Chocolate Turtles
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Last updated on Dec 05, 2024
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These homemade chocolate turtles are made with five simple ingredients, yet still amazingly decadent and taste just as good, if not better, than the store-bought candies. They’re also better for you!
I’m quite confident that my nanny (my grandmother on my mom’s side) introduced me to Turtles at a very young age. They were her favorite candy and she pretty much always had a box on hand. She liked to share so I’ve eaten my fair share of Turtles growing up. The combo of crunchy pecans topped with gooey caramel and smooth, rich chocolate simply can’t be beat. I can definitely see why nanny loved them.
After seeing a few recipes for homemade chocolate turtles around the web I thought it’d be fun to make my own version — a bit healthier with Medjool dates instead of caramel and dairy-free dark chocolate chips for the chocolate.
Medjool dates have a lovely caramel flavor and sticky consistency so I knew it would work well. What I didn’t realize is just how easy the homemade turtles would be to make. Seriously, it’s kind of an issue because now I want to make turtles every night for dessert.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple and fun – These turtles come together in just five easy steps, and they’re so satisfying to make. You’ll feel like a pro chocolatier in your own kitchen!
- Perfect for any occasion – Whether it’s holiday gifting, a party, or a cozy snack at home, these turtles are always a hit.
- Almost too cute to eat – With their adorable turtle shape, you might just want to snap a pic and share them on Instagram before digging in.
- Irresistibly delicious – The combination of chewy dates, crunchy pecans, and rich chocolate is pure magic. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!
Ingredients Needed
- Medjool dates – look for medjool dates that are already pitted or pit them yourself (it’s super easy). Two brands that I like are Natural Delights and Joolies. You can find Natural Delights in the produce section of most grocery stores (near the bananas) and Joolies are offered on Amazon and Thrive Market.
- chocolate chips – I like using Lily’s chocolate chips to keep these dairy-free and low in sugar!
- coconut oil – just a little bit is mixed with the chocolate to help it melt smoothly and set with a glossy finish.
- pecan halves – these are key to achieving the classic turtle shape! Choose fresh, raw pecans for the best flavor.
- sea salt – a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt to bring all the flavors together.
Substitutions
- Chocolate chips: Use dark, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate depending on your taste.
- Coconut oil: If you’re not worried about keeping this recipe vegan, you could swap the coconut oil for butter, or ghee.
- Pecan halves: While pecans are traditional, you could use other nuts like walnut halves or whole cashews to maintain the turtle shape while switching up the flavor.
- Sea salt: If you don’t have flaky sea salt, regular fine sea salt works—just use a light hand so it doesn’t overpower the sweetness.
How to Make The Best Chocolate Turtles
These chocolate turtles are so fun to make and even more fun to eat. They come together quickly with just five simple steps—let’s dive in!
- Prepare the date mixture – Place dates in a food processor and pulse until they form a sticky ball. Add sea salt and pulse again. Wrap the date ball in plastic wrap and freeze for about 1 hour to make it easier to handle.
- Roll the date balls – Pinch off small pieces of the chilled date mixture and roll into balls. Place them on parchment paper or a cooling rack.
- Add pecans – Press three pecans into each date ball in a triangle pattern, letting the edges stick out to create the “turtle” shape.
- Melt the chocolate – Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Spoon the melted chocolate over each turtle.
- Set the chocolate – Freeze the turtles for 10-15 minutes until the chocolate is firm. Enjoy!
Brittany’s Tips
- Pick the perfect dates – Soft, sticky Medjool dates are the key to a smooth and sweet base for your turtles. If your dates are a little dry, give them a quick soak in warm water to bring them back to life—you’ll thank me later!
- Don’t skip the chill time – Freezing the date mixture might seem like an extra step, but trust me, it’s worth it. Chilling makes the sticky dough much easier to handle and shape into perfect little turtle bases.
- Stay mess-free – Rolling date balls can get sticky fast, so cover your hands with plastic wrap or lightly grease them with coconut oil to make the process a breeze.
- Melt chocolate like a pro – Whether you’re using the microwave or stovetop, go low and slow to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir until silky smooth—this is what makes the turtles look and taste amazing.
How to Store Turtles
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If I’m making more than a week in advance I usually store them in the freezer and then take them out about an hour before serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
A food processor is the easiest way to break down the dates into a sticky, workable mixture. If you don’t have one, you can finely chop the dates by hand, but it will take longer.
If you’re storing them in a container, layer parchment paper between each layer of turtles to prevent sticking. This works especially well if you’re keeping them in the freezer.
Definitely! Try sprinkling crushed nuts, shredded coconut, or even a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the chocolate before it sets for extra flavor and texture.
It’s best to store these turtles in the refrigerator or freezer to keep the chocolate firm and the dates fresh. If you’re serving them soon, they can sit out at room temperature for a few hours without any issues!
You can melt chocolate in the microwave by heating it in 20-30 second intervals, stirring between each round until smooth. If you prefer, you can also use a double boiler by placing a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until melted for a silky, smooth finish!
More Healthy Treat Recipes to Try:
- Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
- 5-Ingredient Healthier Peanut Butter Cups
- Easy Healthier Butterfingers
- No Bake Almond Cookies
- Healthy Cookie Dough Bites
- Healthy Almond Joy Bars
- Crispy Chocolate Rice Cake Bars
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Chocolate Turtles
Ingredients
- 1 cup about 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- ½ cup chocolate chips, I like using Lily’s chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- 45 pecan halves
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place dates into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times. Add sea salt and pulse until the dates are completely chopped and form a large ball. The date mixture will be very sticky at this point. Using plastic wrap to cover your hands, remove ball from food processor, wrap it with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 1 hour. This step makes the date mixture much easier to work with. It becomes harder and less sticky.
- Remove date ball from freezer and unwrap. Pinch off small pieces of the date ball and roll into small balls. Place on parchment paper or a cooling racking. Once you have all the balls made, start adding three pecans to each ball in a triangle pattern with a little of each pecan sticking out. As you press the pecans the date ball will flatten out a bit.
- Lay each turtle pecan-side down on the parchment or cooling rack.
- Melt chocolate by adding chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave. The chocolate chips should be almost completely melted at this point. Stir the mixture together until all the chips have melted down. (The heating process can also be done on the stove if you prefer.)
- Using a spoon cover each turtle with melted chocolate. Once they’re all covered, move the turtles into the freezer to allow the chocolate to set up. This should only take about 10-15 minutes. Remove from freezer and enjoy.
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Notes
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If I’m making more than a week in advance I usually store them in the freezer and then take them out about an hour before serving!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I may only make once, hate to buy coconut oil for 1/2 tsp…anything else I can use please?? Thank you so much! D
You can totally use olive oil.
Love these!!!! I was wondering, though, if I could just mix in chopped pecans with the dates. Making all the turtle legs is time-consuming and I don’t really care if they actually look like turtles. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey Kathy – I’m sure that would work. I also have a ton of date energy ball recipes, which would probably be pretty similar to what you’re talking about. You can check them out here.
Are these made with fresh dates or dried?
Fresh medjool dates that you’ll find in the produce section, near the bananas.
So yummy! Super easy to make, fun to look at and delicious. Will be a crowd pleaser once crowds are possible again
Many thanks, I really enjoy this recipe and many others on your site.
I’m so glad these turtles were a hit!! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
wow, it’s really wonderful healthy tips for us. It’s really good and valubale tips. Thanks for sharing this good article.
Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
In my mind I wasn’t sure what to expect. But let me tell you…. these are delicious!
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks for making this recipe and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂