Delicious Homemade Chocolate Turtles Candy Recipe

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Who doesn't love chocolate turtles? This homemade chocolate turtles candy recipe is the perfect treat for any chocolate lover. Each turtle is handmade and filled with a creamy caramel center, and covered in rich milk chocolate. They're the perfect size for snacking and make a great gift for loved ones.

stack of chocolate turtle candy on white square plate with pink striped napkin in background

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Homemade Chocolate Turtles Candy
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Homemade Chocolate Turtles
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Chocolate Recipes
📖 Recipe

Homemade Chocolate Turtles Candy

This recipe for homemade chocolate turtle candy is perfect for any chocolate lover out there. It’s simple, straightforward, and yields the most delicious turtles you will ever taste. Serve them at your next party or gathering and watch them disappear in minutes! You will feel like a rockstar and everyone will praise your skill in the kitchen while you know it's super easy to make.

These are great for any occasion, but especially as the perfect holiday treat. While I love eating these candies all year long, they are a holiday classic. If you like to give homemade treats as a gift, you will love this recipe.

It makes a large batch and comes together so easily, that you can make homemade turtle candy for everyone on your list, in no time. This goes great alongside the triple chocolate brownies for a fun chocolate gift basket gift.

individual turtle candies on parchment paper on white plate

Ingredients

3 cups walnut halves
½ cup unsalted butter
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups milk chocolate
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Handy Kitchen Tools

stack of turtle candy on white plate with cherries

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Turtles

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Spread the walnuts onto the prepared baking sheet, then toast them for 10 minutes. Once toasted, set them aside to cool.

walnuts on parchment paper lined baking sheet

When the walnuts are cooled, on the same baking sheet, create "turtle" shapes with them using 4 whole walnuts and one-half piece so you have two legs on each side and the smaller piece on one end as a head to the turtle. Set these aside.

walnuts being formed into turtle shapes on parchmentp aper

Next, to a saucepan or skillet, add the packed brown sugar, corn syrup, and unsalted butter. Bring this to a boil, stirring it regularly, over medium heat. It will be bubbling and browned nicely.

caramel mixture in skillet being stirred by teal spoon

Once the mixture is boiling nicely, add in the vanilla extract, the salt, and the sweetened condensed milk. Stir this well until combined.

condensed milk being poured into skillet with caramel

Continue cooking this, stirring regularly, until the mixture begins to thicken and a candy thermometer reads240°F/115°C.

When the caramel reaches temperature and is thickened, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.

After the caramel has cooled, spoon it over the turtle walnut pieces you created earlier. I used a little less than 1 tablespoon per turtle. Make sure to just spoon on the center and let it drip down, but not cover the entire pieces of walnuts.

spoon of caramel over the top of walnuts

Once all have been coated mostly, set them aside to harden or put them into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Now, add the chocolate and shortening (or coconut oil), into a bowl above boiling water, and melt it together, stirring regularly and being careful not to burn the chocolate.

Once the chocolate has melted, spread a spoon of chocolate over each of the caramel and nut clusters. Coat the top, but still, leave the edges of the walnuts showing on all sides.

spoon of chocolate going on top of caramel on walnuts on parchmentp aper lined baking sheet

Allow the chocolate to harden completely before removing the turtles from the baking sheet and placing them in an airtight container until ready to eat.

individual turtle candies on parchment paper stacked in black bowl

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use a Ready-Made Caramel Instead?

Absolutely. I like making my own caramel because I get to make it exactly how I like it. Plus it is cheaper. However, sometimes I just don't have time to make my own. In those cases, I will use ready-made caramel candies for this. Some people even choose another caramel candy like the Rolo as a two-for-one option on top of the walnuts.

Aren’t These Typically Made with Pecans?

Typically people use pecans to make homemade chocolate turtle candy. And you certainly can too. Pecans and walnuts are often interchangeable in recipes.

I love the extra flavor that comes with the walnuts. I really think you should give this candy a try using the walnuts, but you can certainly swap it for pecans, cashews, almonds, or even brazil nuts if you wanted. The choice is totally yours in this case.

Should I Use Salted or Unsalted Walnuts?

I love to use salted walnuts. I love the saltiness from the walnuts against the richness of the chocolate and caramel. However, if you would rather have control over the salt in the recipe, use unsalted and add in your own pinches of salt as desired. Sometimes people will also sprinkle sea salt on top of the candy for an added bit of flavor to accent the sweetness.

Can I Make These with Dark or White Chocolate Instead?

You can absolutely add in dark or white chocolate for the homemade turtle candy. Using dark chocolate will change the turtle candy slightly, since the flavor profile of dark chocolate is a bit more bitter than milk chocolate.

White chocolate, since the flavor is different from regular chocolate, is going to be a delicious twist to the homemade chocolate turtle candy. You could even simply cover it with milk chocolate and then drizzle it with a bit of melted white chocolate for a fun combination.

How Long Are Homemade Turtle Candies Good For?

The great thing about making homemade turtle candies for yourself, is that they last for a while. When you store them in an airtight container, the candy will last for about 2 weeks. You can store them at room temperature, but if your house tends to be hot, you might want to keep them in the refrigerator.

More Easy Chocolate Recipes

Everyone loves chocolate, and adding chocolate to your snacking menu is a must in my opinion. So, whether you make these chocolate turtle candies or something from the list below, you are sure to love the deliciousness of these flavors. Make sure that you bookmark these, print the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest to make them soon.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 18

Delicious Homemade Chocolate Turtles Candy Recipe

This homemade chocolate turtles candy recipe is super fast and easy and ideal for sharing. You'll love the combination of sweet and savory!

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups walnut halves
½ cup unsalted butter
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups milk chocolate
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the walnuts onto the baking sheet, and bake them for 10 minutes to toast, then remove and set them aside.
Once the walnuts have cooled, created bunches with four halves, two on each side, and a smaller piece on one side. The idea is to make it look somewhat like a turtle. Then set this aside.
Now, to a medium skillet or saucepan, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter and bring to a boil, stirring regularly, over medium heat.
Once the mixture is boiling, add in the vanilla extract, salt, and sweetened condensed milk.
Stir to combine and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until it begins to thicken and a candy thermometer reads 240°F/115°C. Once it reaches temperature, remove it from heat and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Once the caramel has cooled and thickened, spoon about ¾ tablespoon over each bunch of walnuts on the baking sheet. Set this aside to allow the caramel to harden, or place it into the freezer for 15-minutes.
Once the caramel has hardened, melt the chocolate with the vegetable shortening until just melted.
Spoon the chocolate over each cluster of nuts and caramel, coating the top but leaving the sides of the pecans uncovered.
Set this aside to harden, or refrigerate until hardened, before serving.
Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.