Homemade Chocolate Turtles Recipe

These homemade chocolate turtles make a wonderful gift or even treat for yourself!

Sometimes, a girl needs chocolate. There is something downright visceral about it. A craving unlike anything else. Almost like your cells need chocolate to survive another day. Am I right? We have the Aztecs to thank for this deliciousness, and I for one, am thankful on very nearly a regular basis. I also have a love affair with chocolate turtles. I mean, who doesn’t like a good chocolate turtle?

Clean Eating Chocolate Turtles

Most turtles are chocolate caramel turtles. They have a layer of caramel that glues the nuts together and then the chocolate is drizzled over that. But I don’t find it to be necessary. These are just as good without it and definitely hit the spot every time. And far be it from me to tell anybody that they can’t have a treat such as chocolate on their clean eating diet. I would be quite the hypocrite because frankly, I just couldn’t stop eating these!

That’s right, even on a clean eating diet, it’s important to give yourself a treat every now and again. The last thing you want is to feel like you’re on a diet. That’s a dirty, four-letter word in my book! So the occasional treat is important, in my humble opinion, for the purpose of general sanity. Am I right?!

What Makes This Homemade Chocolate Turtles Recipe Healthier Than Most?

There is zero corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, vegetable shortening, heavy cream, milk chocolate, or even butter in these. The recipe calls for healthy sweeteners and simple ingredients. So yes, these are definitely a treat. But farm healthier than anything you can buy at the store. You won’t even need a candy thermometer!

Dietary Restrictions

Dairy-Free – Just make sure the chocolate you use is dairy-free. Nothing in this recipe calls for any dairy-based ingredients.

Sugar-Free – You can use sugar free chocolate chips and simply omit the added sweeteners.

Gluten-Free – While none of the ingredients used have gluten, it’s best to be sure that each ingredient you purchase is labeled as gluten-free.

Vegan – To make this plant-based, simply omit the honey and use maple syrup instead. You may need to add an extra tablespoon for sweetness though. Maple syrup is not as sweet as honey.

Clean Eating Chocolate Turtles

About The Ingredients

Unsweetened baking chocolate – I use the Baker’s brand (not paid to promote them). But any brand you can get will work.

Brown rice syrup – This is what will give the turtles some stickiness and a slight caramel flavor. It replaces sugar-based caramel.

Honey – You can use any sweetener you prefer. Honey is simply what I chose to use.

Medium almonds  -I used raw almonds – 6 for each turtle. You can also use pecans or pecan halves. Even walnuts will work well here.

Sea salt – Optional. You can sprinkle this on over the tops of the turtles while the chocolate is still warm. Just a tiny little sprinkle will get the job done.

How To Make This Homemade Chocolate Turtles Recipe

Melt chocolate in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir. (Or, melt in a slow cooker on low heat until melted)

Continue melting chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one.

When you have very small clumps left, stop microwaving and just stir until the chocolate melts completely.

Stir in brown rice syrup and honey.

Portion out 6 almonds for each turtle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Or pecan clusters, if you are using pecans)

Pour approximately 2 tsp. chocolate over each cluster of nuts.

If using, sprinkle on the sea salt while the chocolate is still warm.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Storage

Keep in refrigerator. These can sit at room temperature for about 4 hours before they need to go back into the fridge.

Freezing

These will freeze well. Pack them in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

More Healthy Treats

Copyright Information For The Gracious Pantry
Clean Eating Chocolate Turtles

Homemade Chocolate Turtles

A delicious treat for special occasions.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 18 turtles
Calories: 79kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 3 tbsp. brown rice syrup
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 108 medium almonds (I used raw almonds – 6 for each turtle)

Instructions

  • Melt chocolate in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir. (Or, melt in a slow cooker on low heat until melted)
  • Continue melting chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one.
  • When you have very small clumps left, stop microwaving and just stir until the chocolate melts completely.
  • Stir in brown rice syrup and honey.
  • Portion out 6 almonds for each turtle on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Pour approximately 2 tsp. chocolate over each cluster of nuts.
  • If using, sprinkle on the sea salt while the chocolate is still warm.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition information given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1turtle | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

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20 Comments

  1. HI!
    Congrats on the weight loss! I think I get as excited as you when I see the pounds coming off!
    2 quick questions….what does the brown rice syrup do in the choc. turtle recipe? Does it make the chocolate a little chewy or is it just for sweetness?
    Also, I can’t wait to make your espresso cups. Could you use white beans instead of the chickpeas? No reason other than just wondering!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Tracy – The brown rice syrup gives it a chewier texture than other sweeteners. I use it in recipes where most people would use corn syrup. It works well. As for the beans, it depends on how heavy the flavor is. If they are lightly flavored, then yes, they will work. (I’ve never used white beans I’m embarrassed to say!)

  2. Michelle Farley says:

    These look amazing! And I just bought a bag of raw almonds… 🙂 I’ve never seen brown rice syrup though; where do you get it?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Michelle – Most health food stores will carry it. It’s in with the honey.

  3. THANK YOU so much for posting this. A friend of mine shared your website with me a couple of weeks ago and I am going to start clean eating Monday morning! I’m shopping this weekend to get prepared. It just hit me earlier today I was going to miss out on all the Easter candy next weekend (which isn’t such a bad thing), but I am so excited to see this post today! I’ll be sharing with my readers for my Tasty Tuesday recipe this week!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Michelle – Wonderful! You’re going to LOVE clean eating! There’s just nothing like it. Glad I could help with Easter too!

  4. So I have made this recipe a few times…It is definately my go to chocolate fix “cure all”. Instead of drizzling the chocolate mixture over the almonds, I dumped them into my mixing bowl, and then arranged them, it is so much easier for me…the calorie content might not be right because you can’t really control the amount of chocolate each cluster gets….but I love that all of the almonds are coated in it…YUM!

    1. Anonymous says:

      Gardo – Great technique! I’m so happy you’re enjoying them!

  5. These are delicious. If I want them to be a little firmer, should I use less honey?

    1. Anonymous says:

      You can either freeze them, or use more brown rice syrup. Note that these are not a firm turtle however. I haven’t tried altering the recipe, so I can’t guarantee how these changes will affect them.

  6. ElenaJohnson says:

    Well, a batch is in the fridge chilling! Valentine’s dessert! I didn’t have brown rice syrup….used pure maple….not sure how it will set, but it tasted good 😉

    1. graciouspantry says:

      Elena – Let me know. I wouldn’t think that it would set very well. But if it does, I’d like to know so I can give it a shot next time. 🙂

    1. graciouspantry says:

      Kimberly – HAHA! Why thank you!

  7. Robyn Richards says:

    I will be trying this recipe!!!
    Perfect for a clean Valentines!!!

  8. It’s looks very dekedent. Defenatly wil try,thank you for posting.

  9. Sounds good, but did you temper your chocolate? If you tempered it, would be shiny, not matte 🙂

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Rose – I just melted it. 🙂

  10. How many ounces is the 4 squares of unsweetened baker’s chocolate?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Nathan – 4 ounces.