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Easy Turtle Bars Recipe

Easy Turtle Bars Recipe
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★★★★★

5.1 from 27 reviews

Delight in these Easy Turtle Bars combining a buttery shortbread crust, toasted pecans, rich caramel, and smooth melted milk chocolate, finished with a sprinkle of sea salt and extra pecans for a perfect sweet and salty treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 cup pecan halves

Caramel Layer

  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

Topping

  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • Extra chopped pecans
  • Sea salt flakes
  • Drizzled caramel sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges for easy removal later.
  2. Make Crust Mixture: Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs, making sure the butter stays cold.
  3. Press Crust into Pan: Evenly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, using the back of a spoon or your fingers to create a compact and uniform layer.
  4. Add Pecan Halves: Sprinkle pecan halves evenly over the crust layer to provide a crunchy base for the caramel.
  5. Prepare Caramel: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Stir constantly and carefully watch as it begins to bubble and caramelize.
  6. Cook Caramel: Continue stirring and cooking for exactly one minute after the caramel starts boiling to achieve the perfect consistency without burning.
  7. Pour Caramel Over Pecans: Carefully pour the hot caramel evenly over the pecan and crust layer, using a spatula if needed to ensure full coverage.
  8. Bake Bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the topping is bubbly and golden brown.
  9. Add Chocolate Chips: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle milk chocolate chips evenly over the hot bars. Let them sit for a few minutes to soften.
  10. Spread Melted Chocolate: Once softened, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the melted chocolate into an even layer using the residual heat of the bars.
  11. Finish and Cool: Optionally sprinkle extra chopped pecans and sea salt flakes over the top, drizzle with caramel sauce if desired, then allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out with parchment paper and slicing.

Notes

  • Use cold butter to ensure a crumbly, flaky crust texture.
  • Be careful when working with hot caramel as it can cause burns.
  • Adjust the amount of sea salt flakes based on your preference for sweetness vs. saltiness.
  • Allow bars to cool fully before cutting to get clean slices.
  • For a variation, try dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate.

Nutrition

Keywords: turtle bars, caramel bars, easy dessert, pecan bars, chocolate caramel dessert, homemade bars

Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/easy-turtle-bars-recipe/