These delicious sea salt turtle cups are the perfect Christmas recipe for gifting that everyone is sure to enjoy and are made with only 5 ingredients (yay for 5 ingredient desserts and 5 ingredient Fridays!)
THE HOLIDAYS! They’re almost here! Imagine me looking shiftily from left to right…where did the time go?
I am stuck in the late summer of 2010…which is coincidentally when I met my husband. So I’m going to share something from that time: we went into a chocolate shop and I had my first sea-salted-chocolate-covered-caramel! My life was changed (not only because of discovering the sea salted chocolate…also because I had found the love of my life…my husband)!
It was such an experience in fact, that for our wedding favors we had sea salted chocolate caramels from that very same chocolate shop (we had them put a stick in the caramels and then used them as our seating cards-see below:)
Fast forward to this holiday season, and I realize that I am way behind on buying presents. In the past I’ve been done by this time, but this year? I’m pretty sure I have like 2 Christmas presents that I bought a few months ago, and that’s it. I blame it on baby Ben, in the best way possible đŸ™‚
As I grocery shopping at the grocery store I came across their adorable holiday aisle and they had the cutest little nesting boxes. You can also buy nesting boxes online on Amazon (like these) or at your local craft store.
Bingo! I knew exactly what I was going to do: make edible gifts, these sea salted chocolate turtles!
I don’t know about you, but in my family part of every gift is required to be chocolate. Not to throw my sister under the bus…but I just have to share this funny story: one year I went into her room at my parents’ house after we had opened presents and heard a rustling and saw her push something under the bed…curiosity peaked I asked what she was doing…and she was sitting in her room eating chocolates and had taken all the chocolate from my other sisters and was trying to hide the wrappers. I’m talking like 3 boxes of chocolate wrappers worth she was trying to hide in a gift bag LOL! So you can bet I’m making her a giant batch of these!
And they’re so easy to make:
You start by melting chocolate, then use a little throw-away paint brush and paint the bottom of little cups, let them cool, then when they’re done cooling you’ll add a pecan to each up, spoon in the caramel, cover with chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool
Yum! Just look at that ooey gooey center with the nuts, and then the gorgeous sea salt on top. Wrap them in a little nesting box and you’ll have the perfect Christmas present for that chocolate lover in your life!
After I made my first batch, I gave some to my husband to take to work, and this was the text I got:
So if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift giving recipe or recipe for a party look no further, I’ve got you covered. And I need to know: Have you ever had sea salted chocolate anything?
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix Recipe
- Salted Cashew Tuxedo Turtles
- The Best Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Perfect Christmas Recipe for Gifting: Sea Salt Turtle Cups
Ingredients
- 2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Cup pecan halves I used roasted and salted pecans, plain pecan halves are ok too
- 20 Caramel squares unwrapped
- 1/4 Cup heavy cream you want a little less than 1/4 cup, so if a drops remain in the measuring up you're ok
- 1 Tbs Fleur de sel
Instructions
- Line a mini muffin pan with 24 liners.
- In a microwave safe bowl add about 1/3 of the chocolate chips. Microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between each interval (mine took 2 minutes).
- Use a clean throw away paint brush and brush the bottom and half up the sides of the liners with the melted chocolate. Place the muffin pan in the freezer for 15-30 min and allow the chocolate to cool.
- Place a pecan half in each of the cups.
- In a microwave safe bowl add the unwrapped caramels and the heavy cream. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds and stir when done. The caramel will bubble up and get smooth. If it isn't fully melted together microwave for another 15 seconds.
- Drop a half a spoonful of caramel on top of the pecan.
- In a microwave safe dish add the remaining chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir, then microwave in 30 seconds intervals stirring in between until it is melted (mine took about 2 minutes and 10 seconds). Spoon chocolate on top of the caramel, then sprinkle little pinches of sea salt on top of the chocolate and allow to completely cool (this took 2 plus hours - I just let them sit overnight) then enjoy!
Nutrition
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Jean says
Hmm, I wonder if you could jazz it up a bit and add a little brandy or something like that to give a hint of alcohol? I also can’t have dairy, sigh.
Sweetphi says
Ooooh good question, I’ve never tried it with a little brandy, but I think that would work beautifully.
I’m so sorry about the not being able to have dairy. Can I ask if you’ve tried goat’s milk – some people who don’t do well with lactose in cow’s milk do well with goat’s milk, and there’s a goat’s milk caramel by Fat Toad Farm (I collaborated with them to create a ‘hint of salt’ flavor) but any of their caramels are amazing. I use their caramel sauce in these turtle cups! Otherwise I’d totally recommend making dairy free caramel sauce with dates and using that for these cups, or you could fill them with a nut butter
Jean says
Thank you for your response!
Jennifer Joyce says
I’m always looking for easy edible Christmas gifts!! I’ll definitely try these!!
Sweetphi says
These make such great presents!
Joanna Timbrook says
I can’t wait to make these for myself and bring them to upcoming holiday parties!
Sweetphi says
Oh what a great idea to gift them and bring them to holiday parties! I also have this recipe which I love making/bringing for holidays too: https://sweetphi.com/perfect-christmas-recipe-gifting-sea-salt-turtle-cups/
Christine says
Those boxes were definitely cute! I think this is an all year round kind of recipe…it looks so delicious I kind of want one with my breakfast coffee!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your comment Christine, I definitely agree that this is a year round kind of recipe…I’ve already made it after Christmas for a new years party, and then for a work function…I am sensing a trend, anytime i go to a gathering, i bring these đŸ™‚
summerdf says
My mouth is watering so hard. YUM! I love sea salted anything. If one of my kids was covered in sea salted chocolate, I might eat them too. đŸ™‚ These are a perfect gift! I Love that you guys had them at your wedding as seat markers! Such a sweet idea! (totally intended). #client
Sweetphi says
Hahaha, love that comment about your kids đŸ™‚ These are soo yummy!
Karis says
I’ve definitely found that chocolate gifts are appreciated this time of year and until I attended a class at Cake & Bake (in Germantown) I didn’t realize how easy it was to make so many different chocolate treats! I love using a Wilton electric chocolate melter for recipes like this, in fact I now own two, so I can melt white chocolate at the same time.
Sweetphi says
You always have the bet tips Karis, thank you!! I definitely need to check out that place (love taking classes) and also I have never even heard of an electric melter and now feel like I need to go find one asap! Thank you as always for commenting đŸ™‚
Amanda says
These look so, so good! I love this!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much! These little sea salt turtle cups are definitely a holiday fave!!
april says
you can gift these to me any time đŸ˜‰
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your comment đŸ™‚
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Love making my own chocolate cups, they are so easy but delicious! Love the text đŸ™‚
Sweetphi says
Haha thank you, the text totally cracked me up! And aren’t making chocolate cups amazing? why have I never done it until this point?
Lynn Lovejoy says
Oh Phi I love the story, I literally am about to cry. Also his text to you is like the sweetest ever, and what adorable little treats to have at your wedding and SO special. This whole post is so heartfelt and beautiful I just love it to pieces. Not to mention that looks delicious and easy! Maybe we should make these for the bach party or the shower. SO good Phi…literally perfection, I feel honored that I even know you!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much girl, you always have such a great way with words and I really appreciate you commenting and reading my blog, and I feel honored to know you!!!
Sarah says
I love turtles and these look so easy! Thanks for sharing such a festive recipe!
Sweetphi says
These are super easy, definitely worth trying đŸ™‚
Alyssa says
These look amazing! I love all the flavors and it is even better that they are all covered with chocolate. I need to try these!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for the comment, these are definitely worth trying this holiday season!
Kim says
Ok, I need to have these. Maybe I’d gift them but most likely, they wouldn’t make it to the office. I’d stuff them all in my face in the car. đŸ™‚
Sweetphi says
Haha, girl, I’m the same way! I had to put them in little boxes for gifting otherwise i would have eaten them all!
Rita says
going to try these—–they look delicious—– may you and Nick have a beautiful Christmas and it was geat seeing you
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Rita! These little sea salt turtles are really delicious and a little treat that everyone will enjoy! Say hi to all up north!
rachelcooksblog says
Love the text from your husband – so cute! These look amazing!
Sweetphi says
Thanks so much Rach, I totally crack up every time I see that text! I have since made these turtles for him for work and they were a huge hit…not a one left over lol!