These Keto Turtles are the stuff of dreams. With toasted pecans, gooey caramel, and rich chocolate, these sugar-free nut clusters are as good as the original. Be prepared to fight with your loved ones for the last one!
When I was a kid, Pecan Turtles were the epitome of dessert happiness in my young mind. We didn’t get to have them very often; they were a special treat around the holidays.
There is something magical about that combination of chewy caramel, toasted pecans, and rich chocolate. And these Keto Turtles are just a rich, just as delicious, just as special occasion-worthy as the originals!
Why you must try this recipe
For a long time, I didn’t want to try my hand at Sugar Free Turtles because I didn’t think they’d live up to the real deal. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get the caramel gooey enough.
But the increasing availability of other sweeteners has changed things considerably. Once I mastered truly gooey, soft keto caramel sauce, it was game on for creating a Keto Turtles recipe.
Mind you, the caramel here isn’t exactly the same, as it needs to be thicker. But with a few minor adjustments, I was able to get the exact consistency I was looking for.
Once you’ve made the caramel, the rest of the turtles come together easily. You just toast the pecans and arrange them into piles. Then drizzle a little caramel on top and freeze until hard. Add a little melted chocolate and voila!
These keto candies are phenomenally good. And you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to make them!
Reader reviews
“Made these yesterday and they are to die for! My caramel set within about ½ hour but I was ready because I toasted the pecans before starting the caramel and already had them arranged in bundles on a parchment line sheet. Thanks for all you do Carolyn! You are the best!” — Diane L.
“Sweet Mary, mother of god! These are off the hook! Please tell me when you perfect a recipe like this, you do a happy dance, punch the sky, and holler “f*** yes!!!” Or at least something similar…..because that’s what I just did! THANK YOU.” — Amy
“I made these for a work Christmas party (6 people only) and they were a hit! Hubby said there was no way they were low carb!” — Jessi
Ingredients you need
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- Sweeteners: The right sweeteners are the key to getting a gooey caramel consistency. I prefer a combination of Swerve Brown and allulose for these Sugar Free Turtles.
- Butter: You will need butter for both the caramel and the chocolate coating.
- Heavy whipping cream: I use less cream in this version of caramel, to keep it thicker.
- Xanthan gum: A little additional thickening agent like xanthan gum firms up the caramel so it doesn’t run all over the pan.
- Sea salt: A little salt in the caramel sauce brings out flavor. But I also like to sprinkle a little on top of the finished turtles.
- Pecans: Don’t worry if they aren’t perfect pecan halves. You can pile them up nicely and still get lovely clusters.
- Sugar free chocolate: Use milk or dark chocolate, the choice is yours. ChocZero is a great option for these Turtles and you can get 10% off by using my affiliate link!
Step-by-step directions
1. Prepare the caramel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sweeteners and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 4 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and add the cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
2. Let cool: Sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum and whisk to combine. Whisk in the salt. Let the caramel cool until thickened but still pourable, 30 to 60 minutes.
3. Toast the pecans: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Spread the pecans out on the mat in a single layer and bake 7 to 10 minutes, until toasted. Arrange the pecans in clusters of 3 or 4, making about 24 clusters. (If your pecans are large, use only 3 per cluster).
4. Drizzle with caramel: Drizzle a few teaspoons of caramel over each pecan cluster, making sure some caramel is touching each of the pecans. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer to set the caramel.
5. Add the chocolate: In a small bowl set over a bowl of barely simmering water, combine the chocolate and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir until melted and smooth, then drizzle over the chilled clusters.
Expert tips
The caramel sauce is the glue in this recipe, so it’s important to get it right. It needs to be thick enough to clings to the pecans, and yet still be soft and gooey. To achieve this consistency, you need:
- Swerve Brown or another brown sugar substitute (such as Sukrin or Lakanto)
- Another sweetener that doesn’t harden or recrystallize, such as allulose, BochaSweet, or xylitol.
- Xanthan gum to help thicken the sauce after cooking.
Watch your pecans carefully in the oven! They can go from pale to burned very quickly, so set your timer for less time than you think you need and check on them frequently.
Normally I don’t recommend butter for melting keto chocolate, as it tends to thicken it. But in this case, you want a nice thick coating of chocolate over the caramel and pecans. So it works perfectly in these Sugar Free Turtle Candies.
Recipe FAQs
Turtle candies combine toasted nuts such as pecans with caramel and chocolate. The nuts are usually arranged so that the resulting candy looks like a turtle. These Keto Turtles are made in much the same fashion, with sugar-free caramel and chocolate.
This sugar free pecan turtles recipe has 6.6g of carbs and 3.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3g net carbs in a serving of two candies.
Store these keto candies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days (unless you live in a very hot climate!). You can also store them in the fridge for up to 10 days, and in the freezer for several months.
More Keto Candy Recipes
Keto Peanut Butter Cups
These keto peanut butter cups feature a sugar free chocolate shell and a rich, creamy peanut butter center. They’re delicious and easy, so whip up a batch today!
Keto Peppermint Patties
Easy keto peppermint patties will make your heart sing and your tastebuds dance. These easy homemade peppermint patties are dairy free and sugar free. A healthy way to indulge in a childhood classic.
Sugar Free Marshmallows
You will be astonished at how easy it is to make sugar free marshmallows at home. These keto friendly treats are perfect in hot chocolate and delicious on their own. And they are almost completely carb free!
Keto Pecan Turtles Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Swerve Brown
- ¼ cup allulose (or BochaSweet)
- 5 tablespoon butter divided
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 4 ounces sugar free dark chocolate chopped
- More sea salt for sprinkling, if desired
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sweeteners and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 4 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and add the cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
- Sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum and whisk to combine. Whisk in the salt. Let the caramel cool until thickened but still pourable, 30 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Spread the pecans out on the mat in a single layer and bake 7 to 10 minutes, until toasted. Arrange the pecans in clusters of 3 or 4, making about 24 clusters. (If your pecans are large, use only 3 per cluster).
- Drizzle a few teaspoons of caramel over each pecan cluster, making sure some caramel is touching each of the pecans. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer to set the caramel.
- In a small bowl set over a bowl of barely simmering water, combine the chocolate and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir until melted and smooth, then drizzle over the chilled clusters.
- Sprinkle with sea salt if desired, and let set.
Terri says
So you didn’t add Sweetener to the chocolate? Since it is unsweetened chocolate, won’t it have a bitter taste?
Carolyn says
It’s not unsweetened chocolate. It’s SUGAR-FREE chocolate. Meaning it’s sweetened with things other than sugar.
Debbie says
So you use salted or unsalted pecans in this recipe? Thanks!
Carolyn says
You use raw pecans. Raw pecans are always unsalted.
Mary Taylor says
I had to show several people the recipe after they tried these to prove that they were indeed low carb. Excellent.
Carolyn says
That’s fabulous!
Kate says
Re your 12/22/22 comment about Bocha Sweet and xylitol, is there any further clarification on this? I have 3 dogs so want to be careful. Thanks.
Debbie says
2 months ago, I emailed them to ask specifically if the product was xylitol.. after several back and forth emails (with them evading my questions) this was their final response: (pretty snarky)
“Xylitol is said to be toxic to dogs but not cats.
Beer, raisins, potatoes, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, and at least 20 other food items you most likely have in your home are also said to be just as toxic to dogs.
BochaSweet is for people not dogs. Please do not feed your dog BochaSweet or any of the other 25 foods you can find in a simple search that are for people. Maria or whoever it is that is influencing your decision did not mention that did she?
Stevia has issues and Erythritol is now subject to accusations of heart clots. But your dog is safe?
Sugar and other hi glycemic sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, honey, coconut sugar, agave, and dates) cause weight gain, diabetes and cancer. Your dog will be safe.
The decision to be made is yours to make and of course there are shills and haters that try their hardest and will lead you to your decision. They are learning fast that BochaSweet is the Supreme Sugar Replacement and they have no idea how to stop this movement.
The question is if you value your dog’s health more than your own then the simple conclusion is to not have BochaSweet. Or handle it that same way you would chocolate when it comes to your dog.
We will not conduct a clinical trial to find out one way or another whether Kabocha extract xylitol is dangerous or not to dogs. We do not gain anything by killing dogs to prove a point that makes no difference to our customer base. We however on the other hand suggest you take a look at studies that have been conducted to prove the health benefits and quality of life improvements of Kabocha extract xylitol to humans, especially those that have health issues.
I hope I cleared up the confusion.”
WOW- RIGHT?!
Kate says
Yes, pretty snarky. Well it sounds like this is just a more expensive version of xylitol. Awhile back a you tuber called Lets Go Low Carb did a review and found that it caused a BS rise using his CGM. This makes sense as xylitol can do this. Anyway, though I like the taste I’ll pass due to the safety issues with dogs,
Debbie says
Agreed! 🙂
Cherri Allen says
I made these tonight. Wonderful!
Brigitte says
Absolutely delicious and easy to make.
Linda Ann says
You should caution people who have dogs, to not let them near these candies. because they are deadly to dogs. We all do our best to keep our fur babies safe, but a word to the wise is prudent.
Carolyn says
So BochaSweet used to say that their product wasn’t xylitol and not toxic to pets. They seem to have changed their labels, though!
Lucinda says
These sound perfect for my husbands work christmas getogether. I’m going to make with clusters of almonds, pistachios & pecans (our pecan crop was almost non-existent this year). Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Carolyn says
Yum!
Elizabeth Vlug says
Hands down my favourite treat! I always have a stash in the vault, aka the freezer. So so good. Thanks for all your recipes and tips! Happy Thanksgiving too, well at least here in Canada.
Marydee says
Since family members have digestive issues with sugar alcohols, can powdered stevia be used in place of the xylitol, bocha sweet, or allulose? Do you know if Stevia will recrystallize?
Carolyn says
No, sorry it cannot. It doesn’t have bulk and it doesn’t caramelize.
Mary says
Okay the first batch of sweeteners and butter burned and set off the smoke alarms and scared my dogs. The second batch I watched and stirred soooo carefully… also set off the alarms but I didn’t quite burn it. It’s cooling now as I type! Fingers crossed! It really has to be boiled at a low heat. I am beginning to think this recipe is above my skill level. I gave it 5 stars because in the right hands these little morsels will be delicious!!
Carolyn says
I don’t think it’s your skill level, I think it’s your stove and cookware! Some electric stoves are hard to control and if your pan is a thin material, that’s problematic too.
Mary says
I have AllClad cookware, but my electric stove is a million years old so that could be the problem.
BUT I can back to say the candies were delicious, the caramel was smooth costly and they’re gone already.
Also I had about a tablespoon of leftover caramel and my husband spread it on low carb bread with some peanut butter. It was sooooooo delicious!
Carolyn says
Glad they met with approval!
Michele says
I made the turtles and while delicious, my caramel seems to have crystallized somewhat. Would that happen from stirring do you know?
Carolyn says
Did you use the same sweeteners as I did?
Dee says
I Live In an apartment, and I have no chance of being able to fit a cookie sheet in my freezer unless I empty everything else out. Will it still work in the fridge?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
It takes the caramel a while to firm up, which is why the freezer is preferable. It may take longer in the fridge but give it a try!
Gail says
Can I omit the xylitol or what can I substitute
Carolyn says
The three options are listed right in the recipe.
Sara Howard says
How long do these stay good?
Carolyn says
At least a week or two.
Diane Levac says
Made these yesterday and they are to die for! My caramel set within about 1/2 hour but I was ready because I toasted the pecans before starting the caramel and already had them arranged in bundles on a parchment line sheet.
Thanks for all you do Carolyn! You are the best!
Louie says
These taste great, although my caramel never really “set” even sitting in the freezer overnight. They’re still super gooey. I’m wondering if it’s the sweeteners, or if I should have let the mixture “cook down” more… I used the last of my Swerve (2.5T), filled in the rest with Lakanto Monkfruit (3.5T), and Xylitol (3T). It’s possible I slightly overshot the butter. I’ll have to look into getting some Swerve Brown and Bocha Sweet for next time. My link is an instagram pic of how they turned out.
Tameeka says
Hi
Can I use 2 cups of peanuts, instead of pecans
Will that make a difference? I’m sure that will change the nutritional value as well?
Thanks
Tameeka
Carolyn says
It’s totally fine for making them but yes, will definitely change the nutritional.