Homemade Chocolate Turtles

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Homemade Chocolate Turtles are a must make treat! Chewy, chocolatey pecan clusters that are always a hit. Great for gift giving and holiday candy!

Where are my fellow chocolate caramel lovers?! When it comes to treating myself, it is one of my absolute favorite combos. Add nutty pecans and a sprinkle of sea salt and it’s pure candy heaven.

If you’re like me, the idea of making homemade caramel and other candies seems kind of intimidating. But guess what? While making these Homemade Chocolate Turtles, I learned that making your own caramel and candies can actually be pretty easy to do and I’m going to show you how.

First, let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them.

Homemade Chocolate Turtles Ingredients:

You are only going to need a handful of ingredients to make these Homemade Chocolate Turtles and you might have all of the ingredients on hand already.

• PECAN HALVES: Traditionally chocolate turtles are made with pecan halves. If you only have pieces you can use those too, you’ll just need to put them in little piles on the baking sheet.
• HEAVY CREAM: This is what is going to give your caramel it’s richness.
• BUTTER: Will also add richness to the caramel.
• BROWN SUGAR: To add sweetness.
• LIGHT CORN SYURP: acts as a thickener and sweetener.
• VANILLA EXTRACT
• CHOCOLATE MELTING WAFERS: These make coating the turtles a snap. The chocolate hardens perfectly. I prefer to use dark chocolate but you can also use milk chocolate. Ghirardelli is my personal favorite but use your favorite.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Don’t let the idea of making homemade caramel intimidate you! I will walk you through the entire process and you’ll be surprised how easy it is. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions.

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• STEP #1: Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Just until they are warmed and start to smell nutty and toasted. This should take about 5 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
• STEP #2: Place the pecans in clusters of 4 on a parchment lined baking sheet. If they are smaller pieces you can just place several of them in clusters.
• STEP #3: Make the caramel by combining heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 247 degrees. This will take 10 – 15 minutes.
• STEP #4: Working quickly while the caramel is still warm, drizzle 1 tablespoon of caramel over each group of pecans. Allow to set for 30 minutes.
• STEP #5: Melt chocolate candy melts in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring in between, until smooth. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until hardened.

Storage and Leftovers:

Due to the caramel, Homemade Chocolate Turtles can be pretty sticky so it is important to store them so they don’t stick to each other. It’s easy to do this by placing them in a tupper ware container in layers, separated by wax paper. You can keep them in the refrigerator or on the counter. They will keep for several days.

Recipe FAQ:

Looking for more holiday treats that also make great food gifts? Check these out:

Double Chocolate Mint Fudge is minty, chocolatey and decadent.

3 Ingredient Chocolate Fudge is a family recipe we’ve been making for generations!

Christmas Popcorn white chocolate, cinnamon candies and sprinkles will be your new favorite holiday treat.

Candied Pecans are an easy sweet and salty snack!