Caramel Turtle Brownies

Today I’ve got a recipe that uses my favorite high-altitude brownies and turns them into some really incredible caramel turtle brownies. These are such a treat to make and you end up with an addicting salty-sweet treat!

These brownies get candied pecans folded into the batter, caramel sauce swirled on top before baking, and an extra sprinkle and drizzle of both on top after they bake. This is honestly like eating some kind of amazing brownie candy bar and you don’t wanna miss that. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Caramel Turtle Brownies

This recipe is adapted from my high-altitude brownie recipe so the ingredients are pretty similar. We’re making some candied pecans and using some caramel sauce additionally, which you can make from scratch or buy. I’m calling for pecan pieces in this recipe, but if you have pecan halves like I did when making it here, you can just give them a rough chop before moving on.

Starting with the pecans, we’re making quick candied pecans on the stove. It’s really easy to pull together- you basically just bring the sugar, salt, and water to a boil, and then stir in the pecans. Continue cooking for a few minutes and then spread the pecans onto a baking sheet to cool completely.

For the brownies, we’re starting out by whisking together the melted butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Things may look a little lumpy at this point but that’s ok! Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk everything together until very well combined.

Then it’s time to add in the dry ingredients and get to whisking. You want to whisk this batter for a full five minutes, which feels like a long time but it helps create the perfect texture in these brownies so don’t skip it!

Once your batter is well mixed, it’s time to stir in about 3/4 of the chopped candied pecans. Then spread your batter into your prepared pan and dollop caramel sauce all over before giving it a little swirl. You can make your own caramel sauce or buy some-either works perfectly in this recipe.

Bake the brownies until they are set around in the middle and a toothpick inserted into the brownies about an inch from the edge comes out clean. Cool them completely before drizzling more caramel and sprinkling more candied pecans on top. Honestly amazing!

Tips & Tricks for Caramel Turtle Brownies

Here are my tips to help you along the way!

• Do I have to use pecans? You can use any kind of nut you prefer here- walnuts would be another great option. No matter what you use, you want to roughly chop them or use pieces in this recipe.
• Do I have to make my own caramel sauce? No- use homemade or buy a jar, but either will work great in this recipe!
• Do I have to use Dutch-Processed cocoa powder? Yes- this recipe uses dutch-processed cocoa powder because it gives you a much deeper chocolate flavor and I highly recommend only using this kind of cocoa for this recipe.
• Don’t skip the extra mixing step! It’s a lot of mixing, and you can absolutely use an electric mixer for this recipe if needed, but the additional mixing time creates really chewy brownies.
• How do I know when the pecans are finished cooking? The pecans simply need to cook enough for the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly, but this is not a perfect science. Once the pecans have fully cooled, as long as you’ve cooked them for at least a few minutes after the mixture boils, it should harden perfectly.
• How do I know when the brownies are finished cooking? The brownies should look fairly set, and a toothpick inserted about an inch away from the edge of the pan should come out mostly clean. The brownies will set more as they cool.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

Caramel Turtle Brownies

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

For the pecans:

• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbs. water

For the brownies:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

For the pecans:

1. In a medium saucepan or skillet, combine the brown sugar, salt, and water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
2. Stir in the pecan pieces and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet to cool completely before continuing.

For the brownies:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a quarter sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add in all 3 eggs and the vanilla extract, and whisk together until well combined.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, and then stir this mixture into the butter mixture. At this point you want to whisk the batter for a full 5 minutes by hand. It’s going to seem like a really long time to mix this batter, but trust me! It helps create the perfect texture.
4. Once you’ve mixed the batter well, fold in about 3/4 of the candied pecans. Spread the batter into your prepared pan and dollop 2-3 tablespoons of caramel sauce over the top of the brownie batter. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the caramel into the batter.
5. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the brownies look set on top. Once the brownies have cooled for at least 20 minutes, drizzle more caramel sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining candied nuts. Slice and serve!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!