These easy 4-ingredient chocolate turtles will become your new favorite treat. The crisp pecans, chewy caramel and creamy chocolate with sea salt on top is pure heaven!
During the holidays, we always like to make a few batches of our favorite candy. These homemade turtles, peanut butter buckeyes and Christmas crack toffee are always the most requested.
Whenever I walk into a candy shop, I always have to pick up a chocolate turtle. The layers of crisp pecans, chewy caramel and creamy chocolate with sea salt on top are to die for. I just love the sweet and salty combo!
And 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.
The best part? 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. Yes please!
4 simple ingredients!
- Pecan halves
- Caramels
- Heavy cream
- Semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers
How to make homemade turtles
Pecans
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then pile 3 to 5 pecans together to make a cluster.
Caramel
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 about 1 to 2 teaspoons of caramel on top of each cluster. Then allow to set.
Chocolate
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. Let cool for 1-2 minutes and then sprinkle the sea salt over top.
Tips
- You could also make this recipe with almonds instead of pecans if preferred.
- Feel free to toast the pecans in a skillet for a minute or two to get a more toasted taste.
- I love the flavor that maldon salt adds (it’s the best!), but sea salt works great too.
- To make it easy, I used melted down Peters caramel, but you could make your own caramel as well using my microwave caramel recipe or homemade caramels.
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.
More dessert recipes:
- Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake
- Turtle Chex Party Mix
- Rolo Pretzel Sandwiches
- Homemade Twix Bars
- Rolo Pretzel Reindeer
Turtle Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pecan halves
- 8 ounces caramels , I prefer Peters or Werther's
- 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers , or chopped chocolate
Optional: sea salt or maldon salt, for sprinkling
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
- Makes about 16-24 turtles, depending how large you make the clusters.
- You can use almonds with this recipe as well.
- Feel free to toast the pecans in a skillet for a minute or two to get a more toasted taste.
- To store: Place in an airtight container and store at room temp for up to 3 weeks.
- To freeze: Add to a freezer container with a piece of wax paper in between each layer. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
I love turtles and so does my husband. It will be so nice to make a batch to surprise him for Christmas. Thank you for sharing this.
You are so welcome! I hope you enjoy them!
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!