that’s every bit as yummy as the original! This quick and easy chocolate turtle recipe is perfect for an after-dinner treat or gift.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze chocolate turtles?
This great recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.
Should turtles be kept in the fridge?
While they are fine at room temperature, in order to ensure the chocolate and caramel don’t get too soft.
Can I use a different type of nut for this recipe?
You could use walnuts instead of pecans for this recipe.
Why are they called chocolate turtles?
This treat is called a turtle as they resemble a turtle, with the pecans on the sides resembling turtle feet and the chocolate on top like their shell.
What are chocolate turtles called?
Chocolate turtles are also referred to as bear claws, chocolate candy clusters, or chocolate caramel nut clusters.
What does a chocolate turtle taste like?
Chocolate turtles taste like a combination of gooey caramel, rich milk chocolate, and toasted pecans.
How long are chocolate turtles good for?
Chocolate turtles will keep on the counter or in the fridge for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to two months.
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Chocolate Turtles
Chocolate turtles are a melt-in-your-mouth candy recipe that combines crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and rich milk chocolate into one amazing treat.
Ingredients
- 3 cups pecans halves
- 11 ounces caramels 38 individually wrapped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 12 ounces milk chocolate chips you could also use 12-ounce bag of dark chocolate chips
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt optional sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- Evenly spread the pecan halves over the parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes. Allow the pecan halves to cool completely.
- Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with very lightly sprayed parchment paper, wax paper, or silicone baking liner.
- Arrange the pecans in groups of 3 to 4 pecan halves. Make sure to space the pecan clusters at least 1 to 1½ inches apart.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the individual caramels and place them in a medium-sized heat-safe bowl.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the caramels. Heat the caramel and cream in 45-second intervals. Stir well after each interval until the mixture is smooth.
- Once the caramel is smooth, immediately spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons over the center of the pecan clusters.
- Add the milk chocolate chips or the dark chocolate chips to a medium-sized microwaveable plastic bowl or microwaveable silicone bowl.
- Heat for 30 seconds and stir well. Heat again for 30 seconds and stir well. Then heat for 15 seconds and stir well. You can heat would be 10 seconds if needed, but you want to have a few whole chips still in the melted chocolate and not all the chips to be melted, risking overheating the chocolate. After this final heating, stir the chocolate until all chips are melted and continue stirring the chocolate for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the melted chocolate over the center of the caramel. Use the tip or back of your spoon to make a little swirl onto the top of the chocolate.
- If you wish to garnish the top of the chocolate with sea salt, sprinkle just a dash on top of the chocolate.
- Allow the turtles to sit for at least 2 hours to ensure they set properly.
Notes
You can use wax paper or silicone liner as well on your baking sheet.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your pecans as the suggested baking time approaches.
Tempering the chocolate in the microwave is best done in a microwavable plastic or silicone container. This is better than using glass because glass maintains the heat, and if you are melting chocolate, it’s better to cool the chocolate down quickly after melting it.
If you are giving the homemade turtles as gifts, place the turtles in regular cupcake liners.
To get your turtle candies off the pan, the easiest way is to lift the parchment paper from the pan and separate the turtles from the paper, bending the paper back. When you try to just lift the turtle flat off of the pan, you can easily break the cute little turtle feet!
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