Rich and delicious, these easy homemade Turtle Brownies are studded with crunchy pecan pieces and have a layer of creamy caramel in the middle. This easy recipe is perfect for last-minute treats for family movie night, or for a large gathering during the holidays!
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I vividly remember the first time I ever had these easy turtle brownies. I was in high school at a family friend’s party, and they served these up cold from the refrigerator. Everybody went nuts, and they were so delicious that I remember asking my mom to ask her friend if I could have the recipe.
This was the best turtle brownie recipe even back then, and I think I probably made these once a week for the rest of my high school days. Other than chewy brownies, my favorite high school treat was chocolate cupcakes with rainbow chip frosting. To say I had a sweet tooth is a bit of an understatement!
This turtle brownies recipe is what I would actually call semi-homemade because you start with a German chocolate cake mix. While I generally prefer my goodies to be homemade from scratch, there’s just something about this box mix recipe that just rings every bell for me. It’s got amazing textures with the slightly crunchy pecans, the soft, chewy caramel, and the gooey brownie. As a finishing touch, adding a sweet layer of powdered sugar to the top of the brownies just takes it to that next level.
We definitely love brownies around here! Some of our other popular brownie recipes are Fudgy Frosted Chocolate Mint Brownies, Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, Gooey Swirled Nutella Brownies, Irresistible Mississippi Mud Brownies, Cream Cheese Brownies, and Thick, Fudgy, Chewy, Ultimate Brownies.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Made with a box cake mix instead of a brownie mix, it’s super quick and easy to make turtle brownies!
- Perfect for movie nights or festive treats.
- You can customize them using your favorite caramels and different types of nuts.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Brownies
- German Chocolate Cake Mix – Using a brownie mix makes these turtle brownies super quick and easy.
- Butter – You’ll need softened butter, so use some that has been at room temperature for a while, or heat your butter briefly in the microwave.
- Evaporated Milk – Helps make them fudgy.
- Pecans – To add a bit of crunch and nutty flavor.
Caramel Filling
- Caramels – I use unwrapped caramels.
- Evaporated Milk – Makes the filling creamy.
- Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips because the caramel layer has so much sweetness already, it’s a good balance.
- Powdered Sugar – For sprinkling on top to make these decadent brownies extra special!
How To Make Caramel Turtle Brownies
Prepare oven and baking pan. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by lining it with a parchment paper sling with the paper hanging over the edge so that you can lift the brownies out after they have finished cooling for easy cutting. Alternatively, just spray the baking pan with cooking spray.
Mix caramels and evaporated milk. Place the unwrapped caramels in a large glass bowl along with ½ cup of evaporated milk and set over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Occasionally stir the mix until the caramels are completely melted and combined with the evaporated milk. It may take a while, but you can work on the brownie batter while the caramels are melting. Alternatively, you can microwave caramels by first putting both the caramels and evaporated milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Then microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring the mixture between heating times.
Make brownie batter. While the caramels are melting, combine the cake mix, softened butter, ⅓ cup of evaporated milk, and pecans in a large bowl and mix together using a large spoon until it all comes together. This brownie batter will be very thick, more like cookie dough.
Bake half of mixture. Divide the brownie batter in half and crumble or press half of the mixture into the bottom of the pan, then bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until slightly set.
Assemble the brownies. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips on top in a single layer. Pour the melted caramel topping over the the entire pan of brownies. Next, crumble the rest of the brownie batter on top of the caramel, or use your fingers to make small discs of brownie batter to gently lay on top of the caramel. It’s okay if some of the caramel bits peek through.
Bake brownies. Return the brownies to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is set. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate brownies for several hours until they are well-chilled. When ready to serve, cut into small rectangles or squares. You can also generously dust them with powdered sugar, if desired.
Recipe FAQ’s
A turtle brownie is made of the essential components of turtle candies, which is where they get their name. Chocolate, pecans, and caramel are the three main ingredients of turtle candies, so it just makes sense to add them all into an easy-to-eat brownie bar!
Brownies get their fudginess from their high fat-to-flour ratio. These brownies are guaranteed to be fudgy, especially with the added caramel sauce in the middle!
To store these brownies, put them in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap. You can keep these brownies in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze brownies for up to 3 months, but they are best enjoyed freshly baked!
Tips for Success
- Letting the turtle brownies cool first before serving them will allow them to be properly set, so they’re not crumbly or soggy when you serve them.
- Serve warm brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra decadence.
- Alternatively, serve brownies with heavy cream or whipped cream on top.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use vegetable oil instead of softened butter.
- Use regular milk, half and half, or heavy cream instead of evaporated milk in a pinch.
- Make your own fudgy homemade brownies from scratch instead of a box mix.
- You can make your own caramel sauce from scratch using light corn syrup, sugar, and heavy cream.
- Add some peanut butter to the mix, or use my peanut butter swirl brownie recipe for the brownie base.
- Use chopped peanuts in the brownie mix instead of pecans.
More Brownie & Bar Recipes You’ll Love
- S’mores Bars
- Ultimate Butterfinger Brownies
- Best Fudgy Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Carmelitas (Oatmeal, Chocolate, Caramel Bars)
- The BEST Homemade Brownies
- Scotcheroos
- Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bars
Brownies and bars
Irresistible Mississippi Mud Brownies
Brownies and bars
Cream Cheese Brownies
Brownies and bars
Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Ingredients
Brownie batter
- 1 box German chocolate cake mix
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened (1 stick)
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Caramel filling
- 60 unwrapped caramels
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by lining it with a parchment paper sling with the paper hanging over the edge so that you can lift the brownies out after they have finished cooling for easy cutting. Alternatively, just spray the baking pan with cooking spray.
- Place the unwrapped caramels in a large glass bowl along with ½ cup of evaporated milk and set over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until the caramels are completely melted and combined with the evaporated milk. It may take a while but you can work on the brownie batter while the caramels are melting. Alternatively, you can microwave caramels by first putting both the caramels and evaporated milk into a large microwave-safe bowl. Then microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring the mixture between heating times.60 unwrapped caramels, ½ cup evaporated milk
- While the caramels are melting, combine the cake mix, softened butter, ⅓ cup of evaporated milk, and pecans in a large bowl and mix together using a large spoon until it all comes together. This brownie batter will be very thick, more like cookie dough.1 box German chocolate cake mix, ½ cup salted butter, ⅓ cup evaporated milk, ½ cup chopped pecans
- Divide the brownie batter in half and crumble or press half of the mixture into the bottom of the pan, then bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until slightly set.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips on top in a single layer. Pour the melted caramel topping over the the entire pan of brownies. Next, crumble the rest of the brownie batter on top of the caramel, or use your fingers to make small discs of brownie batter to gently lay on top of the caramel. It’s okay if some of the caramel bits peek through.½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Return the brownies to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is set. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate brownies for several hours until they are well-chilled. When ready to serve, dust generously with powdered sugar and cut into small rectangles.Powdered sugar
Notes
- Storage: Put brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- These can also be made with a devil’s food chocolate cake mix or other cake mix instead of German chocolate.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August, 2016. The photos and content were updated in October, 2022.
Seriously mouth-watering!
Boxed mixes can be so useful, and I agree, that texture can’t be beat!
We can’t do it all semi-homemade is a life saver. These look delish and have all of my favorite things in them!
I’ve never added caramel in my brownies! Must be gorgeously delicious!
Oh man, these look GOOD! Love the caramel filling, and I am so there with you on the rainbow chip frosting. It’s the only frosting I still buy from a can, because it’s just so tasty!
I know! Same here – there is always a can of it in my pantry, just in case. 🙂 I’m so glad they brought it back!
I’m always on the lookout for brownie recipes 🙂
These look delicious! I love a good brownie!
I thought that it was interesting that the “pecans” were not in the directions. I chopped them and added at the same time as the chocolate chips. I expected them to be thicker, but turned out pretty good.
Sorry about that! Yes, you could sprinkle them on with the chocolate chips, or just mix them into the brownie base, which is what I usually do.
These sound spectacular! Can they be frozen?
Yes! Just let them thaw alllll the way or the caramel will be rock hard. 🙂