Make the classic Turtles candy in your kitchen with just a few simple ingredients and in a few minutes! Toasted pecans are covered with delicious caramel and topped with chocolate to create an easy, irresistible holiday or any-time dessert!
Childhood holiday memories are saturated with sugary sweets in my mind. At Christmas-time, my mom always filled our home with goodies. I remember those striped hard candies that sat on our coffee table. I remember exactly how they felt in my fingers and exactly how they tasted.
I also remember the boxes of Turtles candies that I swooned over. The pecans held the irresistible gooey caramel and chocolate together to create a cute little turtle-looking candy that was IMPOSSIBLE to resist. I indulged mannnnny a-time over these yummy candies. Is there anything better than chocolate, pecans and caramel all in a single bite?
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TURTLES CANDY
If you love the iconic candy as much as I do, I have great news for you! They are super easy to make in your very own kitchen, using just a few ingredients and with minimal effort.
STEP 1 – TOASTING THE PECANS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pecan halves in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Line 2 baking sheets with wax or parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place pecans in clusters of four on the prepared baking sheets.
STEP 2 – MELTING THE CARAMELS
In a small saucepan, heat the caramel bits and milk (or water) over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of caramel over the top center of each pecan cluster. Place baking sheets in the refrigerator.
STEP 3 – MELTING THE CHOCOLATE
Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and creamy.
Remove baking sheets from the fridge and spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate over the top centers of the caramel. Return baking sheets to the fridge for 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
RECIPE NOTES
Caramel bits are the way to go for this recipe! If you can find them in the store, definitely go this route. I love that you don’t have to individually unwrap a bunch of caramel candies for baking anymore.
Sprinkle sea salt over the tops for an extra hit of salty!
Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate depending on your personal taste.
Although you really could skip toasting the pecans to save time, using crunchy pecans for this candy adds a unique touch of delicious.
OTHER DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS CANDY RECIPES
Ahh my favorite topic! Christmas treats! The good thing about Christmas goodies is that you don’t have to get too fancy to please people. Oreo Balls are a great example, requiring only 3 ingredients and tasting like Christmas heaven. Salted Maple Bourbon Caramels are a unique and yummy way to enjoy homemade caramels. Have you ever imagined that you can make your very own Butterfinger Candy Bar Bites? It’s true and sooo soo yummy. The homemade candy that blew my mind but that turned out really well was Old-Fashioned Gumdrops. I know! Yum!
BEST DESSERTS TO WOW YOUR GUESTS WITH DURING THE HOLIDAYS
Delicious Double Chocolate Pecan Pie – A pie so rich and delicious it will keep you coming back for more!
Easy Apple Pie Bars are the EASY version of Apple Pie! The beauty of this dessert is that they fit into your fingers, no fork required and the filling is homemade with your freshly picked apples. These taste even better than the original and they’re much easier to make. Delicious!
The Best Carrot Cake – This is the best carrot cake recipe you’ll find. It is moist, flavorful, perfectly spiced and topped with an irresistible cream cheese frosting that will knock your socks off. Making carrot cake from scratch is EASY and you cannot mess it up with step-by-step instructions, as well as an instructional video!
Coconut Cream Pie is a classic, dreamy dessert that will WOW guests at any gathering. A creamy filling is topped with homemade whipped cream and perfectly toasted coconut flakes!
Chocolate Espresso Layer Cake with Ganache Frosting – This decadent Chocolate Espresso Cake defines rich chocolate indulgence! Three layers of espresso-infused chocolate cake are sealed together with creamy Chocolate Ganache Frosting and drizzled with a smooth, drippy ganache for good measure.
Pecan Pie Bars – Introducing you to Pecan Pie with a fraction of the effort! Pecan Pie Bars are a hit at Thanksgiving gatherings or any other time of the year!
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars – Enjoy this fresh tasty dessert on a lovely summer afternoon!
Homemade Turtles Candy
Ingredients
- 3 cups pecans
- 11 oz. package caramel bits + 2 tablespoons milk or water
- 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool. Line 2 baking sheets with wax or parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place pecans in clusters of four on the prepared baking sheets.
- In a small saucepan, heat the caramel bits and milk (or water) over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of caramel over the top center of each pecan cluster. Place baking sheets in the refrigerator.
- Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and creamy. Remove baking sheets from the fridge and spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate over the top centers of the caramel. Return baking sheets to the fridge for 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
Notes
Sprinkle sea salt over the tops for an extra hit of salty!
Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate depending on your personal taste.
Although you really could skip toasting the pecans to save time, using crunchy pecans for this candy adds a unique touch of delicious.
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