Homemade Chocolate Turtles with Bacon
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If you like Turtles, the iconic Christmas treat, then you will LOVE these homemade chocolate turtles with bacon. They are made with crunchy pecans coated in caramel and then topped with crispy bacon and dark chocolate. They're ideal on a holiday dessert tray and make excellent gifts!
Table of contents
These little guys are everything a chocolate turtle should be. They're sweet and chewy from the caramel, crunchy and rich from the toasted pecans, and decadent from the dark chocolate, plus (a big plus) they're salty and savory from the bacon. Oh, and the sea salt sprinkled on top sends them over the edge.
Make these, but make a lot; They won't last long.
Ingredients For Chocolate Bacon Pecan Turtles
To make the caramel you'll need – butter, light corn syrup, brown sugar, and condensed milk.
For the chocolate layer, you'll need – semi-sweet chocolate and butter.
To assemble the homemade turtles, you'll need – pecan halves and crispy cooked bacon.
How to make homemade turtles that look like turtles
To make these chocolate bacon turtles look like cute little turtles, here's what you do:
- Lay three pecan halves onto a flat surface that is coverd with a piece of parchment paper. Position them so that the two ‘feet' are facing a little forwards.
- Next, pour the caramel over the top, making sure that you don't cover the feet and head.
- A crispy piece of bacon lays on top of the caramel.
- Finally, cover the caramel in chocolate to create the turtle shell.
Recipe FAQs
How do you store homemade turtles?
Normally, homemade turtles candy can be stored on the counter. But because these have bacon in them, they should be stored in an airtight container in your fridge.
What are some fun variations to try for this recipe?
You can swap the pecans for walnuts. Or try using milk chocolate or even white chocolate. And instead of the bacon, try a pretzel!
Do I need to add the bacon?
Not at all! You can make a traditional version of these turtles by simply omitting the bacon.
How long do bacon turtles last?
Homemade chocolate bacon turtles will keep well for 1 week in the fridge. If you make them without the bacon, they will last for a very long time.
How to get the kids involved
Kids love making sweet treat! For this recipe, get their help assembling the pecan halves, breaking the cooled, crisp bacon into pieces, melting and pouring the chocolate, and sprinkling the sea salt on top. The caramel is VERY hot so this part should only be done by an adult.
Community Praise
Tina ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ok so these were so good! I did a test run to see if I wanted to make them for Christmas and I’m definitely making them again!
Homemade Chocolate Turtles with Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cups brown sugar
- ½ tin condensed milk
- 5 ounces pecan halves
- ½ lb bacon (cooked crispy)
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
For the caramel
- Add the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and condensed milk to a heavy-bottomed saucepan with high sides. Start with the heat on high until it is boiling, and then reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly for approximately 15 minutes, or until the caramel reaches 235 degrees Fahrenheit. One way to test this is to drop a bit of the caramel into cold water. If it forms a soft ball, then it is ready. This is known as the ‘soft ball stage'. Let the caramel cool for about an hour. It should still be warm but not hot.½ cup butter, ½ cup light corn syrup, 1 cups brown sugar, ½ tin condensed milk
Assemble the turtles
- Arrange pecans to resemble turtles – one for the head and two for the feet – on parchment paper. Roll small balls of the caramel and place in the center of the pecans, squishing gently into place. Cover the caramel with a piece of cooked bacon. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.5 ounces pecan halves, ½ lb bacon
For the chocolate
- Gently melt chocolate and butter over low heat until just melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Hold the turtle by the head and spoon the chocolate over top. Place the turtles back onto the parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with medium course sea salt. Put them back into the fridge to harden the chocolate.8 ounces semisweet chocolate, 3 tablespoons butter
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more holiday dessert recipes, check out all of our Christmas sweets!
