Turtle Brownies Recipe (with Pecans and Caramel)

Satisfy your sweet tooth with our homemade turtle brownies recipe! Rich and fudgy chocolate brownies topped with gooey caramel and crunchy pecans. Learn how to make them now.

Do you have a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed? Satisfy your cravings with the decadent taste of Turtle Brownies! This irresistible treat combines gooey fudgy brownies with creamy caramel and crunchy pecans for an indulgent experience.

Not only does this easy-to-make recipe require only a few ingredients, but it’s also guaranteed to satisfy the hankering of even the most dedicated chocolate lover. This guide will show you all the steps to make our delicious Turtle Brownies Recipe from prep time to presentation. So preheat the oven, grab your ingredients, and let the creativity begin!

What is a turtle brownie?

A turtle brownie is a type of chocolate brownie that is typically topped with caramel and pecans, and sometimes with chocolate chips or a drizzle of chocolate on top. The name “turtle” comes from the candy of the same name, made from caramel and pecans, and resembles the toppings on the brownie. The brownie itself is usually dense, fudgy, and rich in chocolate flavor. Our turtle brownie is a decadent dessert perfect for chocolate and caramel lovers.

Turtle Brownie Ingredients

• Salted Butter. If you want to use unsalted butter, you can do so, but you should add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe for best results.
• White Granulated Sugar.
• Light Brown Sugar. You can also use dark brown sugar.
• Large Eggs. Whisk the eggs together at room temperature which will make incorporating the eggs into the batter much easier.
• All-Purpose Flour. A good all-purpose one-for-one gluten-free flour will work for this recipe.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. A higher-quality cocoa powder will improve the flavor, so don’t hesitate to splurge.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Change it up with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips.
• Chopped Pecans. You could also use walnuts, peanuts, or macadamia nuts.
• Vanilla Extract. We use pure vanilla extract but imitation will work if that’s what you prefer.

Ingredients for Homemade Caramel

• Water.
• Light Corn Syrup. In this case, “light” refers to color and not calories. Light corn syrup is clear in color. You do not want to use reduced-calorie corn syrup.
• White Granulated Sugar.
• Heavy Cream. You can also use heavy whipping cream with slightly higher fat content.
• Salt.
• Salted Butter. If you want to use unsalted butter, you can do so.
• Vanilla Extract – optional

How To Make Turtle Brownies

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

Step One. Melt the butter with the sugar.

Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray, lining it with parchment paper, and then spraying it once more. In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat, add the butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar. Stir until the butter is melted and blended with the sugars. Take off the heat and cool.

Step Two. Mix the dry ingredients for our turtle brownie recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, sift and mix the flour, cocoa powder together. Add the chocolate chips and pecans. Mix until the chocolate chips and the pecans are coated with the dry mixture. Set aside.

Step Three. Add eggs and vanilla. Then combine.

Whisk in the eggs into the butter-sugar mixture. Then, pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. You won’t see any dry flour or cocoa powder. Pour the brownie mixture into the pan. Set aside.

Step Four. Make the Caramel for Caramel Turtle Brownies.

In a 3 quart saucepan, add the water and the corn syrup. Add the granulated sugar. Move the sugar around so it is wet from the water and corn syrup.

Over medium heat, cover the saucepan and cook, no stirring for 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover the pan; the mixture will be boiling or start to boil. Don’t stir or swirl and cook for an additional 5 minutes. After the second 5 minutes, if the mixture is still clear and white, cook for an additional 2 minutes.

If you have a candy thermometer, this will be a good time to use it. The caramel is ready when it has reached 340° F or you see a change of color, it will be more amber. Take off the heat and add, while whisking, the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Be careful it will bubble up. Add the butter and whisk until the butter is all melted.

Step Five. Assemble your Chocolate Turtle Brownies with Caramel.

Pour the caramel over the brownie batter and swirl together.

Step Six. Bake the Brownies.

Bake in the oven for 30-33 minutes or until the edges are set. Cool completely in the pan before serving. 

Three Ways You Can Bake Turtle Brownies

1. Mix the caramel right in with the brownie. You’ll get the flavor but won’t see all that gooey caramel.
2. Put half of the brownie batter into the pan and then pour the caramel over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and bake.
3. Lastly, top the brownie batter with the caramel and swirl them together. Since the brownie is so fudgy, this recipe will not show much of a swirl but the finished product will offer the combination of a decadent chocolate brownie, gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans.

Other Variations

If you want a thicker caramel layer on top, pour about 3⁄4 of the caramel and bake it per directions. Then pour the last of the caramel and put it back in the oven for 1 minute.

Sprinkle with a flaky salt, such as Fleur de sel or Maldon, for a salted caramel turtle brownie.

Add different nuts. Walnuts, peanuts, or macadamia nuts would be delicious.

Once you remove them from the oven, garnish them with more nuts, chopped chocolate, caramel bits, or even candy bar pieces. For decadent brownies, place turtle candies over the top of the brownies. It’s best to add them after the brownies have baked but the caramel topping is still gooey.

Use leftovers: If you have any, crumble them and place them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Frequently asked questions.

Do I have to make homemade caramel?

No, you can use a jar of caramel sauce. Look for a thick caramel. A thinner caramel will tend to disappear while baking instead of leaving you a gooey chewy caramel chocolate brownie!

How long to bake brownies

To properly bake brownies, don’t use a toothpick to test them for doneness as you would a cake. Instead, as soon as they just start to pull away from the sides, take them out or take them out at the minimum baking time, let them cool in the pan on a wire rack, and make a note on your recipe as to how long they took to bake. That’s what I do. All ovens are different.

Do I have to sift the flour and cocoa powder together?

No, you do not. I always sift cocoa powder because it has fats that clump. By sifting the two together, you’re less likely to overmix trying to get rid of clumps or you may end up with baked brownies with pockets of cocoa powder or flour.

How To Reheat & Store Homemade Brownies

Best way to store Chocolate Turtle Brownies

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days

Can I freeze Caramel Turtle Brownies

Yes, but thaw completely before serving. Frozen caramel is hard.

How to reheat Turtle Brownies

Re-warm: Eat as is, or place in an air fryer at 320ºF for 2 minutes. They can also be microwaved for 30-second intervals. Be careful the caramel will be hot

Tips for the Best Turtle Brownies

• As you can see in the image in Step 3 above, the prepared pan is lined with parchment paper that extends over the ends of the pan. After cooling the brownies for a few minutes, carefully take a sharp knife and release the edges from the pan. Remove the entire pan of brownies by lifting the ends of the parchment paper onto a cutting board where you can cut the whole pan or just a piece or two. You can then lift the brownies from the cutting board and put them back into the pan or an airtight container for storage.
  • Preparing the pan with parchment paper also helps to remove the brownies from the pan for easy slicing. It also eliminates any effect of the pan you use on the brownies.
• If you want thicker caramel brownies, use an 8×8 square pan. Ingredients can be doubled for a thick 9×13 pan.
• When you melt the butter and sugars, whisk them together until they are combined. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes so whisking the egg into it is easier, and you’re less likely to get scrambled eggs.
• Melting the butter also helps diffuse it into the other ingredients. By using softened butter, you’ll get a cakey brownie because you stir more air into the batter.
• Don’t over-mix. I use a spatula, wooden spoon, or Danish dough hook and mix only until combined.

If you’re a Brownie Lover, check out these recipes!

• Fudgy Brownies recipe are the brownies that were developed to perfection and started my whole brownie crusade.
• Rocky Road Brownies are a triple chocolate threat. Three kinds of chocolate with marshmallows and peanuts make these brownies a family favorite.
• Easy Dark Chocolate Toffee Bar Brownies are the easiest to make. They start with a boxed brownie mix.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies combine fudgy brownies with a delightful peanut butter swirl.
• Cream Cheese Brownie recipe makes rich fudgy chocolate brownies swirled with a velvety layer of cream cheese.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Turtle Brownies

Author: Julie Menghini

Satisfy your sweet tooth with our homemade turtle brownie recipe! Rich and fudgy chocolate brownies topped with gooey caramel and crunchy pecans

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe CollectSaved! Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword: Brownie recipe, Caramel Brownies, Turtle Brownies

Servings: 20

Equipment

• 9-inch Square Baking Pan
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls
• Spatulas

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Brownies

• 1 cup butter 2 sticks salted butter
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1¼ cup white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• Spray a 9 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment and fold it so it is 8 inches wide and long enough so it will have an overhang when placed in the baking dish.

  Make sure the parchment paper is flat and sticking to the baking dish. Spray the parchment paper as well. Repeat the same step and place the parchment 90 degrees from the first one. This will make cutting the brownies much easier. Set aside.

Brownies

• In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat, add the butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar. Stir until the butter is melted and blended with the sugars.
• Take off the heat, and let it cool for 5 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift and mix the flour, cocoa powder together. Add the chocolate chips and pecans. Mix until the chocolate chips and the pecans are coated with the dry mixture. Set aside
• In the butter/sugars mixture, whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Mix well in after each addition.
• Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. You won’t see any dry flour or cocoa powder.
• Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan. Set aside.

Make the Caramel

• In a 3 quart saucepan, add the water and the corn syrup.
• Carefully add the granulated sugar making sure it does not touch the sides of the pan.
• Using a spatula or wooden spoon, move the sugar around so it is wet from the water and corn syrup.
• Over medium heat, cover the saucepan and cook, no stirring for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, the mixture will be boiling or start to boil, don’t stir or swirl and cook for an additional 5 minutes. DON’T WALK AWAY
• After the second 5 minutes if the mixture is still clear and white cook for an additional 2 minutes. NO STIRRING
• If you have a candy thermometer, this will be a good time to use it.
• The caramel is ready when it has reached 340 °F or you see a change of color, it will be more amber.
• Take off the heat and add, while whisking, the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Be careful it will bubble up.
• Add the butter and whisk until the butter is all melted.

Assemble

• Pour the caramel over the brownie batter.
• Use a knife or fork and swirl.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30-33 minutes or until the edges are set.
• Cool completely in the pan before serving.

  *NOTE* After the brownies have been cooling for a few minutes, carefully take a sharp knife and release the edges from the pan.

Notes

*NOTE* What I did in one of the tests is I poured about ¾ of the caramel and baked it per directions. Then I pour the last of the caramel and put it back in the oven for 1 minute.

*NOTE* After the brownies have been cooling for a few minutes, carefully take a sharp knife and release the edges from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 436IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

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