These Paleo Vegan Pecan Turtles are simple to make, no-bake, and so tasty. A healthy version of the classic candy. Sweet caramel on top of crunchy pecans and topped with chocolate. They are gluten free, dairy free, low FODMAP and naturally sweetened.
This post is sponsored on behalf of SunButter. All opinions are 100% my own, of course! Thank you for supporting brands that help make Real Food with Jessica possible!
These are a classic candy and I found a way to make them super simple while still keeping them decadent and sweet.
Dairy Free and Vegan Caramel
A caramel made with No Sugar Added SunButter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla comes together quickly and is the star of the recipe. It's mixed together and then needs to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours so it's thick enough to form into balls to place on top of the pecans. You will be so amazed at how much this mixture truly tastes like traditional caramel.
Assembling the Candy
These are really easy to make. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and start forming the pecans together to make the shape of a turtle. 4 halves for the legs and then a small piece for the head. Once the caramel has chilled, scoop 1 tablespoon in the middle of the pecans, rearranging as necessary. Then chocolate is melted and spooned over the top. Place in the fridge to set and then enjoy.
Low FODMAP Candy
These turtles are low FODMAP by using SunButter as the base and maple syrup as the sweetener. Pecans are naturally low FODMAP and so is chocolate.
Choosing a Paleo Chocolate
When choosing a chocolate I like to make sure it's dairy and soy free most importantly. Then I try to make sure it's Fair Trade. Alter Eco, Equal Exchange, and Guittard all make chocolate that fits those requirements, but they are sweetened with cane sugar. Santa Barbara Chocolate makes unsweetened chocolate chips (that would work here) and a coconut sugar version. I hope that helps when you are finding one that works for you.
I think you will love these paleo vegan pecan turtles and they would make a great holiday treat.
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Paleo Vegan Pecan Turtles
Ingredients
- ½ cup No Sugar Added SunButter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup melted refined coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 68 pecan halves
- ½ cup dairy free chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the SunButter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix well until smooth and combined. Cover and place in the fridge at least 2 hours to harden.
- While the caramel is hardening, get the pecans ready. Place parchment paper on a large sheet tray and arrange the pecan halves to form turtle legs. This will make 17 turtles with 4 pecan halves each.
- Once the caramel has set, scoop 1 tablespoon out and roll into a ball. Press on to the middle of the pecans and adjust them as needed. Place a small piece of pecan to make the head of the turtle. Repeat with the remaining caramel until all are finished.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl in 30 second increments until melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes in the microwave. Scoop a small amount over each turtle and spread over the caramel. Place them all in the fridge to set.
- These are best stored in the fridge, but can be left at room temperature for a couple hours if you are serving them at a party or packing them and taking them somewhere.
Derek says
Love these little guys.
Jessica DeMay says
Thank you!
Rachel says
Hi! Can you use ghee or butter (if not dairy free) in place of the coconut oil? Just curious!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Rachel- I haven't tried it, but I would use ghee over butter. I do think it will work. Hope you enjoy!
Jess says
So the caramel was delicious! But the turtles were very hard to assemble. It stuck to the spoon, the pecans kept moving, n the caramel melted so quickly once I touched it to try n put them together 😕. I wonder if the caramel would stay hard longer if there was a little less coconut oil? It tasted delicious but a little oily.
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Jess- I'm sorry about that. You could definitely try experimenting with less oil. I didn't find that mine melted that fast, but it was a little messy. Thanks for trying them!
Janice says
Jessica.....I just found you and am going to be using your recipes! I am definitely going to make these. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Obviously you are here to help us eat healthier. May I just suggest that those of you who use the microwave, please educate yourself about the health risks (EMF’s) as well as the fact that all those good nutrients are destroyed when you use the microwave. Being healthy isn’t just about eating. Information certainly is at our fingertips. I just want to awaken ppl to other health benefits/risks. After researching whatever it is, we then get to make an educated conscious decision. But if we don’t know what we don’t know, then we can be making some choices that are not healthy for us or our families. I know some of you are thinking how can you give up your microwave? Trust me.... it’s not as hard as you think it is. You get used to the way we used to heat/cook things. I raised a family not using a microwave😳. Now you know😉.
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Janice- thank you for sharing! I actually almost never use my microwave, but I know that is what most of my readers use. We are all on our own journey, at different points. I agree that microwave use isn't the best. I actually use a grounding mat daily to reduce my EMF exposure.
Brigid says
Can you use almond butter instead of the sun butter?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Brigid- yes, definitely!