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 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!” — 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
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) Swerve Brown
- 1/4 cup (50 g) allulose, (or BochaSweet)
- 5 tbsp (71.01 g) butter, divided
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp ) xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) sea salt
- 2 cups (198 g) pecan halves
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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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!!
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.
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!
Glad they met with approval!
I made the turtles and while delicious, my caramel seems to have crystallized somewhat. Would that happen from stirring do you know?
Did you use the same sweeteners as I did?
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!
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!
Can I omit the xylitol or what can I substitute
The three options are listed right in the recipe.
How long do these stay good?
At least a week or two.
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!
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.
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
It’s totally fine for making them but yes, will definitely change the nutritional.
Carolyn,
Thank you for this delicious recipe. My husband is diabetic and has a real sweet tooth. If I don’t provide him with healthier alternatives to stave off the beast, he’ll binge on sugar-loaded candy and pastries, so these types of recipes are literally a life-saver. Just wanted to leave a note for folks who are, like me, rather impatient. I makes these in my mini muffin silicone molds. I put the pecan halves in the bottom and pour the caramel right from the pan into the molds so I don’t have to wait an hour. By the time I melt the chocolate the caramel is usually cool enough to pour the chocolate over it. Also, this way I can melt the chocolate with cocoa butter and not have to worry about the chocolate running all over the pan. These are absolutely delicious.
Hiiii, not sure if you are still replying to these messages but I thought I would still ask. Is is possible to use roasted pecans for this deliciousness? Will the carmel and chocolate stick to them? I’ve only been doing Keto for almost 2 yrs (intermittently) but your site makes me a believer and that I CAN do this long term and have all the foods and sweets I thought I would miss. Thank you
You can use pre-roasted pecans but obviously you need to not roast them again so skip a few steps in the recipe.
Hi Carolyn, I am using xylitol and Swerve brown. They definitely have to be kept in the freezer. Do yours? Thanks for everything you do! Keto is super tough without you!!
So I think the xylitol is the issue here. I used BochaSweet and although xylitol is similar, it’s producing a caramel that’s TOO soft. You need to use less of it.
I love these and have made them three times now! The only reason it didn’t make 5 stars for me, is I just can’t get the caramel to harden at all. I just keep them in the freezer. They are still fantastic! I’d just like something I could serve to keto guests. These are too soft for that, unfortunately. Any hints or other “candy” type recipes I can try, I’ll take it!! Thanks for all you do! Lauren
Hey Lauren, what sweetener(s) are you using? It’s also not supposed to be hard, but it does sound like yours is too soft…
I love these but noticed that the 5th Tbsp of butter is not in the directions in the recipe ????
Actually, it is. In step 5…
Is there something I can use instead of Bocha Sweet? I’m having a hard time finding it
Please read the tips section, as I address that.
This is the bomb! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. I melted chocolate chips in the microwave at about 10 second intervals. It’s a fine line between melting and seizing. I used pecans and didn’t have enough so made the rest with sliced almonds which also tasted equally good! Thanks for your recipes, never a failure and always tastes great!
So excited for this ! Could you use lakanto monfruit sweetener instead of bocha?
Not if you want it to be gooey. Lakanto is mostly erythritol so it’s basically the same as Swerve.