I’m sharing my simple Pecan Turtles recipe that arranges pecan halves into a neat cross, crowns each with glossy caramel and finishes them with a satin chocolate drizzle, plus a little pro tip that makes them look bakery perfect.
I love Homemade Turtle Candy With Pecans And Caramel because it looks fancy but is totally approachable. The crunch of pecan halves against silky caramel and a ribbon of semisweet chocolate makes me want to hide them in the back of the pantry.
People calls them Pecan Turtles and they’re oddly perfect for gifts, midnight cravings, or last second dessert saves. I get asked about How To Melt Caramel all the time, and honestly the best part is watching friends try one and do a double take.
Expect sticky fingers and too many smiles, you were warned.
Ingredients
- Pecans: rich in healthy fats, protein and fiber, they add crunch and toasty flavor.
- Soft caramels: very sweet, mostly sugars, give a chewy buttery center, they make you nostalgic.
- Heavy cream or milk: thins caramels, adds creaminess, small dairy protein and fat boost.
- Semisweet chocolate: bittersweet balance, mostly carbs and fat, melts into a glossy shell.
- Neutral oil: optional to thin chocolate and add shine, minimal flavor, mostly fat.
- Vanilla extract: tiny bit goes a long way, lifts caramel flavor, almost no calories.
- Flaky sea salt: brightens sweetness, tiny crunchy pop, a little makes flavors sing.
Ingredient Quantities
- 48 pecan halves, about enough for 24 turtles (use similar sized halves)
- 11 ounces soft caramels, unwrapped (about 36 individually wrapped caramels)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, to help melt the caramels
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or as chips
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or coconut), optional to thin the chocolate and give shine
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional for a little extra caramel flavor
- Flaky sea salt, a pinch for sprinkling on top, optional but nice
How to Make this
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and arrange 48 pecan halves into 24 little crosses or flower shapes, 4 halves per turtle so they sit flat and similar sized pieces face up.
2. Put 11 ounces unwrapped caramels and 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until the caramel is silky smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if using. Dont overheat or it will seize.
3. Use a small spoon to drop a heaping teaspoon to a tablespoon of warm caramel onto the center of each pecan cluster, covering the middle and touching the nuts. If the caramel firms up while you work, microwave it 10 seconds to soften.
4. If the caramel is stringy, dip your spoon in hot water and dry it first, that helps smooth the surface. Let the caramel set at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes or pop the tray in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s tacky but not running.
5. Melt 8 ounces semisweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a microwave safe bowl in 15 to 20 second bursts, stirring each time, until glossy and smooth. Or melt over a double boiler, but keep water below simmering so no steam gets in the chocolate.
6. For tidy turtles either spoon a dollop of chocolate over each caramel mound and quickly spread with the back of the spoon, or transfer chocolate to a small piping bag or zip top bag, snip a tiny corner and drizzle over each piece for that classic look.
7. While the chocolate is still glossy, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on a few pieces if you like sweet salty contrast. Dont overdo it, a little goes a long way.
8. Let the chocolate set fully at room temp or chill the tray in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes. If you refrigerated the caramels earlier, you may need a few extra minutes for the chocolate to firm.
9. Store turtles in a single layer in an airtight container at cool room temp for a week or in the fridge for longer. If stacking, separate layers with parchment so they dont stick.
Equipment Needed
1. Baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat
2. Microwave safe bowl for melting the caramels
3. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for a double boiler or a second microwave safe bowl for the chocolate
4. Small spoon for dropping caramel and smoothing it onto the nuts
5. Measuring spoons (tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon)
6. Rubber or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping the bowls
7. Small piping bag or zip top bag plus scissors to snip the corner for drizzling
8. Offset spatula or just the back of a spoon for tidying the chocolate tops
9. Airtight container and extra parchment for storing the turtles, and your fridge if you want to chill them
FAQ
Homemade Turtle Candy With Pecans And Caramel Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pecan halves — swap for walnut halves or almond halves, use similar sized pieces so the turtles sit flat; toasted nuts bring out more flavor.
- Soft caramels — replace with jarred dulce de leche, soft toffee pieces, or melted butterscotch chips plus a splash of cream; any soft chewy caramel works, just watch sweetness.
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk — use half and half, evaporated milk, or full fat canned coconut milk for a dairy free option; reduce a bit if it thins the caramel too much.
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate — use bittersweet or dark chocolate for less sweet turtles, milk chocolate if you want sweeter, or chocolate melting wafers for easier tempering and shine.
Pro Tips
– Sort the pecans by size first and toast them very briefly in a dry pan or oven till they smell nutty. They stick together better when same size and toasting dries surface a bit so the caramel grips. Dont overtoast though or theyll go bitter.
– Keep the caramel gently warm while you work so it spreads and bonds cleanly. Microwave just a few seconds at a time or sit the bowl over warm water, and if it gets stringy dip your spoon in hot water and dry it before smoothing.
– For shiny, snappy chocolate add a teaspoon or so of a neutral oil or use the seed temper method (stir in some chopped cooled chocolate to melted chocolate) so the tops dont bloom later. Avoid letting steam or water touch the chocolate or it will seize.
– Work on a cool but not freezing surface and let pieces become tacky before topping with chocolate, then sprinkle flaky salt while the chocolate is still glossy. Store in a single layer with parchment between layers so they dont stick, and if you must chill them bring to room temp before serving so flavors open up.
Homemade Turtle Candy With Pecans And Caramel Recipe
I’m sharing my simple Pecan Turtles recipe that arranges pecan halves into a neat cross, crowns each with glossy caramel and finishes them with a satin chocolate drizzle, plus a little pro tip that makes them look bakery perfect.
24
servings
141
kcal
Equipment: 1. Baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat
2. Microwave safe bowl for melting the caramels
3. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for a double boiler or a second microwave safe bowl for the chocolate
4. Small spoon for dropping caramel and smoothing it onto the nuts
5. Measuring spoons (tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon)
6. Rubber or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping the bowls
7. Small piping bag or zip top bag plus scissors to snip the corner for drizzling
8. Offset spatula or just the back of a spoon for tidying the chocolate tops
9. Airtight container and extra parchment for storing the turtles, and your fridge if you want to chill them
Ingredients
-
48 pecan halves, about enough for 24 turtles (use similar sized halves)
-
11 ounces soft caramels, unwrapped (about 36 individually wrapped caramels)
-
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, to help melt the caramels
-
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or as chips
-
1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or coconut), optional to thin the chocolate and give shine
-
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional for a little extra caramel flavor
-
Flaky sea salt, a pinch for sprinkling on top, optional but nice
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and arrange 48 pecan halves into 24 little crosses or flower shapes, 4 halves per turtle so they sit flat and similar sized pieces face up.
- Put 11 ounces unwrapped caramels and 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until the caramel is silky smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if using. Dont overheat or it will seize.
- Use a small spoon to drop a heaping teaspoon to a tablespoon of warm caramel onto the center of each pecan cluster, covering the middle and touching the nuts. If the caramel firms up while you work, microwave it 10 seconds to soften.
- If the caramel is stringy, dip your spoon in hot water and dry it first, that helps smooth the surface. Let the caramel set at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes or pop the tray in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes until it's tacky but not running.
- Melt 8 ounces semisweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a microwave safe bowl in 15 to 20 second bursts, stirring each time, until glossy and smooth. Or melt over a double boiler, but keep water below simmering so no steam gets in the chocolate.
- For tidy turtles either spoon a dollop of chocolate over each caramel mound and quickly spread with the back of the spoon, or transfer chocolate to a small piping bag or zip top bag, snip a tiny corner and drizzle over each piece for that classic look.
- While the chocolate is still glossy, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on a few pieces if you like sweet salty contrast. Dont overdo it, a little goes a long way.
- Let the chocolate set fully at room temp or chill the tray in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes. If you refrigerated the caramels earlier, you may need a few extra minutes for the chocolate to firm.
- Store turtles in a single layer in an airtight container at cool room temp for a week or in the fridge for longer. If stacking, separate layers with parchment so they dont stick.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 29g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 141kcal
- Fat: 7.8g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 3.4g
- Cholesterol: 2mg
- Sodium: 18mg
- Potassium: 73mg
- Carbohydrates: 16.6g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugar: 14.1g
- Protein: 1g
- Vitamin A: 4IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 9mg
- Iron: 0.45mg
