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Turtle Brownies

4 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 25 min. + chilling

Makes

2 dozen

Updated: May. 24, 2023
Homemade turtle brownies are a sweet addition to the appetizer table on game day. Your guests might forget the score, but I guarantee they'll remember these treats! —Sherry Miller, Columbia Heights, Minnesota
Turtle Brownies
Turtle Brownies Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • TOPPING:
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup 2% milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 12 caramels
  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture.
  2. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, butter, milk and vanilla until fluffy. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  4. In a microwave, melt caramels with cream; stir until smooth. Drizzle over brownies.

Turtle Brownies Tips

How do you store turtle brownies?

Keep brownies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 3 days. Though they may last a bit longer in the refrigerator, they’ll likely dry out. You can also freeze uncut brownies and bars.

Can you use brownie mix for turtle brownies?

Yes! You can definitely use a brownie mix in a 13x9 pan for this recipe. Though, it will have a more cakelike texture than this fudgy homemade brownie. Our brownie mix taste tests revealed Duncan Hines would be a good fit, since it already makes batter for a 13x9 pan. (Some mixes make a smaller batch, so you might need two.)

What other ingredients can you add to turtle brownies?

Traditional turtle recipes with the combination of chocolate with caramel and pecans don’t leave much room for improvement, but you could consider mix-ins like chopped pecans, semisweet chocolate chips, or caramel baking bits to your brownie batter to amp up the flavor. Some people like to nest a layer of Caramello bars inside the brownie batter before baking. For other brownie variations, check out our contest-winning brownies and bars.

Research contributed by Christine Rukavena, Taste of Home Book Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 brownie: 330 calories, 17g fat (8g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (34g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.