Things can get overwhelming during the holidays. Gift buying, decorating, lots of family time etc. But one thing I always look forward to is getting into the kitchen and baking! For me it’s an absolute stress reliever and just so much fun. I love to make healthier versions of classic cookies during the holidays because, frankly, who doesn’t love a healthier (and still tasty!) option. And then wherever you go for your meals you can also make healthier choices! I teamed up with FreshDirect for their 12 Days of Cookies!
I am a huge fan of FreshDirect because grocery shopping is a pain when you live in the city. No car, public transpiration, crowded aisles, long lines…and the list goes on. FreshDirect helps you get everything you need without the hassle of shopping. All new customers get 25$ their 100$ order just click this link! This is especially helpful if you have a 9-5 (ok, who are we kidding – in NYC it more like 7-10) job and “don’t have time to shop” – I hear that all the time! Services like this make it easy to fill your pantry and fridge in no time. Ok, enough about how much I love FreshDirect and back to this Salted Caramel Chocolate Turtle recipe!
The caramel sauce is made with dates (my favorite) and a mixture of coconut oil, water and vanilla extract. I promise it tastes just like caramel. But – fair warning – I probably have not actually eaten caramel in 7 years. But I tested these out on friends and family and they agree. I used vegan chocolate chips found on FreshDirect. Using a high quality chocolate is key to making these. I love the crunch from the pecans with the soft caramel and the chocolate layer topped with sea salt. It is everything you want from a cookie/candy this time of year. You may find yourself making them all year!
Here is what you will need:
Everyone loves a homemade treat during the holidays and this is the perfect solution. The steps may seem overwhelming which is why I made this video to guide you through the recipe. It’s a really fun activity to do with your kids or friends! Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Recipe:
For Raw Date Caramel:
- 1/2 cup dates, soaked in warm water for 5-10 minutes
- 1/4 Tbsp. water
- 2 tablespoons. coconut oil, solid
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Melt vegan chocolate chips. Using a teaspoon make little circles of chocolate on the parchment paper making 8 little circles.
- For each chocolate circle, place 6 pecan slices on top of the chocolate in the position for the head, legs, and tail. Fill in the remainder of the chocolate with smaller pecan pieces.
- in a high-speed blender, whip up all the ingredients for the raw caramel sauce until completely smooth.
- Using a teaspoon place 1 teaspoon worth of caramel sauce in the center of the chocolate circle. Place it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes
- Top the turtles with the remaining chocolate on top of the caramel. Smooth out with the back of a spoon to ensure it is evenly spread. Do it right away because the chocolate will get hard once it hits the cold caramel.
- Place them back in the freezer for 5-10 minutes and place the remaining chocolate in a ziplock bag. cut a tiny corner piece and then pipe lines to make it look like a turtle
- Allow the turtles to fully set (either back in the freezer or if you keep them on the counter, they will harden as well).
The recipe says 1/2 dates. Is that 1/2 cup?
yes!
Love it! Easy, yummy and looks super cute/almost fancy! It made a lot more than 8 for me. I forgot to add the salt! Should it be mixed into the caramel, or just on top? Tried sprinkling it on after the chocolate was cooled and it just kinda rolls off. I’ll have to add it next time… Thanks for the great recipe!
These were delicious! And super cute! A big hit with my family! I doubled the recipe and made half with pecans and the other half with walnuts. Mmmmmmm good!