Description
Turtle bars bring pure chocolate caramel delight straight to your dessert plate. Sweet layers of chocolate, pecans, and gooey caramel create an irresistible treat your family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
Finishing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F and coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and ¾ cup softened butter in a mixer until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press the crumbly mixture firmly into the prepared baking dish, creating an even base layer.
- Melt 1 cup butter in a saucepan with 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, and ¼ teaspoon salt over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles vigorously.
- Continue cooking the caramel mixture for exactly 1 additional minute, maintaining a steady bubble.
- Pour the hot caramel directly over the shortbread base, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Scatter 2 cups of roughly chopped pecans across the caramel surface.
- Slide the baking dish into the 350°F oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
- Remove the dish and immediately sprinkle 2 cups of chocolate chips across the hot surface.
- Let the chocolate sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to completely melt.
- Use a spatula to spread the chocolate into a smooth, uniform layer.
- Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours until the chocolate sets completely.
- Slice into rectangular bars and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Always use room temperature butter to ensure a smooth, even mixture when creating the cookie base.
- Chop pecans roughly to provide a nice texture contrast between the crunchy nuts and soft caramel layer.
- Watch the caramel closely during cooking to prevent burning, stirring constantly and removing from heat immediately after it reaches a full boil.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to maintain the same rich, buttery crust.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg