Chocolate Turtle Pecan Clusters are a hit any time of the year, especially during the Holiday season and Valentine’s Day. No one will ever know how easy they are to make with only 5 ingredients. Creamy caramel, smooth rich chocolate, and toasty pecans combine for a mouth-watering decadent treat, also known as Chocolate Bear Claw Candy.
My childhood memories include my daddy buying my mom chocolate turtle clusters, especially during the Holidays. It’s always been one of her favorite sweet treats, and I know she’s not the only one to love this delectable bite of sweet and savory goodness. It’s one of my favorites,, too, especially when they are homemade with big crunchy pecans. This homemade candy recipe is a far superior take on the store-bought pecan caramel cluster we all love. Homemade turtles are so simple to make and a lot of fun to include in your gift giving at any holiday!
What is a turtle pecan cluster?
It’s a delicious candy that starts with crunchy pecan halves and then is topped with melted pecans and chocolate. Because all the ingredients are staked on each other, like a turtle shell, they are most commonly known as turtle pecan clusters. Other names include Bear Claws, Pecan Turtle candy, pecan delights, pecan caramel clusters, and a host of different combinations.
What You’ll Need to make chocolate turtle pecan clusters
Caramels – We’re keeping the recipe simple by using premade caramels. The caramel melt will add a perfectly chewy element to our treat!
Milk – You will use a bit of milk to help the caramels melt smoothly.
Pecan halves – Pecans are the base of this candy and add a perfectly nutty, savory flavor and crunch to every bite!
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips for a mildly sweet chocolate over this nut cluster.
Salt – Topping each candy with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt is a must, in my opinion! It isn’t essential to the recipe itself, but it certainly adds complexity and brings out the nuanced flavors of the candy.
How to Make the turtle Pecan Clusters
Step 1: Melt your unwrapped caramels with milk in a medium sauce pan and stir over medium-low heat until the caramel is melted and smooth.
Step 2: Once melted, place a dollop of caramel over each cluster of pecans on a large cookie sheet.
TIP: Let the caramel you’ve dolloped on the pecans set for about ten minutes.
Step 3: Next, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Once completely melted, use a spoon to dip each cluster into the milk chocolate until completely drenched.
Step 4: Place the turtle pecan cluster back on the parchment paper and sprinkle it with coarse salt. Repeat for each turtle pecan bite.
Step 5: Finally, place the clusters in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. Once the chocolate hardens, place your goodies on a festive tray or box them up to gift to your friends and family!
Recipe notes and helpful tips
Make sure the candies are set and hardened completely before removing the turtles from the parchment paper. If you find the caramel is sticking to the paper, you can place the clusters in the freezer for 15 minutes; then, you should be able to remove them more easily. If you do not have parchment paper, you can spray the baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Can I Use Other Types Of Chocolate?
Yes! Since semisweet chocolate typically contains around 50% of the sugar in milk chocolate, milk chocolate chips would offer a much sweeter treat. If bittersweet dark chocolate is your preference or simply what you have on hand, that would also work! You could also melt chopped baking chocolate for this recipe.
Best Ways to Melt Chocolate:
To melt the chocolate, use a microwave-safe bowl. Cook and stir in 30-second intervals until the chocolate, is completely melted. You can also melt chocolate chips with butter or coconut oil to provide a nice shine to the chocolate when it hardens.
Ingredients
- 20 caramels
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and make 12 pecan clusters by placing 3 to 5 pecan halves together in clusters on the baking sheet.
- Melt caramels with the milk in a medium saucepan on medium to low heat. Monitor and stir until caramels are melted completely and smoothly.
- Once melted, place a generous dollop of caramel over each cluster of pecans on the cookie sheet.
- Let the caramel cluster set for 10 minutes.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30- second intervals. Stir at each 30-second interval until the chocolate chips are completely melted.
- Use a spoon to dip each cluster into the melted chocolate until it is completely coated.
- Place each cluster back on the parchment paper and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt.
- Repeat with for every cluster and then place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the chocolate is hardened.
- Once hardened, you can serve or store your chocolate turtle pecan clusters or package them to give away! Otherwise, store in an airtight sealed container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.