Homemade Turtle Candy . . . these decadent little clusters are a perfect combination of crunchy and chewy all rolled into one amazing candy. A simple homemade caramel makes this recipe the best!
Turtles have always been one of my favorite candies. The crunchy pecans, the chewy caramel, the melt in your mouth chocolate. Simply incredible. I don’t know why I never thought to make a homemade version before now.
Guys, this homemade turtle candy is amazing. Way better than any store bought turtles I’ve ever tried!
HOW TO MAKE TURTLE CANDY
Don’t be intimidated about the candy making process, these turtles are really quite simple to make. You start by toasting your pecans. Toasting makes a huge difference in the flavor of the finished product, so don’t skip this step. Just place your pecans on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. They will smell amazing!
Arrange the pecans in clusters of 3-4 on baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats. If you don’t have them, you can use waxed or parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray.
As soon as your caramel is ready, immediately spoon the hot caramel on top of the clusters, making sure each pecan is covered with some caramel. Don’t worry about perfection, just work fast. If the caramel starts to set up, you can pop it back on the stove for a minute or two.
You can wait for the caramel to set up, or just add the chocolate now. Just melt the chocolate and oil in a small glass bowl in the microwave at half power, stirring often. Then spoon a small amount of chocolate on top of each turtle. Use the back of your spoon to make a little swirl in the chocolate as you lift it.
The hardest part about homemade turtle candy is waiting for the chocolate to set up. Be patient, it can take awhile. Mine weren’t totally set up for a couple of hours. Of course, you don’t have to wait that long to eat one! 🙂
You can tell they are set up when the chocolate loses its shiny luster.
Now you can go ahead and dive right in. Mmmmm.
For more treats perfect for the holidays, checkthese out:
Homemade Turtles Candy recipe - Baked pecans covered in a delicious homemade caramel and topped with with melted chocolate! These treats make perfect neighbor gifts for the holidays!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups whole pecans
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
Dash of salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk (half of a 14oz can)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)
1/2 tsp vegetable oil or shortening
Instructions
Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes or till lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. Arrange in clusters of 3-4 on silicone liners or parchment paper.
Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 6 quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
Continue cooking and stirring till mixture reaches 235-240 degrees. I like to use the ice water test, it's more accurate. Drop a small spoonful of the hot caramel into a bowl of ice water. When you take it out, you should be able to roll it into a ball. Then it's done.
Quickly spoon the caramel over the pecan clusters, making sure caramel is touching each of the pecans. Let sit to harden.
Melt the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave at half power, stirring often till smooth. Spoon chocolate on top of each layer of caramel. Let sit for 1-2 hours, or till hardened.
Leave a comment below and pin the recipe to Pinterest!
This turtle recipe is perfect for holiday gift giving, but seriously, homemade turtle candy with pecans and caramel is going to be well received any time of year!
1916. With an unforgettable shape and unique ingredients, Chicago candy maker, George DeMet struck gold with Turtles® caramel nut clusters in 1916. DeMet's Madison Street candy shop took the chocolate industry by storm by revolutionizing the classic sweet treat of chocolate-dipped-pecans.
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