Caramel Pecan Christmas Turtles Recipe
This recipe for homemade caramel pecan turtles has been passed down for generations and is the perfect Christmas treat.
Hey y’all, Tiffany here with a recipe for homemade caramel pecan turtles that is from my great-grandmother and is perfect for Christmas!
I grew up with this recipe as a family tradition. My mother got it from her mother-in law (my grandmother, who gave me this pancake recipe and this canned apple pie filling recipe), who got it from her mother-in-law (my great-grandmother).
This recipe is from a group of Christmas dessert recipes that was passed down over the generations: divinity candy, fudge, caramels, and seven layer bars. All together, these are a great group of Christmas treats to pass out for caroling and go perfectly with The World’s Creamiest, Most Delicious Hot Chocolate (in a Slow Cooker!)

Caramel Pecan Christmas Turtles Recipe
First, make these caramels with pecans.
Once the caramels have hardened, melt chocolate chips on the stove with a double boiler. If you’ve never done that before, here’s how it works:
- Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of water.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. While you’re waiting to boil, put the chocolate chips in a second, smaller saucepan (or a heat-safe bowl)
- Take the saucepan off the burner. Set it down onto a heat-safe surface to protect your counter.
- Place the upper saucepan (or bowl) on top of your lower saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of your saucepan or bowl does not touch the surface of the water. If it does, pour some of the water out. Make sure that the fit is tight, and that no steam can escape.
- Wait for the chocolate to melt most of the way, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
Once the chocolate has completely melted, dip the caramels in and set on wax paper to harden.
Note: make sure that the bowl with the chocolate and the spatula are completely dry, or the chocolate will turn white as it cools. The white isn’t harmful, it just doesn’t look as nice.
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Caramel Pecan Christmas Turtles Recipe
This recipe for homemade caramel pecan turtles has been passed down for generations and is the perfect Christmas treat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup dark Karo syrup (I used light last time and it worked fine)
- 1 cube butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 pint whipping cream
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 bag chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine sugar, syrup, and 1 cup cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Add 1 cup cream slowly.
- Cook to a hard ball stage, still stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat.
- Add nuts and vanilla.
- Pour in a 9×13 pan and mark in pieces while still a little warm. As they cool, melt the chocolate.
- Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of water.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. While you're waiting to boil, put the chocolate chips in a second, smaller saucepan (or a heat-safe bowl)
- Take the saucepan off the burner. Set it down onto a heat-safe surface to protect your counter.
- Place the upper saucepan (or bowl) on top of your lower saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of your saucepan or bowl does not touch the surface of the water. If it does, pour some of the water out. Make sure that the fit is tight, and that no steam can escape.
- Wait for the chocolate to melt most of the way, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
- Once the chocolate has completely melted, dip the caramels in and set on wax paper to harden.