Homemade Turtles Recipe

Today I am sharing our Homemade Turtles Recipe with you. I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite Chocolate Candy Recipes are these Turtle Pecans.  They are so easy to make and can be made right at home! We don’t make them very often because we like to make them at Christmas time as a family tradition.

Do you have special recipes that you only make for the holidays?

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These Homemade Turtles are fancy enough that they make a great gift idea too! Wrap them up in a pretty package and your friends and family are going to look forward to them every year.  And…the best part is they look harder to make then they really are!

The secret is making sure you have fresh pecans (other nuts will work too if you are not a huge fan of pecans) and making sure they are roasted and lightly salted.  You can do that yourself on the stove if you can not find any.  The other secret is to make sure you have a great melting chocolate.  I love using the professional melting chocolates if you can find a good quality one, or Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips work great too!

Also quality caramels are a must.  If I am in a hurry, I will melt down store bought caramels.  But, if you have time, Homemade Caramel is always a great option.  You can try our Homemade Caramel recipe here.  If you do go with the Homemade Caramel you will probably not need to add any half and half to thin out the caramel when melting them.  You may have to experiment with a batch to get the perfect combination if you use different types.

If you are interested in a printable recipe, simply click on the link below! Now go and get your candy making on!

Homemade Turtles

*printable recipe

8 ounces pecan halves (roasted, lightly salted)

25 caramel squares, unwrapped

1/4 cup cream or half-and-half, divided

16 ounces milk chocolate, melted

sea salt, optional for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Line two baking sheets or large platters with parchment paper.
2. Make small piles of pecans, using 5 to 6 pieces per pile. Overlap the pecans some to reduce gaps so the caramel doesn’t seep through.
3. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the caramels, half of the cream (reserve the remainder), and heat on high power to melt. Heating in 30 second intervals so they do not burn.
4. The caramel is runny and loose when it first comes together, but firms up quite a bit as it cools. Alternatively, you can melt caramels on the stove over low heat, using caution and stirring frequently.
5. Add about 1 tablespoon caramel to the top of each pecan pile; set aside.
6. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in 30 second intervals as well.
7. Add about 2 tablespoons chocolate to the top of each pecan cluster smoothing it over the middle and letting it run around the edges.
8. Add a pinch of sea salt to the top of the turtles if desired.
9. Allow Turtles to firm up at room temp or in the fridge or freezer before serving.

Store the Turtles in an airtight container for best results. Can be stored in the freezer or the fridge for a longer storage time.

Did you like this recipe? I would love for you to pin it and share it with your friends! Thanks! xo