Turtle Brownies

Who can resist fudgy, chocolatey brownies topped with toasted pecans and ooey gooey caramel? That’s what these Turtle Brownies are all about, and they’re so good that they should be outlawed. Make a batch of these and watch how fast they disappear!

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These are simply the best brownies on the planet. Why have a regular brownie when you can have a homemade Turtle Brownie?

I’ve been making these brownies for 20-plus years. We sold big squares of them back when I had my business, and they were a hot ticket item. Everybody raved about them, and they still do!

You’ll make these caramel brownies in 2-layers: the brownie layer and then the caramel layer. You can make the brownies ahead of time, but that caramel must go on top while it is still hot and fluid.

Ingredients

There’s nothing unusual in this Turtle Brownie recipe, and you can cut down on some time by getting chopped pecans instead of halves.

For the brownies

• Semisweet chocolate – Look for good-quality baking chocolate.
• Unsweetened chocolate – Look for good-quality baking chocolate.
• Butter – I use salted butter.
• Brown sugar – Packed.
• Vanilla – Real or artificial vanilla extract.
• Eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder – Make sure it hasn’t expired!
• Salt

For The Pecan-Caramel Topping

• White sugar – Granulated sugar.
• Light corn syrup
• Water
• Heavy whipping cream
• Vanilla – Real or artificial vanilla extract.
• Pecans – Toasted and chopped.
• Semisweet chocolate – For the optional drizzle.

You’ll also need:

• Parchment paper – NOT waxed paper.
• Heavy bottomed saucepan – To make the caramel.

How To Make The Best Turtle Brownies

For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe near the bottom of this page.

1. Preheat your oven to 350-F and line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is just melted but not too hot.
3. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well until combined.
5. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.
6. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate-egg mixture and stir until well mixed.
7. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake at 350-F for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
8. Cool the brownies IN THE PAN.

To Make The Caramel Topping:

1. Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture is bubbling and turns a golden caramel color. Be patient – this can take 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and CAREFULLY add the cream and vanilla. The mixture with bubble and hiss and steam, so be careful not to get any on your skin. It is molten hot. Stir it with a silicone spoon as soon as it is safe.
4. Stir the pecans in immediately after the bubbling dies down and pour the mixture over the cooled brownies, spreading it in an even layer.
5. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl in the microwave and drizzle it over the top (optional, but who doesn’t love more chocolate?)
6. Let cool completely in the pan, then use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve!

Recommended

Chef Jenn’s Tips

I’ve made a billion batches of these brownies, and the following tips will ensure yours turn out perfectly every time!

• Lining the baking pan with parchment paper is an easy way to get the brownies out of the pan. You could use cooking spray instead.
• To get very clean cuts through the caramel, partially freeze the brownies. Then cut them with a very sharp knife, wetting the blade in hot water between each cut.
• Molten sugar – when making the caramel – is extremely hot. You don’t want a sugar burn, trust me. Keep kids well away from the pan and use caution when working around it.
• You can also melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler instead of the microwave.

Serving Suggestions

Brownies and ice cream are one of the best combinations on the planet. Good vanilla ice cream and brownies are a treat everyone will love! Or, serve these decadent brownies with whipped cream, or nothing at all! They’re just that good! For a double dose of chocolate goodness, check out this keto fudge, and a cocktail made with your own sour mix also goes down nicely with these brownies!

Storage

These Turtle Brownies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days. After that, they start to get a little dried out. You can keep them in a container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or cut them and freeze them, that way, you can defrost one or two whenever the chocolate cravings hit!

Step By Step Process

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