What is turtle candy made of?

Turtles are a candy made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate , with a shape resembling a turtle. The name is trademarked by DeMet's Candy Company.

What is inside the candy Turtles original?

Ingredients : 'SUGAR, PECANS, CORN SYRUP, NONFAT MILK, COCOA BUTTER CHOCOLATE, PALM OIL, INVERT SUGAR SYRUP, MILKFAT, AND LESS THAN 1.5% OF LACTOSE, SODIUM CASEINATE, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR. '

Why is turtle candy called turtle?

Developed in 1918 by DeMet's Candy Company, these delectable bites were made of pecan pieces that were coated in caramel and then enveloped inside a glob of gourmet chocolate. And why were they called turtles? Because they actually looked like turtles with a large, chocolate covered shell .

What nuts are in a turtle?

Three ingredients that can perk up any palate or day, Turtles ® clusters are bursting with crunchy pecans , creamy caramel, and all wrapped up in luscious chocolate. The taste of the original caramel nut cluster is made to delight.

Who made the original turtles candy?

Turtle Time It was in 1916 in the windy city of Chicago that George DeMet brought the Turtle to life. Back then it only came in one variety, which was caramel, pecans, and chocolate.

Do they still make turtle candy?

The Turtles ® Family We know variety is the spice of life and there's a Turtles ® cluster for everyone. Perfect to share or take a few for you, Turtles ® are crafted for making everyday a little sweeter .

What is another name for turtle candy?

Savannah's Candy Kitchen has a delightful tradition of naming our chocolate turtles “Gophers.” This whimsical choice of the name adds a layer of charm and character to our beloved treats. The decision to call these delectable treats “Gophers” stems from a desire to infuse a sense of fun and uniqueness into our candy.

What is in turtle flavor?

A Culver's Classic! We begin with creamy Vanilla Fresh Frozen Custard and swirl in ribbons of old fashioned salted caramel, novelty chocolate, and toasted pecan pieces.

Who owns turtle candy?

History. DeMet's started in 1898 as a candy store business and soda fountain shop by George DeMet of Chicago — subsequently creating Turtles candies in 1966. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, DeMet's was purchased by Nestlé in 1988. In 2007, Signature Snacks, acquired the DeMet's brand from Nestlé.

Can turtles eat chocolate?

Do not feed any food with chocolate, processed sugar, or corn syrup to your turtle . Salty foods. Most turtles are not used to eating highly salty foods. They will be ok with a little bit of salt, but avoid anything overly seasoned.

What is the history of turtle candy?

The chocolate turtle today is a trademarked candy from Chicago's DeMet's Candy Company. However, candy history tells us that the "turtle" originated in San Francisco during the early 1900s. The chocolate candy with caramel and pecans was the creation of a candy chef named Louis Gordon Hooper.

Why is it called a turtle brownie?

The shape of them with a hump of caramel in the middle resembles a turtle shell , hence the name. I've turned one of my favorite fudgy cocoa brownie recipes into the ultimate decadent treat by adding pecans, chocolate chips and drizzles of salted caramel to deliver a nostalgic taste of that famous confection!

Why is it called turtle flavor?

The turtle pie got its name due to the caramel, chocolate and pecans that are used to top the pies , which are said to have a similarity in flavor to that of DeMet's Turtles, which use similar ingredients.

What type of chocolate are turtles?

Each irresistible piece of TURTLES ® is made using the classic recipe of rich milk chocolate , smooth caramel, and delicious pecan pieces.

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (2024)

Home » Desserts » Homemade Turtles Recipe

4 Comments By Jesseca on May 2, 2023

Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

This Homemade Turtles Recipe gives you the most rich and delicious candy with only 4 ingredients! Lightly toasted pecans covered in a rich caramel and topped with melted chocolate. Perfect for giving and deliciously simple to make.

Searching for more quick candy ideas? Try my Salted Caramels, Homemade Lollipops, and White Chocolate Pretzels!

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (1)

Recipe Features

4 Ingredient Recipe: This recipe only uses FOUR ingredients and is ready in minutes.
Perfect for Beginners: This is a no-fail recipe which means it is the perfect starting point for novice candy makers.
Edible Gift Idea: Package these sweet treats up for an impressive homemade gift!

My granma was OBSESSED with chocolate turtles. She always had a stash stored away somewhere and would bring them out to share wenever I visited. The combination of chocolate, caramel and nuts is irrisistible. In fact, I’ve used the combination in several of my favorite desserts and cannot get enough of it!

But by far, these easy turtles are the winner. SO easy to make and quite possibly my favorite homemade candy to date. The lightly toasted nuts give a base for the chewy caramel, and the chocolate melts in your mouth. What more could you need?

Easy Turtles Candy Recipe - One Sweet Appetite (2)

Turtles Recipe Ingredients

Most of my recipes are super easy to make, use minimal ingredients, AND pack a big punch in the flavor department. These are no exception. For a full list of ingredients and measurements see the recipe card below.

Pecans– For this recipe you will need to be sure to use lightly toasted pecans. We like to use whole or roughly chopped.
Caramel Ice Cream Topping– You can find this next to the ice creams in most grocery stores. If you can find the ticker topping it works best, OR you can make your own caramel sauce.
Chocolate Chips– You can use either milk chocolate or semi sweet. Our preference is milk chocolate for this specific combination of flavor.
Shortening– Do not substitute this with butter. Shortening is used to slightly thin the chocolate chips and help coat the candies easier.

How To Make Turtle Candy

PREP: Line a work surface with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pecans, if they haven’t been toasted already, by tossing in melted butter and baking for 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
MIX: Stir the toasted and cooled pecans with the caramel topping.
CHILL: Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto the parchment paper and refrigerate until solid, about 1 to 2 hours.
MELT: Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a heatproof, or glass, dish. Microwave until melted, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds to make sure it doesn’t burn.
DRIZZLE: Spoon or drizzle over the pecan clusters. Allow to set and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

These are messy to make. Line your work space with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
We used a thicker ice cream topping. Make sure that you are picky when you are cruising the aisle deciding on your flavor. The thinner syrups will not work well.
Do not skip toasting the nuts. Toasting is easy. Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread your pecans in a single layer, and bake at 350 degrees for around 7-10 minutes or until fragrant.

How To Toast Pecans

These are messy to make. Line your work space with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
We used a thicker ice cream topping. Make sure that you are picky when you are cruising the aisle deciding on your flavor. The thinner syrups will not work well.
Do not skip toasting the nuts. Toasting is easy. Line a baking sheet with parchment, spread your pecans in a single layer, and bake at 350 degrees for around 7-10 minutes or until fragrant.

More Must Try Caramel Recipes

Salted Caramels
Easy Caramel Cheesecake Bars
Salted Caramel Frosting
Best Caramel Corn

More Must Try Candy Recipes

Muddy Buddies
Peppermint Patties
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
White Chocolate Pretzels
Cherry Lollipops

Still Hungry? Follow One Sweet Appetite onInstagram,Pinterest, andFacebook!

Homemade Turtles

Created by: Jesseca

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups pecans toasted
▢ ¼ cup caramel ice cream topping the thicker kind
▢ 1 cup milk chocolate chips
▢ 1 teaspoon shortening

Instructions

Stir together the pecans with the ice cream topping. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto wax paper. Refrigerate until solid.
See Also
Brown Sugar Candied Pecans Recipe
Melt together the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds. Spoon over your pecan clusters.

Notes

How to toast pecans:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss pecans in a small amount of oil (we really like coconut oil) and salt if desired. Spread onto the prepared tray in an even layer.
Toast for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Nutrition

Equipment

Silicone Baking Mats

Silicone Spatulas

Baking Sheets

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Comments & Reviews

Mary E. Timman says
December 26, 2023
I made them today and they are delicious. Today I used Carmel Sauce for Ice Cream, which does not set, but they still were delicious. I am going to use apple dip for apples, that is much thicker and spoon the carmel over the nuts, then spoon the chocolate on top and I’m sure they will turn out very nicely. Thanks for recipe.
Reply
- Jesseca says
  December 27, 2023
  Oh, that is a great idea Mary!
  Reply
Vickie H. says
December 20, 2022
I made these using Hershey’s caramel ice cream topping, but the caramel is not hardening (it’s been 3-4 hours). What can I do? If I melt more chocolate chips and snoop it on more parchment paper, then put the chilled turtle on top, refrigerate – would that work do you think? (So, that it can be held without carmarel running.)
Reply
- Jesseca says
  December 20, 2022
  Hi Vickie, these will be a little softer. I would definitely try dipping and chilling. In fact, I’m going to try that tomorrow. I think it’s a great tip.
  Reply