Vegan Turtles (Grain-Free/Dairy-Free)

These vegan turtles are made with butterscotch caramel, TOASTED pecans, chocolate, and topped with flaky sea salt.

The Story:

A quick and easy treat, perfect for the holidays and cookie boxes. Normal caramel is made by melting down and caramelizing plain, granulated sugar, but butterscotch is caramel that is made by caramelizing brown sugar. Butterscotch therefore has a richer, sweeter flavor than “normal” caramel and elevates the flavor of these turtles. I have also found butterscotch caramel to be a bit easier to work with. The extra moisture content in brown sugar helps the caramelizing process and doesn’t seem to clump or seize as easily as regular caramel. Win, win! Lastly, if you’re not toasting your pecans, you’re doing it wrong. As the experts say, always toast your nuts! It deepens and enhances the flavor and makes them even more irresistible!

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• The Story:
• 🧾 The Ingredients:
• Step By Step Preparation Instructions:
• Recipe FAQ's:
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• 📖 The Recipe:
• Vegan Turtles
• The Finished Product:

🧾 The Ingredients:

Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make these vegan turtles.

• Pecans: You want to use plain, raw pecans for this recipe as they work well with the flavor balance. Toasting them is a must in my opinion, it takes them to another level!
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is the key here for making this butterscotch. I also find it is easier to work with than regular granulated sugar.
• Dairy-Free Butter: I would only use Country Crock plant butter in making this caramel. While I also love a few other brands in baked goods, I have found that Country Crock is the only one that coagulates properly for caramel.
• Coconut Milk: Full fat coconut milk from a can creates a delicious thick caramel you are going for here.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate: You can melt down a baking bar or chocolate chips for this recipe. I love Baker’s 65% semi-sweet baking bar.

Step By Step Preparation Instructions:

• Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven WHILE it is preheating. Leave them in for 10-15 min until they are starting to darken in color slightly and are fragrant. Don’t wait until the oven reaches 350 to put them in. They will be burnt if you leave them in for 10-15min at 350! Remove and set aside. You can turn off your oven too, as you won’t be needing it.
• Step 2: Melt your chocolate with the coconut oil until smooth. You can do this easily in the microwave by heating in 25 second intervals, stirring in between and repeating until completely melted.
• Step 3: Now, to make the butterscotch: place the sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium low heat. It will clump together some initially, then will turn into an almost peanut butter texture. Stir regularly and continue to let it melt and caramelize until it is more of a liquid and runs off a spoon easily. Remove from the heat source and add in the butter. It will bubble and steam a lot, so be careful! Whisk or stir until the butter has become homogeneous. This may take a minute or 2. Lastly, add in the coconut milk and whisk until homogeneous. If it is being a bit stubborn and not coming together smoothly, you can place it back on the heat on low and whisk until it comes together. Set aside to cool and firm up. You want the caramel to hold its place when you pour it onto the pecans.
• Step 4: Now to assemble: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange 5 pecans in each cluster in a “turtle” or “star” shape. Pour a bit of caramel in the middle of each set of pecans, ensuring that each pecan has some caramel on it so that the cluster holds together. Top each cluster with a bit of the melted chocolate, covering the caramel layer. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on each cluster and enjoy!
• Step 5: Store these in the fridge in an airtight container, with parchment paper in between each layer. They do melt when not refrigerated!

Recipe FAQ's:

• Can I make these with regular sugar instead? Of course! Using plain granulated sugar would absolutely work here.
• Are chocolate turtles vegan? This recipe is vegan and dairy free! Most turtles are not vegan though. Most chocolate turtles you purchase will have dairy in them.
• Are chocolate turtles gluten free? Most recipes and chocolate turtles you can purchase are gluten free as the ingredients that go into making them typically do not contain gluten. Always check the label to make sure though!

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📖 The Recipe:

The Finished Product:

A gooey, indulgent, 5 ingredient treat that comes together easily. Endearingly imperfect and delicious! Store these little guys in the fridge with parchment paper between each layer, because they will become soft and melty if left out.