These Pecan Turtle Bars are an indulgent treat featuring a buttery shortbread crust, a rich caramel layer, and a decadent topping of toasted pecans and smooth chocolate. With a balance of textures—from the soft caramel and crisp crust to the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate layer—these bars are a must-have dessert for gatherings, holiday baking, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth. Easy to make and impossible to resist, they offer all the flavors of classic turtle candies in a bar form that’s perfect for sharing.
Why You’ll Love These Pecan Turtle Bars:
Rich Layers: The combination of shortbread, caramel, pecans, and chocolate creates a well-balanced dessert with each bite.
Perfect for Sharing: These bars are easy to cut into squares, making them great for parties, bake sales, or gift-giving.
Satisfying Texture: The buttery crust, chewy caramel, and crunchy pecans make these bars incredibly satisfying.
Easy to Make: With straightforward ingredients and simple steps, this recipe is approachable and doesn’t require any special baking skills.
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Key Ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour: Flour provides the base for the shortbread crust. For best results, sift the flour to keep the crust light and tender.
Unsalted Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the salt level in each layer. Be sure it’s softened for easy mixing in the crust.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar in the crust gives it a finer texture than granulated sugar would, creating that melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is the secret ingredient for a creamy, rich caramel layer. Do not substitute with evaporated milk, as it won’t yield the same result.
Light Corn Syrup: Corn syrup helps prevent the caramel from crystallizing, giving it a smooth, pourable consistency.
Chopped Pecans: Coarsely chopped pecans add crunch and a nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the caramel and chocolate.
Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Semisweet chocolate has just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness, ensuring the bars aren’t overly sweet.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Crust
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and softened butter. Mix until the dough comes together.
Press and Bake: Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the Caramel Layer
Melt Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add Ingredients: Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk to the melted butter. Stir constantly and bring to a boil.
Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and turns a deep caramel color.
Pour Over Crust: Pour the caramel evenly over the baked crust.
Add the Topping
Sprinkle Pecans: Evenly sprinkle the chopped pecans over the caramel layer.
Bake Again: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly and the pecans are toasted.
Add the Chocolate
Sprinkle Chocolate Chips: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot caramel and pecans.
Melt and Spread: Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes to melt, then use a spatula to spread it evenly over the top.
Cool, Set, and Serve
Cool and Set: Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to fully set the chocolate.
Cut and Serve: Once set, cut the bars into squares and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions:
These Pecan Turtle Bars are delicious on their own, but here are a few ideas for serving them:
With Ice Cream: Serve a square of the bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic pairing.
Drizzle with Caramel Sauce: A drizzle of caramel sauce enhances the caramel flavor and adds a nice presentation touch.
Chopped Nuts Garnish: Add a sprinkle of extra chopped pecans on top before serving for a bit of extra crunch.
Whipped Cream: Add a dollop of whipped cream on each square for a light, creamy contrast to the rich caramel and chocolate.
Storage and Freezing Tips:
These bars keep well, making them a great make-ahead treat or giftable dessert.
Room Temperature: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They are best enjoyed at room temperature, where the caramel is soft.
Refrigeration: For longer storage, keep the bars in the refrigerator for up to one week. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving to soften the caramel.
Freezing: Freeze the bars for up to 3 months by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Variations:
Salted Caramel Pecan Bars: Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to the top of the bars for a salted caramel twist.
Peanut Butter Turtle Bars: Swap out some of the chocolate chips with peanut butter chips for a chocolate-peanut butter combo.
Milk Chocolate Variation: Use milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet for a sweeter, milder chocolate flavor.
Almond Turtle Bars: Substitute chopped almonds for pecans if you prefer a different nut.
Dark Chocolate Twist: Use dark chocolate chips for a richer chocolate layer that balances the sweetness of the caramel.
Conclusion:
These Pecan Turtle Bars are a decadent treat that perfectly combines buttery shortbread, rich caramel, toasted pecans, and smooth chocolate. With layers that each bring unique textures and flavors, these bars are ideal for anyone who loves the classic taste of turtle candies. They’re easy to make, beautifully layered, and perfect for sharing, making them a wonderful addition to your dessert repertoire.
Try this recipe and enjoy every gooey, crunchy, chocolatey bite!
Pecan Turtle Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, for crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter for caramel layer
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
- 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, and softened butter. Mix until the dough comes together. Press evenly into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously until thickened. Pour caramel evenly over the baked crust.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the caramel layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly and pecans are toasted.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot caramel and pecans. Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes to melt, then spread evenly over the top.
- Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set the chocolate. Once set, cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container.