Description
Deliciously rich Turtle Bars featuring a buttery crust topped with toasted pecans, caramel sauce, and a smooth layer of melted chocolate. Perfectly baked to achieve a gooey, nutty, and chocolaty treat that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 10 tablespoons (141 grams) salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 2½ cups (320 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (165 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 2 cups (210 grams) roughly chopped pecans
Topping
- 1¼ cups (282 grams) salted butter, cut into pieces
- 1½ cups (330 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (346 grams) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped bar chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides for easy removal. Butter any exposed pan edges to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the crust mixture: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat together the room temperature butter, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and salt until the mixture resembles evenly moistened crumbs with a sandy texture.
- Form the crust: Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly using a flat-bottomed measuring cup or an offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle the roughly chopped pecans over the pressed crust layer.
- Make the caramel topping: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Melt over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a simmer, then continue cooking for 1 minute while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour caramel over crust: Evenly pour the hot caramel mixture over the crust and pecans, ensuring they are well coated.
- Bake the bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pecans smell toasty and the caramel topping is bubbling evenly across the surface.
- Add the chocolate layer: Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle the semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the hot caramel. Allow the chocolate to sit for 5 minutes to soften, then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate into a smooth, even layer.
- Cool and set: Let the bars cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. For best results, refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes to fully set the chocolate and caramel layers.
- Slice and store: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-by-2-inch bars. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw the bars before serving.
Notes
- Using parchment paper with an overhang makes removing the bars easier and cleaner.
- For a richer flavor, try using dark brown sugar in both the crust and caramel topping.
- Toast pecans lightly beforehand to enhance their nutty flavor before adding to the crust if desired.
- Allow bars to cool completely before cutting to prevent the caramel layer from oozing.
- Store bars in an airtight container to keep them fresh longer.
- Freezing bars is a great option for making in advance; just thaw before serving for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Turtle Bars, caramel bars, pecan bars, chocolate caramel dessert, baked bars, sweet treat
