Chocolate Pecan Turtle Clusters
These indulgent homemade clusters feature toasted pecans, gooey caramel made from scratch, and a luscious milk chocolate topping. Perfect for holiday gifts, cookie trays, or sneaking from the fridge late at night. They’re easier than they look — and every bit as delicious as they sound.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecan halves toasted
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz milk chocolate chips
- ½ tsp shortening
Instructions
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Cool on a plate.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment and lightly spray. Arrange pecans into small clusters of 3–4 pieces each.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir constantly while cooking.
- Attach a candy thermometer and cook until mixture reaches 235–240°F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Quickly spoon about 1½ teaspoons of caramel over each pecan cluster. Work fast — rewarm if needed.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth.
- Spoon about 1½ teaspoons of melted chocolate over each cluster. Let cool at room temp or chill briefly to set.
- Store in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
For a salted twist, sprinkle sea salt over the chocolate while still soft. Dark chocolate also works beautifully here.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcal
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