Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (2024)

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This Homemade Turtles Recipe gives you the most rich and delicious candy with only 4 ingredients! Lightly toasted pecans covered in a rich caramel and topped with melted chocolate. Perfect for giving and deliciously simple to make.

Searching for more quick candy ideas? Try my Salted Caramels, Homemade Lollipops, and White Chocolate Pretzels!

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (1)

Recipe Features

  • 4 Ingredient Recipe: This recipe only uses FOUR ingredients and is ready in minutes.
  • Perfect for Beginners: This is a no-fail recipe which means it is the perfect starting point for novice candy makers.
  • Edible Gift Idea: Package these sweet treats up for an impressive homemade gift!

My granma was OBSESSED with chocolate turtles. She always had a stash stored away somewhere and would bring them out to share wenever I visited. The combination of chocolate, caramel and nuts is irrisistible. In fact, I’ve used the combination in several of my favorite desserts and cannot get enough of it!

But by far, these easy turtles are the winner. SO easy to make and quite possibly my favorite homemade candy to date. The lightly toasted nuts give a base for the chewy caramel, and the chocolate melts in your mouth. What more could you need?

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (2)

Turtles Recipe Ingredients

Most of my recipes are super easy to make, use minimal ingredients, AND pack a big punch in the flavor department. These are no exception. For a full list of ingredients and measurements see the recipe card below.

  • Pecans– For this recipe you will need to be sure to use lightly toasted pecans. We like to use whole or roughly chopped.
  • Caramel Ice Cream Topping– You can find this next to the ice creams in most grocery stores. If you can find the ticker topping it works best, OR you can make your own caramel sauce.
  • Chocolate Chips– You can use either milk chocolate or semi sweet. Our preference is milk chocolate for this specific combination of flavor.
  • Shortening– Do not substitute this with butter. Shortening is used to slightly thin the chocolate chips and help coat the candies easier.

How To Make Turtle Candy

  1. PREP: Line a work surface with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pecans, if they haven’t been toasted already, by tossing in melted butter and baking for 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
  2. MIX: Stir the toasted and cooled pecans with the caramel topping.
  3. CHILL: Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto the parchment paper and refrigerate until solid, about 1 to 2 hours.
  4. MELT: Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a heatproof, or glass, dish. Microwave until melted, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds to make sure it doesn’t burn.
  5. DRIZZLE: Spoon or drizzle over the pecan clusters. Allow to set and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

  • These are messy to make. Line your work space with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
  • We used a thicker ice cream topping. Make sure that you are picky when you are cruising the aisle deciding on your flavor. The thinner syrups will not work well.
  • Do not skip toasting the nuts. Toasting is easy. Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread your pecans in a single layer, and bake at 350 degrees for around 7-10 minutes or until fragrant.

How To Toast Pecans

  1. These are messy to make. Line your work space with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
  2. We used a thicker ice cream topping. Make sure that you are picky when you are cruising the aisle deciding on your flavor. The thinner syrups will not work well.
  3. Do not skip toasting the nuts. Toasting is easy. Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread your pecans in a single layer, and bake at 350 degrees for around 7-10 minutes or until fragrant.

More Must Try Caramel Recipes

  • Salted Caramels
  • Easy Caramel Cheesecake Bars
  • Salted Caramel Frosting
  • Best Caramel Corn

More Must Try Candy Recipes

  • Muddy Buddies
  • Peppermint Patties
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
  • White Chocolate Pretzels
  • Cherry Lollipops

Still Hungry? Follow One Sweet Appetite onInstagram,Pinterest, andFacebook!

4.62 from 26 votes

Homemade Turtles

Created by: Jesseca


Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

24

This Homemade Turtles Recipe gives you the most rich and delicious candy with only 4 ingredients! Lightly toasted pecans covered in a rich caramel and topped with melted chocolate. Perfect for giving and deliciously simple to make.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecans toasted
  • ¼ cup caramel ice cream topping the thicker kind
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon shortening

Instructions

  • Stir together the pecans with the ice cream topping. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto wax paper. Refrigerate until solid.

  • Melt together the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds. Spoon over your pecan clusters.

Notes

How to toast pecans:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toss pecans in a small amount of oil (we really like coconut oil) and salt if desired. Spread onto the prepared tray in an even layer.
  3. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Servings | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 34mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Mary E. Timman says

    I made them today and they are delicious. Today I used Carmel Sauce for Ice Cream, which does not set, but they still were delicious. I am going to use apple dip for apples, that is much thicker and spoon the carmel over the nuts, then spoon the chocolate on top and I’m sure they will turn out very nicely. Thanks for recipe.

    Reply

    • Jesseca says

      Oh, that is a great idea Mary!

      Reply

  2. Vickie H. says

    I made these using Hershey’s caramel ice cream topping, but the caramel is not hardening (it’s been 3-4 hours). What can I do? If I melt more chocolate chips and snoop it on more parchment paper, then put the chilled turtle on top, refrigerate – would that work do you think? (So, that it can be held without carmarel running.)

    Reply

    • Jesseca says

      Hi Vickie, these will be a little softer. I would definitely try dipping and chilling. In fact, I’m going to try that tomorrow. I think it’s a great tip.

      Reply

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (2024)

FAQs

What is Turtles candy made of? ›

Turtles are a candy made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate, with a shape resembling a turtle. The name is trademarked by DeMet's Candy Company.

What is inside the Candy Turtles original? ›

It's no surprise that Turtles® clusters have been popular for more than 100 years. The original caramel nut cluster filled with crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and luscious chocolate was just the beginning.

Why are turtle desserts called turtle? ›

This cheesecake, using caramel, chocolate, and nuts, is named after Turtles, a confection developed in the United States by Johnson's Candy Company in 1918, so named because the shape of the treat resembles a turtle.

What is in turtle flavor? ›

A Culver's Classic! We begin with creamy Vanilla Fresh Frozen Custard and swirl in ribbons of old fashioned salted caramel, novelty chocolate, and toasted pecan pieces.

Who made the original turtle candy? ›

Turtle Time

It was in 1916 in the windy city of Chicago that George DeMet brought the Turtle to life. Back then it only came in one variety, which was caramel, pecans, and chocolate.

Is turtle healthy to eat? ›

"Turtle meat has a lot of protein but very little fat and almost no carbohydrates," she says. It is also a source of several micronutrients - including selenium, vitamin B12, iron, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin and zinc.

What nuts are in a turtle? ›

Our easy Homemade Turtles are made with chewy caramel, toasted pecans, and rich chocolate for one of the BEST Christmas candy recipes that you really can (and should!)

Are Pixies and turtles the same? ›

Fannie May describes their Pixies as, “smooth, buttery caramel and fresh pecans drenched in luscious rich chocolate.” Demet's describes their turtles clusters as “bursting with crunchy pecans, creamy caramel, and all wrapped up in luscious chocolate.” There are some slight variations in the chocolate each company uses ...

Why is it called turtle flavor? ›

The turtle pie got its name due to the caramel, chocolate and pecans that are used to top the pies, which are said to have a similarity in flavor to that of DeMet's Turtles, which use similar ingredients. The pie usually has a cookie crumb crust and is often made with a custard, mousse or a cheesecake filling.

What is the tastiest turtle? ›

The green sea turtle has always been considered the best tasting.

Why do Chinese restaurants have turtles? ›

Soft-shell steamed turtles are a delicacy in the Jiangsu Province in China, according to the restaurant owner. The meat and the skin of the turtle are also sometimes used for turtle soup — a dish popular around the world.

Why is it called turtle cheesecake? ›

Turtle candies are a sweet confection developed in the early 1900s as a combination of whole pecans topped with caramel and dipped in chocolate. The shape looked like a turtle, so the name stuck. Today, any dessert with this signature pecan, caramel, and chocolate flavor combination is often referred to as "turtle."

What is another name for turtle candy? ›

Whether you call them chocolate turtles or bear claws, these decadent treats that combine chocolate, caramel, and pecans have delighted people of all ages for decades.

Who owns turtles candy? ›

DeMet's started in 1898 as a candy store business and soda fountain shop by George DeMet of Chicago — subsequently creating Turtles candies in 1966. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, DeMet's was purchased by Nestlé in 1988.

What is turtle flavor at Dunkin Donuts? ›

If not, you obviously never had Dunkin' Turtle Love® artificially flavored coffee in your mug. Swirling with notes of creamy caramel, buttery pecan and smooth dark chocolate flavors, Turtle Love® flavored coffee is a dark roast that will have you head over heels at first sip.

What are the ingredients in turtles bites? ›

Ingredients. Sugar, Pecans, Unsweetened Chocolate, Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Skim Milk Powder, Cocoa Butter, Invert Syrup, Butter Oil (Milk), Salt, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Sodium Caseinate (Milk), Artificial Flavor, Natural Flavor, Natural & Artificial Flavor.

What does turtle flavor taste like? ›

He said, "Turtle has the advantage of having an incredible meaty, beefy flavor with an extremely unique texture... think alligator or squid."

Where does turtle flavor come from? ›

The turtle pie got its name due to the caramel, chocolate and pecans that are used to top the pies, which are said to have a similarity in flavor to that of DeMet's Turtles, which use similar ingredients.

What are turtle eggs made of? ›

Typically loggerhead turtle eggs (Caretta caretta) are medium-sized (4.0 cm in diameter, 36 g)2, spherical eggs, composed of a flexible aragonite shell, a shell membrane, albumen, vitelline membrane, and the embryonic disk2,3,4.

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