Home DessertCandy Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters

Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters

by Jamie

I have always wanted to make Turtle Clusters.

Not because I have a fascination with real live turtles and think it would be fun to nibble on one. I’ve actually NEVER wanted to do that. Thank you so much for asking. You are always so considerate. 🙂

I’ve wanted to make Turtle Clusters because the flavors of chewy homemade caramel, crisp pecans and heavenly chocolate all combined into one blissful candy is just a bite of heaven right here on earth, that’s why. Heaven. On. Earth. Is what I am saying here, folks. Whoever came up with the combination should be kissed on both cheeks, high-fived with both hands and given 50 thumbs up.

You’ll have to help me out with the thumbs, guys. The last time I checked I only had two.

If you hate caramel, pecans and chocolate…please do not give 50 thumbs up, just disregard this post. No hard feelings. See you tomorrow for a chocolate free recipe. 🙂

As for you fellow turtle lovers, let me show you how easy they are to make!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL AND PECAN TURTLE CLUSTERS
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PRINT RECIPE WITH PICTURE

Time: 40 min hands on + 20 min to cool and set
Yield: about 40 clusters

***NOTE: I used my homemade caramel recipe for these clusters. I only made half a batch of caramel, as the ingredients below indicate. I’ve got to think about my health you know. Consuming 80 Turtle Clusters could kill a person. Dead. Dead as a door nail! However, if are making Turtle Clusters for the masses please feel free to double this recipe. It will turn out very well.***

2 1/2 C pecans
1/2 C butter (I use salted)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C light corn syrup
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a 14 ounce can)
1/2 t vanilla
1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
1/2 t shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)

1. Toss 2 1/2 cups of pecans into a large skillet. Toast them over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until they have darkened just a bit and smell fragrant and wonderful. Should only take a few minutes.

2. Find yourself 2 large cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. Arrange your pecans into clusters, three to a group works well. You want to leave some space (about an inch) between each cluster.
3. Make your caramel (full tutorial with pictures found here). Place 1/2 C butter into a medium-sized sauce pan. Melt it over medium high heat. Add  1 C brown sugar, 1/2 C light corn syrup and 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk to the pan. Increase the heat just a bit and stir it continually. Cook and stir until it reaches 235-240 degrees. I generally remove it from the heat when it reaches about 234 degrees. It will continue to rise in temperature just a bit even without the direct heat, making the caramel just the right texture.
4. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

5. Carefully drizzle about 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel over each nut cluster. You’ll want to work quickly, as the caramel will begin to set up. Be sure there is caramel touching all of the nuts in your cluster. The caramel works like glue, sticking the nuts together.

6. In a microwave safe bowl pour 12 ounces of milk chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval.
7. Add 1/2 teaspoon of shortening to the melted chocolate. Allow it to sit for a minute or two (so it can melt and make the chocolate chips more spreadable). Stir it all together.

8. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over the top of the caramel and nuts. Swirl it around along the top making a pretty swoop with your spoon.
9. Allow the chocolate to set up. Once it has hardened and cooled you can serve them immediately, or transfer them to an air tight container.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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207 comments

Sue Santore December 5, 2012 - 10:17 am

Love turtles! These look easy to do.

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Lori A. December 5, 2012 - 10:54 am

Mmmmmmmmmm…….One of my favorites.

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Karen December 5, 2012 - 11:28 am

Jamie – these look soooo good. I wish the drool on my keyboard tasted as good as that caramel!

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Nancy Long December 5, 2012 - 11:51 am

hubby and I love turtles – when we lived in MD there was a wonderful candy shop at the mall that made fantastic dark chocolate ones. I will be making these soon, but w/our preferred dark chocolate

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Amy December 5, 2012 - 9:50 pm

Oh Mercy! Turtles will be my undoing…. Now I can make them!! These look wonderful!

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Melissa B December 6, 2012 - 12:06 pm

Oh my….! these look and sound so good! Pinning them to save! =)

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darlene December 7, 2012 - 4:47 am

love your blog, i found the turtle recipe on pinterst they look delicious,will try them for christmas. thank you …………..

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Bars Chocolate Caramel December 7, 2012 - 10:20 pm

[…] Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters I've wanted to make Turtle Clusters because the flavors of chewy homemade caramel, crisp pecans and heavenly chocolate all combined into one blissful candy is just a bite of heaven right here on earth, that's why. Heaven. On. Earth. Is what I am saying here, folks. Whoever came up with the combination should be kissed on both cheeks, high-fived with both hands and given 50 thumbs up. You'll have to help . Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes. resized for side bar . […]

Reply
Lila December 8, 2012 - 3:18 pm

I make these every chance i get everyone loves them especially the men when you add just a little heat.

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Marion December 12, 2012 - 2:29 pm

What is shortening? What does it do to the chicilate

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Suzanne December 16, 2012 - 10:31 am

Do these freeze okay? (Assuming I don’t wolf down all of them in one fell swoop.)

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Jamie December 16, 2012 - 5:24 pm

Suzanne,
They freeze like a dream. Just be sure to lay theym in a single layer. You don’t want to stack them on top of each other. Then be sure they come to room temperature before you serve them. The caramel will get really hard when frozen, but will soften up nicely once they have thawed. Good luck! Hope you love them.
~Jamie

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Suzanne December 16, 2012 - 9:02 pm

Thanks, Jamie. I’ll make them this week so they’ll be ready for our Christmas Eve cookie tray. I just know we’ll love ’em! Bless you for sharing this recipe.

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Elaine December 17, 2012 - 5:27 pm

I made these two days ago, and have had them on my counter, covered with plastic wrap. They are now getting little white specs on them. What causes this? AND, what can I do to make them pretty again?

By the way, they are absolutely wonderful. They are even better than the ones they sell at Disneyland!

Reply
Suzanne December 18, 2012 - 8:34 pm

Seriously, this recipe should come with a gym membership. Why, you ask? Because these little candies are so incredibly scrumptious that you won’t be able to eat only a few. OMG! These are the BEST! My dear, darlin’ husband raved about these turtles, too. Mmmmmmmm, so good. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

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Mary Ann Hart January 15, 2013 - 10:54 am

WOW! I can’t wait to try these! Thanks for your recipe. I am going to make these for my husband for Valentines day! I think he will be really impressed!

Reply
Valentines Day Recipe Roundup! January 29, 2013 - 2:31 pm

[…] being of your kitchen.  Cheesecake Bars with Strawberries   and Chocolate Ganache Pin It Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters Cherry Cheesecake in a Jar Pin It  Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies Pin It Red Velvet Cream […]

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Carole January 30, 2013 - 6:57 pm

Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is AMAZING!!! Everybody loves them!!

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Rashmi May 31, 2013 - 4:18 pm

I have fallen in love with your blog. such scruptuous recipes and step by step pictures makes it so easy to follow.
Thank you!

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Corrine June 15, 2013 - 2:13 pm

Made these Carmel Turtles today for my Dad for Father’s Day! They came out awesome! I’m sure my dad is going to love them!

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Lauren M June 15, 2013 - 6:55 pm

Absolutely delicious. I, too, made these for my father for Father’s Day. He is going to be thrilled. I made extra caramel for me. Yum. Thank you for the recipe.

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vanillasugarblog August 3, 2013 - 3:15 pm

good lord woman!
these are HEAVENLY!

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Connie October 11, 2013 - 8:37 pm

These are wonderful. I did double the recipe. Wow a lot of clusters.

Reply
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL AND PECAN TURTLE CLUSTERS | Good Stuff Only October 15, 2013 - 11:44 am

[…] For more details please visit this link were you will find instructions : jamiecooksitup.net […]

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Chocolate Caramel & Pecan Turtle Clusters | Food and Everything Else October 20, 2013 - 10:34 pm

[…] GET DIRECTIONS HERE […]

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Jodee Weiland October 29, 2013 - 1:10 pm

Love Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters! Thanks for the recipe…I needed this! You made my day!

Reply
Homemade Turtle Clusters | Into the Front Door November 3, 2013 - 7:48 am

[…] Source: https://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/12/chocolate-caramel-and-pecan-turtle-clusters/ […]

Reply
Kris November 10, 2013 - 7:21 pm

I can’t wait to try these, I am going to make them and put them in pretty containers and give them out with my Christmas gifts this year. I am going to make them ahead of time and freeze them. These are so expensive to buy, but making them will be much cheaper. Thanks.

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Jessica November 15, 2013 - 5:40 pm

I just made these and the Caramel is really hard 🙁 it’s like a hard candy. Did I overcook the caramel?
Thanks
Jessica

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Jamie November 16, 2013 - 8:51 am

Jessica,
Yes, your guess it correct. You have cooked the caramel too long. Perhaps your thermometer is faulty?
~Jamie

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Lynell November 28, 2013 - 2:52 pm

Just made these and they are delicious!!!

Reply
Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters | What2Cook December 3, 2013 - 10:04 am

[…] For full directions please visit: Jamiecooksitup.net […]

Reply
Elaine December 4, 2013 - 6:03 pm

Back in Dec. 2012 I asked the following question:
I made these two days ago, and have had them on my counter, covered with plastic wrap. They are now getting little white specs on them. What causes this? AND, what can I do to make them pretty again? (P.S. I used the Guittard milk chocolate). They ARE better than the ones we often get at Disneyland!

Reply
Jamie December 5, 2013 - 6:53 am

Elaine,
Sometimes if your chocolate changes temperature too quickly, or gets too hot it can get white spots. Also, if it comes into contact with water this can happen. Make sure you are heating it slowly, and then allowing the clusters to set up and cool at room temperature. Hope this helps, Elaine! Good luck to you. 🙂
~Jamie

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Aila December 5, 2013 - 11:05 am

If I did not make my own caramel, what do you think the best option to buy would be?

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Jamie December 6, 2013 - 6:42 am

Aila,
You can purchase Kraft Caramels, unwrap them and melt them in a sauce pan with 1 teaspoon of water over medium heat. Once they have melted you will have a nice liquid like caramel on your hands. 🙂 Good luck! Hope they turn out well for you!
~Jamie

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arcia December 8, 2013 - 2:17 pm

All it needs is a sprinkle of sea salt

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Becky Ethington December 9, 2013 - 1:55 pm

So, I made these little numbers and the caramel turned out very hard–almost hard rock stage. I followed the instructions but the caramel kept hardening as it cooled so I returned it to the stove to make it soft and workable again. I expected those last ones to be hard–I knew I was cooking the caramel too much at the end, but the ones I did first were hard too. Suggestions? I want these to work!

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Jamie December 11, 2013 - 7:34 am

Becky,
It sounds like your candy thermometer might be broken. I would suggest cooking the caramel for a shorter time. Best of luck to you.
~Jamie

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Teresa December 9, 2013 - 4:42 pm

Oh thanks for the recipe. Someone else had this posted/pinned with pics and only part or the instructions/ingredients and it made no sense. Going to try these.

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ewhatley December 9, 2013 - 6:12 pm

These look so much better than my easy ones. I put a Rolo on top of a nut and microwave it.

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Angela December 11, 2013 - 8:00 pm

Mine didn’t turn out, the caramel was still to runny 🙁

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Jamie December 12, 2013 - 6:09 am

Angela,
Next time try cooking the caramel a bit longer. Good luck!
~Jamie

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Pat wright December 12, 2013 - 1:21 pm

Yours was the only recipe that I could clearly understand regarding how to make chocolate pecan caramel clusters. Thank you so much.

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Dana December 12, 2013 - 3:50 pm

I made your caramel and turtles for my holiday cookie exchange – they turned out fantastic! I was so nervous b/c I have never made caramel before, but it was super easy per your instructions and ice water test (I didnt buy a candy thermometer). And the turtles turned out just like a candy shop’s! People ohh’ed and ahh’ed when I announced the caramel was homemade. THANK YOU for providing such an easy and fabulous recipe! Gonna make a 2nd (double) batch this wknd!

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Michele Wesdock December 19, 2013 - 4:49 pm

Oh my gosh, these are to die for. I am in a caramel-coma right now. Cooked up a giant batch for gifts and trying not to eat them all 🙂

Reply
Chocolate Caramel and Pecan Turtle Clusters by Jamie | Pie Recipes, Pie Crust, Tips & Tricks and latest Trends December 20, 2013 - 7:26 am

[…] Please look preparation method at :jamiecooksitup […]

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Sandra December 22, 2013 - 12:16 pm

Easy and very awesome. Thank u!

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Aspen Tree December 22, 2013 - 3:16 pm

For anyone thinking of making these i suggest spraying the parchment paper with cooking spray….

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April December 22, 2013 - 6:40 pm

These were the best. I did however change the chocolate. I used my grandma’s recipe that she would use to dip buckeyes in. They so reminded me of Christmas at my grandparents house. Thanks for sharing

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Melanie December 22, 2013 - 11:29 pm

Awesome recipe! Very easy to follow!

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Cheryl December 29, 2013 - 2:53 pm

Hi Jamie, I’d like to make turtles (cashew or pecan) for favors for my son’s wedding reception. Am I out of my mind to want to make 250 of these in about a week’s time? And, can I freeze them for about a week before the wedding? Thank you!

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Denise January 1, 2014 - 12:23 pm

Made these today, they were very easy and delicious! My new favorite thing to make and give. Thank you!

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Tanya January 1, 2014 - 2:11 pm

Just made these. They taste great, but my caramel is setting up. I actually measured out 7 oz of the Eagle Brand; I think it may have been too much. Or maybe it’s because it’s cloudy here today? They are good enough that we’ll eat ’em with a spoon if we have to!

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Mary January 10, 2014 - 1:25 pm

Oooooh are these goooood! This recipe takes turtles to a whole new level. (Tip: after the caramel cools a bit you can shape them into more of a round shape, tuck in stray caramel, etc.)

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Cynthia Vann January 22, 2014 - 1:31 pm

Can I melt the chocolate chips in one of the candy melting pots instead of the microwave as I need to make quite a few of these for a crowd?

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April January 22, 2014 - 2:04 pm

I used a double boiler to melt my chocolate. I got a chocolate candy pot for Christmas and totally love it. Makes it that much easier.

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Jamie January 27, 2014 - 8:20 am

Cynthia,
Yes, go ahead and use a candy melting pot. It should work out well for you. Best of luck!
~Jamie

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