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Whether for yourself or to give as a gift, homemade chocolate pecan turtles are a delicious treat that comes together quickly and is super easy to make.
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With their gooey caramel, crunchy pecans, rich chocolate, pecan turtles have always been one of my favorite candies. They’re my top pick in any chocolate shop and great to make and give at Christmas time.
We’re taking a shortcut with these candies, leaving out the make-your-own caramel part. Why deal with corn syrup, heavy cream or a candy thermometer and make your own caramel when you can cut out the hardest part and buy caramels at the store?
This chocolate turtles recipe is super easy, yet still creates delicious, homemade candies. (Want to make your own homemade caramel? Try these Salted Maple Whiskey Caramels from my friend Gina at Intentional Hospitality.)
I love gifting these during the holiday season along with some peppermint bark or cranberry shortbread cookies.
Ingredients
- Kraft caramels - Use classic, square Kraft caramels for this recipe.
- Pecan halves - Choosing pecan halves is important here as they give both flavor and structure to the candy. Skip the smaller pecan pieces.
- Chocolate chips - I love Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips for this recipe, but you can use whatever chocolate chips you prefer. Do NOT use candy melts or any other type of chocolate for this recipe. It needs to be chocolate chips or they won't set up.
- Coconut oil (optional) - This gives extra gloss and a smooth texture to the melted chocolate chips, but you can skip it if you don't have any on hand.
How to Make Pecan Turtles
Heat oven to 225 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner mat.
Unwrap caramels and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the caramels are softened and starting to melt.
Remove caramels from the oven. While they’re still hot, carefully press 4 pecan halves into each caramel.
Set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil.
Melt chocolate chips by microwaving the chocolate in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval, for a total of 80 seconds.
Stir chocolate chips until smooth.
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of melted chocolate over each of the caramel pecan clusters. Create a little swirl on the top of the chocolate with the tip of your spoon as you finish the chocolate on each cluster.
Set aside and allow chocolate to set/solidify. This will take 2-3 hours at room temperature, depending on the heat and humidity in your house.
Carefully remove from parchment paper and store in an airtight container lined with a layer of parchment for up to 5 days.
How to Store Turtle Candies
Your homemade turtles will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days when stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Set them on layers of parchment paper or put each turtle in a cupcake liner before storing so they don't have a chance to stick together.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh, soft caramels for this recipe. Choose Kraft caramel squares for this recipe. They are designed to be cooked, so they're soften in the oven but not get too hard at the end. Just make sure the package is fresh. Don’t use caramels that have been hanging out in your pantry for 6+ months. They’ll be way too hard for this recipe.
- After you’ve spooned on the chocolate, sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on top of the candies for a delicious variation. (I HIGHLY recommend doing this!)
- If you’re in a hurry, you can place the turtles in the refrigerator for 1 hour to set faster. Bring them back to room temperature before serving, storing, or enjoying.
- Homemade chocolate turtles make great gifts for the chocolate lover on your list. Packaging them in small treat boxes or tins makes them feel extra special.
Want More Edible, Homemade Gift Ideas?
Love giving homemade gifts? My Peppermint Bark recipe is super quick and easy for holiday gift giving. Want something most customized? Creating a cocktail kit or mocktail kit is a great way to give a super unique present.
FAQs and Substitutions
The coconut oil is optional, but will make the chocolate come out nice and shiny. If you don't have coconut oil on hand, you can leave it out.
You can use any combination of chocolate chips in this recipe. Using all semi-sweet chocolate chips will create a dark chocolate turtle. A combination of milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips is also nice for these pecan turtles.
If you don’t like pecans, try whole cashews or large pieces of walnuts instead.
Don't Miss These Sweet Treats
Want more homemade sweets? This snickerdoodle popcorn is a cinnamon twist on classic kettle corn that comes together in minutes. Or try my cranberry shortbread cookies, a buttery, crispy, slice-and-bake cookie. Want something fresh? Try these Fresh Strawberry Bites with Cream Cheese.
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Four Ingredient Pecan Turtles
Ingredients
- 12 Kraft caramels
- 48 pecan halves
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 225 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap caramels and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.12 Kraft caramels
- Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the caramels are softened and starting to melt.
- Remove caramels from the oven. While they’re still hot, carefully press 4 pecan halves into each caramel. Set aside to cool.48 pecan halves
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil (if using).1 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Microwave chocolate for 80 seconds, pausing and stirring every 15 seconds.
- Stir chocolate chips until smooth. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of melted chocolate over each caramel/pecan cluster. Make a small swirl on the top of each chocolate with your spoon.
- Set aside and allow chocolate to set/solidify. This will take 2-3 hours, depending on the heat and humidity in your house.
- Carefully remove from parchment paper and store in an airtight container lined with a layer of parchment for up to 5 days.
matt stewart says
Would it easier and faster to use the Ghardeli melting chocolate wafers? I have melted them and used on almond biscotti.
Katy McAvoy says
I use the Ghirardelli chocolate wafers interchangeably with the chocolate chips for this recipe. Both will get you the same result of delicious chocolate to coat the caramel and pecans.
Kathy Mitchell says
Can I freeze these
Katy McAvoy says
I wouldn't freeze them. While it wouldn't impact the flavor, freezing could make the chocolate lose its shine and/or leave it looking spotty.
Kathleen says
Does it have to be coconut oil for the pecan turtles
Katy McAvoy says
Yes. If you don't have coconut oil, you can just leave it out. It helps make the chocolate a little more shiny when it hardens, but isn't essential to the recipe. Don't substitute other oils for the coconut oil as those don't harden the same way when at room temp.
Ruth Moore says
These are easy and take very little time or effort. They are delicious and disappear way too quickly.
Katy McAvoy says
A batch doesn't last very long for me either! 😆