When the recipe title includes the word “turtles,” you know you’re in for a treat and these turtle brownies are no exception. This combination of chocolate, pecans and caramel is to the dessert world what the “Holy Trinity” of celery, onions and bell peppers is to Cajun cookery.
The recipe comes together quickly and easily, with just 20 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of baking. They’re perfect as a weeknight dessert, as part of a dessert tray to serve to guests, or even as a solitary indulgence (it’s best to freeze them so you don’t indulge more than you should!).
Turtle Brownie Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: Butter adds its rich flavor to the brownies themselves and also to the chocolate topping.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar doesn’t just sweeten the brownie batter; it also helps give the finished brownies structure and tender crumb.
- Vanilla: Vanilla’s signature mellow flavor enriches both the brownie batter and the topping.
- Eggs: Eggs play a crucial role in creating the texture of the brownie, partly through helping the wet and dry ingredients emulsify (mix) thoroughly and partly because their protein helps give the brownies their texture.
- Cocoa: Cocoa gives the brownies and their icing a rich chocolatey flavor.
- Flour: The starches and proteins in wheat flour help stabilize the delicate batter and give it structure, resulting in the dense and fudgy texture of the finished brownie.
- Baking powder: Baking powder brings its leavening power to the brownie batter, providing a bit of lift that keeps them from being overly dense.
- Confectioner’s sugar: Confectioner’s sugar sweetens the chocolatey frosting that tops the brownies and also gives it its spreadable consistency.
- Milk: The milk in the icing helps thin it for easier, smoother spreading and also helps ensure that it will be dry when set (less mess!).
- Pecans: Pecans are part of the classic “turtles” combination of flavors and textures.
- Caramels: Caramel is a classic flavor pairing with both chocolate and pecans and pulls the recipe together.
- Heavy cream: The heavy whipping cream thins the caramels just enough to give them a pourable consistency once they’re melted, and keeps the caramel drizzle from setting to a tooth-sticking gumminess.
Directions
Step 1: Make the brownie batter
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs ond at a time, making sure each egg is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next. In a separate bowl combine the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk them to combine. Add the dry ingredients gradually to the butter mixture until the batter is fully mixed.
Step 2: Bake the brownies
Spread the batter into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake the brownies at 350°F for 23 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the brownies on a wire rack.
Step 3: Frost the brownies
In a large bowl, beat together the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, butter, milk and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy and smooth. Spread it evenly over the brownies to frost them. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the icing, and refrigerate the brownies for at least one hour.
Step 4: Drizzle with caramel
In a microwave or small saucepan, melt the caramels together with the heavy cream and stir until they come together to make a smooth sauce. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the brownies and pecans.
Turtle Brownies Recipe Variations
- Do a “poke brownie”: Before frosting the brownies, use a skewer to poke holes in them. Make an extra half-recipe of the caramel sauce and drizzle that into the holes, and then finish the brownies as directed in the recipe. Alternatively you could drizzle melted chocolate or hot fudge sauce into some of the holes, doubling down on the chocolate flavor instead of the caramel.
- Load up the add-ins: The signature “turtles’ combination of chocolate, caramel and pecans is pretty iconic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t double down on any or all of them. Consider loading up the brownie batter with extra pecans, chocolate chips, caramel baking bits or even chopped-up turtles candy. Bake and top your fully-loaded brownies as usual.
- Upgrade the toppings: The basic frosting and caramel sauce in this recipe are both perfectly good, and have the virtues of being quick and easy, but they could certainly be upgraded if you felt the inclination to do so. Consider swapping out the frosting for a rich chocolate ganache and the basic caramel sauce for this salted caramel sauce. They’re both easy upgrades that have a big impact.
How to Store Turtle Brownies
The best way to store brownies is in a tightly sealed container that will keep the air out. Keep them in a single layer if you can, so the caramel doesn’t stick them together. If you need to stack them, put a sheet of wax paper or parchment between the layers.
How long will this turtle brownies recipe last?
Well, that depends how much willpower you have! Seriously, the brownies will hold well for up to three days at room temperature in a well-sealed container. They’ll last longer in the refrigerator, though they may start to feel rather dry by the fourth or fifth day. Brownies become stiff when the starches “retrograde” or become stiff and rigid. Warming them for a few seconds in the microwave will fix that.
Can I cut to the chase and use a brownie mix?
You certainly can. This recipe uses a 13×9-inch pan so be sure you choose a brand of brownie mix that’s sized correctly. Boxed mixes tend to come out a bit cake-ier than the scratch brownie in this recipe.
I’ve seen brownies dipped in a chocolate coating. Can I do that with this recipe?
You sure can, and it’s yet another way to double down on chocolatey goodness. After the brownies are refrigerated and set, cut them into squares or oblong bars and then follow the instructions in our dipped brownies recipe to coat them with the chocolate. Keep a few pecan pieces to garnish with while the chocolate is still wet.
