Description
Indulge in rich and decadent Turtle Bars, featuring a buttery crust topped with a luscious caramel layer, toasted pecans, and melted chocolate. These bars are perfect for parties, potlucks, or a sweet treat at home!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
For the Caramel Layer:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the Topping:
- 1 ½ cups pecans, chopped
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Make the Crust:
- In a bowl, mix together flour, softened butter, and brown sugar until crumbly.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool.
- Make the Caramel Layer:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar.
- Stir in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and pour the caramel over the baked crust. Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Add Toppings:
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over the caramel layer.
- Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until the caramel is bubbling and the pecans are slightly toasted.
- Add Chocolate:
- Remove the bars from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot caramel-pecan layer.
- Let them sit for a few minutes until they soften, then gently spread the melted chocolate over the top.
- Cool and Serve:
- Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate until set.
- Once cooled, slice into bars and sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
Notes
- For added richness, use dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.
- Ensure the caramel layer is bubbly before removing from the oven for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25-27minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg