Turtle shortbread bars have a homemade caramel, pecan and chocolate layer baked over a buttery, shortbread crust. These bars taste just like the classic candy!
Turtle Shortbread Bars
Have you ever had the classic turtle candy? Or maybe you are wondering what is in turtle candy, let alone a turtle shortbread bar? A turtle shortbread bar has similar ingredients to the classic turtle candy, baked onto a buttery, shortbread crust. Turtle candy is made traditionally with chocolate, caramel and pecans. The name for the candy came from the resemblance of the pecans looking like the reptile. Recipes have evolved from turtle candy to include these bars, pies, brownies, cookies and other desserts with the same chocolate, caramel and pecan ingredients.
How to Make This Recipe
These turtle shortbread bars have a homemade layer of caramel, pecans and chocolate baked over a buttery, shortbread crust. These bars do require several steps, so plan ahead before making them.
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Pecans
- Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
To make these bars, a shortbread crust of unsalted butter, all-purpose flour and granulated sugar is partially baked in a standard 8 inch baking pan lined with foil. The homemade caramel topping containing unsalted butter and light brown sugar is boiled on the stovetop first. Then, when removed from heat vanilla extract is added before it is poured over the partially baked crust that has been evenly sprinkled with pecans. After the bars are removed from the oven after baking, semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips are sprinkled on top. Additional chocolate chips can be melted to drizzle on top, if desired. Once the chocolate has cooled, the bars can be removed from the lined foil pan and cut for serving.
Tips for Turtle Shortbread Bars:
- You can substitute walnuts or almonds for the pecans
- Store baked bars in an airtight container up to 72 hours
- The recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a standard 9″x13″ baking pan
Want more bar recipes? Check out these recipes:
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Turtle Shortbread Bars
Equipment
- 8" standard square baking pan
- foil
- small saucepan
- mixing bowls of various sizes
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
For the turtle layer
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Line a standard 8" square baking pan with foil.
- For the crust, combine the 11/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar until sand-like in texture. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and make the turtle layer.
- For the turtle layer, combine the 1/3 cup unsalted butter and 1/3 cup light brown sugar, in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, whisking to prevent burning.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; pour mixture over partially baked crust.
- Sprinkle c1/3 cup pecans, chopped evenly over the caramel layer; return to oven and bake an additional 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown (caramel mixture will continue to bubble up while baking).
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with the 2/3 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips,. Cool pan on wire rack.
- Once cooled, melt additional chocolate chips to drizzle the top of bars with (optional). Once hardened, cut into squares.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts or almonds for the pecans
- Store baked bars in an airtight container up to 72 hours
- The recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a standard 9″x13″ baking pan