Turtle Candy
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Turtle candy is the perfect sweet treat to make during the holiday to give as gifts, or as part of a dessert buffet. Lightly toasted pecans are covered with soft caramel and chocolate then sprinkled with finely chopped pecans or sea salt.
Caramel Pecan Turtles are one of my favorite candies! I mean, what’s not to love about caramel, chocolate and nuts? The best part is how easy they are to make. Toast some pecans, add a caramel candy and top with melted chocolate. (This post was originally published on August 18th, 2011. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.)
I started adding sea salt a few years ago when the “salted caramel” craze took hold. Sometimes I’ll top them with chopped nuts too. I clipped this recipe out of the Pasadena Star News at least a decade ago, and have been making them for the holidays ever since.
How to make turtle candy
Line a baking pan with a silpat or parchment paper. Arrange pecans in groups of 3. Lightly toast pecans. Top each cluster with an unwrapped caramel. Soften in the oven for just a few minutes.
Arrange pecans in groups of 3. Top each cluster with a caramel candy. Lightly press down caramel.
Top with melted chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt or chopped nuts.
Turtle candy is easy enough for the kids to help make.
Looking for more edible gifts, what about Chocolate Truffles or Peppermint Bark Cups?
Sea Salt Caramel Pecan Turtles
Ingredients
- 72 pecan halves
- 24 caramel candies unwrapped
- 6 ounces chocolate chips dark chocolate or semi-sweet
- 1/8 cup pecans finely chopped (optional)
- sea salt flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment or silpat, on a cookie sheet. Lightly toast pecans for 2-3 minutes.
- For each candy, place 3 pecan halves in a "Y" shape on the foil.
- Place on caramel over the center of each cluster of pecans. Bake about 6-7 minutes, just until the caramel melts. The caramels might still appear un-melted, press them gently with the back of a spatula to flatten slightly. Cool 2-3 minutes.
- Melt chocolate chips over a very low heat (or use a double boiler), stirring. Spoon chocolate over the candies, leaving just the tips of the pecans uncovered. Sprinkle with additional nuts or sea salt flakes. Chill until chocolate firms, about 10 minutes. Makes 24 turtle candies.
Notes
- The fresher the caramels, the more easily they will melt.
- flatten the caramels slightly to help them melt more easily.
- top turtle candy with sea salt flakes or finely chopped pecans.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
I made these for my family Christmas. They went over well, but were a little harder than I would like. Is there a way to make them a little softer and creamier? Would not putting them in the fridge after making help?
I love how simple they are, and want this to be a Christmas tradition!
Thank you!
Cheryl
You just want to chill them until the chocolate loses its sheen….just a few minutes. You can keep them on the counter, but it will just take longer.
Thanks
Dear Cynthia, I make these pecan turtles every year, and they are so lovely and make the perfect gift. And not too hard or involved either. Yours look mouthwatering. Loved the salt lesson. Jon brought me back a big bag of pink Himalayan salt from his missions trip to Nepal last year. He paid something like fifty cents for it. Crazy, huh? And it’s the real deal. Have a beautiful day!
These look so delicious, and I love the addition of the sea salt!
YESS! So stoked about the salt! 🙂
The salt on top is my favorite part. Love the salt and sweet combo
will be making these this weekend and adding to my cookie dishes for neighbours….
I think I used to bring these to school!