This easy homemade chocolate turtles recipe is made with crisp pecans, chewy caramel and creamy chocolate with flake sea salt on top.
Love Christmas candy? Don’t miss my homemade toffee, Christmas crack toffee and caramel candy recipe.
Table of Contents
Easy Pecan Turtles
These homemade turtles taste just like the ones you’d get from a fancy candy store! They have the perfect chocolate to caramel ratio and that sprinkle of sea salt really takes them over the top.
They’re super easy to make with only 4 ingredients. Plus they come together quickly, which means you’ll be saving both time and money making your own pecan turtles at home. Use extra pecans to whip up a batch of this butter pecan cookies recipe!
4 Simple Ingredients!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Pecan halves: To give them a boost of flavor, toast them in a skillet over medium heat for a minute.
- Caramels: I like to use Kraft caramels (the bits work great too) or werthers. If I’m really splurging I prefer to use Peter’s/
- Heavy cream: Just need a little splash to help the caramel melt nicely.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: Using chocolate chips or melting wafers.
How to Make Chocolate Turtles
- Pile. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then pile 3 to 5 pecans together to make pecan clusters.
- Melt. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the caramel with heavy cream for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then microwave for another 30 seconds if needed. If you need to thin it out a bit, add in another Tablespoon of cream. Then let cool for 1 minute.
- Pour. Drizzle about 1 to 2 teaspoons of caramel on top of each cluster. Then allow to set.
- Melt. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or place in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then microwave for another 15 seconds if needed. Let cool for 1 minute. Pour about a teaspoon of chocolate on top of the caramel.
Expert Tips
- Toast the pecans in a skillet for a minute or two to get a more toasted taste.
- Don’t forget the maldon flake salt adds (it’s the best) on top.
- Be careful not to overcook the caramel. It can burn easily.
- Use a gourmet caramel like Peters caramel. You could also make your own as well using my microwave caramel recipe or homemade caramels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Turtles are a candy made with pecans, caramel and chocolate.
Turtles were named by Johnson’s Candy Company after one of their workers pointed to the clusters and said they looked like turtles.
If cooking in the microwave, it will take about 1 minute. Go in 20 second increments after that point and stir in between.
It’s a combination of sweet and salty with the texture being soft and crunchy from the nuts. All the best textures in one dessert.
Layer them between wax or parchment paper in a covered container. They’ll stay good at room temperature for 3 weeks. You can also freeze up to 3 months.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Place turtles in an airtight container and store at room temp for up to 3 weeks. Just make sure to keep them in a cool, dry place so that the chocolate doesn’t start to melt!
To freeze: Add to a freezer container with a piece of wax paper in between each layer of candies. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
Do you love pecans? You’ll also want to try my recipe for chocolate pecan pie, Mexican wedding cookies, pecan pie bar recipe or these candied pecans.
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Chocolate Turtles Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pecan halves
- 8 ounces caramels , I prefer Krafts or Peters
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers , or chopped chocolate
- flake sea salt
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pile 3-5 pecans together into a cluster.
- Melt the caramel with the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Microwave an additional 30 seconds if needed. Add another Tablespoon of cream if needed to thin it out. Allow to cool for 1 minute.
- Pour about 1-2 teaspoons of caramel over each cluster. Then allow to set.
- Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Microwave an additonal 15 seconds if needed. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Pour about a teaspoon of chocolate over top of the caramel.
- Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes and then sprinkle the sea salt over top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Candy + Fudge, Chocolate, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, No-Bake
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I have been DREAMING about these for daaayyyysssss – finally made some and OMG they were AMAZING. Super easy, too!
These are so yummy! Turned out great!
I used the Werther’s Carmels and this did not work .so I wasted the ingredients that I bought they were soft so I could not even pick them up. So sad this did not work out
So sorry they didn’t set up for you. :( How much cream did you add in? You could also try placing them in the fridge to set.
Always a favorite! My only problem is that I made them too early and my family ate most of them! Time to make more.
Ah I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for your review :)
Made these cute chocolate turtles with the kids and we had fun! It is so easy to make and tasted so good and satisfying. Definitely a good addition to our Christmas treats. Must try!
They are such a fun Christmas treat!
These are the cutest homemade treats I’ve seen today! I had fun making these adorable chocolate turtles, they turned out so creamy and chewy. My family enjoyed them. We’ll surely have these treats for Christmas. Highly recommended!
So glad your family enjoyed them Sharina!
This is one of our favorite holiday candies! So fun to make and absolutely delicious!
One of our favorites too! Thanks for your review :)
Brainless recipe. Can make em with your eyes shut so easy & delicious
At least your way I don’t burn my fingers trying to wrap hot Carmel all around the pecans. 😊 Very easy, very delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie. Thanks for your comment and review :)
LOVED these! Can you use caramel melting bits instead of caramels and heavy cream or would it taste artificial? Also, can you use chopped pecans? I saw a baker use something like a pancake dispenser to distribute caramel over a flat layer of nuts online.
Yes you could use caramel bits and heavy cream. I haven’t tried with chopped pecans, it may not hold together as well but could work.
I love turtles and so does my husband! Great recipe! Thank you for sharing this.
You are so welcome! I hope you enjoy them!
LOVE these! What werthers do you recommend using ?
Werther’s Original Soft Caramels
I have a question – are the Werthers caramels soft carrels – unlike the kraft ones that are chewier
If you are using Werthers, use the soft caramels. Kraft will work as well.
These look mouth-watering, who could resist?!
These homemade turtles sound delicious right about now!
I love this recipe. The sea salt brings it all together!!
What a delicious treat! I love that simple ingredient list!
Cutest little turtles EVAH!!!! Loving this easy sweet recipe!