How to Make Honey Turtle Candy

Learn how to make chocolate caramel turtle candy with honey right in your own kitchen. Turtle candies are one of the most popular types of chocolate snacks. Even though the ingredients have nothing to do with live turtles, people seem to remember the quirky name. Chocolate, caramel, pecans – what’s not to love? And, you don’t have to visit a candy shop for this special treat. This turtle candy recipe is simple and only requires a few ingredients.

I am a beekeeper and have access to plenty of raw honey. It is a lot of fun to find ways to use it in my cooking. One of my favorite honey recipes, is this delightful snack idea. Enjoy in moderation (due to calories) – I warn you that is hard to do.

What is Turtle Candy?

Turtle candies are a combination of pecans and caramel that are dipped in chocolate. Why are they called turtles? Well, that’s a funny story.

A chance remark by a worker in a candy shop related that the dipped candy looked like a turtle – the rest is history. Yes, sometimes it really is that simple. Today, you can purchase turtle candy in every shape and size.

Ingredients

Beyond the kitchen basics – you will need:

• pecan halves
• chocolate chips
• honey
• sweetened condensed milk

Pecan Halves

Buy ready to use pecan halves when you can. Yes, you may have a few broken ones in the bag but cracking the nuts at home can lead to even fewer complete pieces.

If you have nuts in the shell and want to crack them of course that works too. But this is a time consuming chore.

Chocolate Chips

When choosing your chocolate chips for baking, dark or milk chocolate varieties will both work well.

I often prefer dark chocolate turtle candy – but I won’t turn down a milk chocolate variety either 🙂 Baking squares work well too but I find the bagged chips easier to manage. Use whichever chocolate covering you have on hand – some fold prefer semi-sweet.

Honey

Any type of raw honey is perfect for making honey turtle candies. Don’t spend extra money for a special variety of honey. Regular wildflower is fine.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Sweetened condensed milk is very different from the evaporated milk that you may be more familiar with. You need the sweet, dense version to make the best caramel for honey turtles.

Equipment

No special equipment is needed beyond some kitchen basics: saucepan, baking sheet, heat source, perhaps some parchment paper. A candy thermometer is very helpful but not vital to success.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are the basic steps – full directions are in the recipe card at the bottom.

1. Start by lining your baking pans or cookie sheets with parchment paper if you have some. This makes cleanup a breeze and helps protect the shape of your finished turtle.

Arrange 6 pecan halves to make the turtle shapes on the paper. Less sticking! Two halves are the body and the other 4 become 2 legs on each side. Leave some spacing between the individual turtles.

2. In a medium sized pan, mix together the butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and a dash of salt. Slowly heat to a low boil and then simmer.

3. Stir in the condensed milk and mix well. We want to heat this mixture to the soft ball candy stage. This is 235° F – 245° F on a candy thermometer. Stir frequently don’t let it burn.

4. Once the proper temperature is reached, remove from heat. Quickly spoon the caramel over the arranged pecan halves. Be sure to get some caramel on each piece – this helps lock them together. Sit aside to cool.

While the caramel is cooling, melt your chocolate and vegetable oil in a microwave safe dish. Spoon a coating of chocolate on each turtle. In about an hour or so, your turtle candy will be ready to enjoy.

This is a great recipe for those of you who enjoy homemade goodies but don’t have a lot of time. Using only a few ingredients and very little cook time, even the most inexperienced candy maker can be successful.

Storing

Once your candies are completely cooled, store them in an air-tight container. They can be left on the counter for a few days but I prefer to keep them in the frig.

Let me warn you though- these are alarmingly good. The chance of them going stale is remote. You can even eat them frozen – please don’t ask how I know this.

Great Gift Idea Too!

Homemade candies are great gifts for someone special. Sure you can buy something but taking the effort put into home-baked goods is still appreciated by many folks.

These honey turtles are rich enough that even a few of them make a sweet present. Include a small bag of them and a jar of honey – great present or bee themed gift for those who love these pollinators.

A gift container with a ribbon or a decorative tin works well to hold the turtles. If you live in a humid environment, placing a bit of wax paper between them will help prevent stickiness. If you have any pecans left over – try roasting them with honey.

More Ideas

This is only one of many honey inspired dishes that you can make a home. If you know any cake pop lovers -try these honey bee cake pops in your favorite flavor.

You can combine Cheerios, Peanut Butter and Honey into tasty balls or bars. If you want to go a bit farther, Honey caramel apples are a special treat – but a bit more work.

To create a gift basket or plate for a party you might combine them with Peanut Butter Honey Oatmeal Bites or even Honey Roasted Almonds with Sea Salt.

Enjoy this recipe for making honey turtle candies. But, don’t blame me if you eat too many – I have already told you how good they are!