Easy Homemade Turtles Candy Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Want to make homemade turtles candy, but don't want to spend the time arranging them into the turtle shape? Then you should try my 3 ingredient easy homemade turtles recipe with Kraft caramels using a muffin tin!

Homemade turtles candy topped with peans piled on a plate

I love turtles.

I mean, I love homemade turtles candy. I'm not talking about turtles the animal. Although, I do really love turtles the animal, too. But we're not making little sea creatures in this post.

Turtles candies are made with pecans, caramel and chocolate, and they're arranged in a shape resembling a turtle.

They're delicious and completely adorable, but sometimes the idea of arranging all the pecan halves and getting everything in the right position just sounds like a heck of a lot of work.

Stack of homemade turtle candy topped with chocolate and pecans

Easy homemade turtles with a muffin tin

If you'd prefer to chuck some stuff in a muffin tin while you do other stuff (productive or otherwise – like binging a new TV show), then this is the recipe for you.

To be fair, it's a little more involved than that – but not by much!

P.S.: If you do want to make the adorable version, check out my friend Amy's turtle recipe over at House of Nash Eats!

Ingredients for chocolate pecan turtles candy clusters

Pecans – I like to use raw, unsalted pecan halves, but you can use whatever you'd like. If you'd like to toast the pecans before using them in this recipe, it adds a wonderful flavor and aroma!
Caramels – Grab a bag of Kraft caramels and call it a day. We're not making homemade caramel sauce for this one.
Chocolate – You can use either chocolate candy melts/wafers, chopped chocolate, or chocolate chips.

Muffin pin filled with cupcake liners filled with pecan pieces

Muffin pin filled with cupcake liners filled with pecan pieces and warm caramel squares being pressed down with a yellow spatula

How to make homemade turtles candy cups

Preheat oven to 300°F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Place pecan pieces in an even layer on the bottom of each muffin cup so they're all touching and covering the bottom of the muffin cup.
Place an unwrapped caramel square on top of the pecans in the center.
Pro tip: Make sure that there's a pecan half that is bottom up in the middle that you can place the caramel square on to hold it up evenly.

Muffin pin filled with cupcake liners filled with pecan pieces and melted soft caramels

Melted chocolate being drizzled onto muffin lines filled with pecans and caramel

Place the muffin tin in the oven for 10 minutes.
While it's in the oven, using a small saucepan or the microwave (with a microwave safe bowl), melt your chocolate until smooth. If using a saucepan, stir frequently over low heat until just melted and smooth. If using a microwave, heat in 15-20 second increments, stirring in between each until just melted and smooth.
As soon as the muffin tin comes out of the oven, spray the back of a spoon or silicone spatula with nonstick spray and carefully press the top of the caramel so that it spreads out across the pecans.

Melted chocolate being smoothed out in a muffin tin

Muffin pin filled with cupcake liners filled with homemade turtle candy and topped with chocolate and pecan pieces

Pour about 1 Tablespoon's worth of chocolate on top of each cluster, smoothing it with the back of the measuring spoon.
Top with a sprinkle of flake salt or a pecan half for garnish, if desired. Let cool and set completely before serving. Enjoy!

FAQs

What kind of chocolate should I use?

You can use milk chocolate (the sweetest), semisweet chocolate (middle of the road sweetness), or dark chocolate (least sweet). Whatever kind of chocolate you like best!

How should I store my turtles candy?

You can store turtles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You'll just want to let them sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to let the chocolate soften a bit before you dig in.

Can I store turtles candy at room temperature?

You can store turtles at room temperature for 4-5 days in an airtight container. But be aware that the type of chocolate you use will determine if the chocolate “blooms” or not if it's too warm. That's when you notice a gray or white hue to the chocolate itself. It's not harmful, just not terribly visually appealing. Chocolate melts/wafers won't bloom at room temperature, but melted chocolate chips could.

Homemade turtle candy with a bike taken out showing the caramel filling

More Chocolate Snacks

Chocolate pomegranate clusters are a delightful, juice snack
If you can get your hands on fresh figs, chocolate-covered figs are another winner
Try some easy peppermint bark for a festive crunch
Chocolate peanut clusters are another easy, crunchy snack

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