Pecan Caramel Clusters

These 30-minute pecan caramel clusters combine crunchy roasted butty pecans with rich homemade chewy caramel, all wrapped in a layer of smooth chocolate.

Perfect for a sweet treat or a thoughtful homemade Thanksgiving or Christmas gift.

A wonderful and easy recipe to eat this fall and holiday season, especially if you’re a bit bored with store-bought chocolates. I hope you like the combination of sweet, salty, and chewy, as this is exactly what these caramel pecan treats are.

Sometimes I see these clusters being called Pecan caramel chocolate turtles probably because they are round and the pecans have a shell look. To make classic turtle candies lay 4 pecans in a cross (X) shape.

Why I Love These Pecan Caramel Clusters

• Absolutely yummy little crunchy sweet clusters with pecans, caramel, and chocolate. Can satisfy any sweet tooth craving.
• Only 7 simple ingredients, and most of them you probably have.
• Fast. Technically there is no baking! We only toast pecans, but even this step can be optional.
• Fun and easy homemade candy to make with kids! Firstly, there is not a single ingredient kids can make a fuss about and you can make the prep work a family activity.
• Giftable. Express love and care on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or big holidays like Christmas. 
• Perfect size. Small enough to gobble them up quickly yet big enough to get all the flavors in one bite. 

Ingredients Notes

These clusters have 3 main components: pecans, caramel, and chocolate. Just a few different ingredients make amazing pop-in-your-mouth sweets. 

• Pecan halves. I love to toast my pecans for desserts. It is very quick but it brings out so much more flavor and aroma! Thank me later. If you want to mix the nuts with caramel, it is best to crush them into pecan pieces. 
• Caramel sauce. Caramel is simply made by caramelizing granulated sugar with unsalted butter and heavy cream. If you only have salted butter, do not add more salt later on in the recipe. You can use half and half or condensed instead of heavy cream too to make a smooth and creamy sauce. You can use melted caramel candy instead.
• Vanilla extract is my go-to flavoring for cakes, pies, and sweets. It adds a nice elegant taste and the dessert will slightly smell like vanilla. The vanilla flavor is always a great addition. 
• Salt rounds the sweetness and balances it.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips to make sweet chocolate coating.

As you can see I make the caramel from scratch, using sugar – that’s how caramels are made anyway! This means I don’t need to buy and then try to stay sane prepping individually wrapped caramels for melting.

The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Kitchen Equipment

• Baking sheets. This recipe makes 24 caramel pecan clusters, so depending on the size of your oven (and sheets) you may need at least two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat as these clusters are very sticky and once set will stick to the pan. You can also scoop and serve each cluster in a cupcake liner!
• Saucepan to prepare the caramel mixture.
• Microwave-safe bowl to melt the chocolate chips.
• Spoon or a 1-inch cookie scoop to form the clusters.

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How To Make Caramel Pecan Clusters

Toasted pecans are at the base of these clusters, covered with caramel, and melted chocolate. I do not mix in pecans in caramel mixture, I simply layer each cluster. Which makes this a foolproof recipe.

One 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Two

1. Spread the pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until they become fragrant. Remove and cool.
2. You can technically toast pecans in a large skillet, stirring occasionally to brown both sides.

Three 

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange small portions of the toasted pecans (about 4-5 pecans per cluster). Set aside.

Four 

1. Combine the sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until the caramel thickens.
2. If using a candy thermometer, look for 245°F to know when this creamy caramel sauce is done. 

Five

Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

Six

1. Spoon a tablespoon of the caramel mixture over each pecan cluster, ensuring they are well-coated. Work fast as caramel starts to harden quickly.
2. Let them cool and set for about 15 minutes.
3. Alternatively, freeze the clusters quickly for 10-15 minutes before coating them with chocolate.

Seven

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval until fully melted and smooth.

Eight

1. Spoon the melted chocolate over each caramel-pecan cluster, covering them completely.
2. If you freeze the caramel pecan clusters, you can also dip frozen treats individually into chocolate using a fondue work. It will be easier to dip them if you melt chocolate in a glass measuring cup.

Nine

1. Allow the clusters to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator until the chocolate is firm.
2. When serving, you can drizzle more caramel or chocolate or sprinkle some coarse sea salt.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

These clusters can’t sit out for long especially on a hot day, as chocolate will simply melt.

Freezing. Store each caramel cluster wrapped individually in a freezer for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving to guests.

These pecan caramel clusters are perfect to make ahead as they can be stored for up to 2 months and enjoyed whenever!

If your chocolate-coated pecan caramel clusters have some white powder on them, it is a normal effect of “chocolate bloom”. It doesn’t affect the taste but it is a sign that they’ve been sitting in the fridge for too long or maybe aren’t stored properly.

Variations & Substitutions

• Try other nuts. Walnuts, peanuts, and cashews are just some common choices.
• Use caramel candies to make the sauce. Mixed with corn syrup and heavy cream they make very rich, silky cream. They are delicious and easy to use in any pecan recipe, like my caramel pecan pie.
• Use brown sugar to get more toffee flavors. Dixie Crystals Sugar is a great choice.
• Different chocolate. Semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate – whichever you like to top the clusters. Take it to the next level by adding some almond bark to the melted chocolate mix. Hey, and why not white chocolate? Any chocolate you love can work! 
• Vegan pecan caramel clusters can use nut butter and coconut oil.

Kitchen Tips To Make The Best Pecan Caramel Clusters

• Another way to go about this recipe is to use chopped pecans and mix them in the caramel sauce. Then drop spoonfuls of the caramel pecan mixture onto the baking sheet before covering with melted chocolate.
• You can use regular chocolate for the coating. The best way to melt would be a double boiler with constant stirring and close control of the temperature. 

If you love this candy recipe, you’re going to love these other homemade candy recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Pecan Recipes

Butter Pecan Pound Cake

Pecan Sandies Cookie Recipe

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

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