Made with gooey date caramel, crunchy pecans, and a smooth chocolate coating, these Chocolate Covered Pecan Turtles are the perfect no-bake dessert. Each turtle has 7 grams of protein, making this classic treat a smart, satisfying upgrade you can enjoy year-round.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 1 hour 20 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 7
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 257 kcals and 7 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Dates, pecans, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, collagen powder, coconut oil, sea salt, chocolate chips
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Makes for the perfect last-minute dessert that you can enjoy!
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This homemade chocolate turtles recipe is a fun, feel-good way to satisfy a sweet tooth and stay fueled, two things I never seem to get enough of as a busy mom. Unlike traditional versions, these chocolate pecan turtles sneak in a bit of high-quality collagen powder, for 7 grams of protein per serving, making them the kind of treat you’ll crave after workouts or long days on your feet.
They're part of a growing list of high-protein sweets I keep on repeat—just like my chocolate protein granola, peanut butter protein fudge, and no-bake cookie dough bites. These are the kind of recipes you'll also find in the Strong and Sweet Protein Guide. They prove that dessert doesn’t have to be off-limits when you’re trying to eat better. It just needs a smarter twist. These turtles deliver that twist in the tastiest way.
Jump To
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- 💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flavor Variations
- How To Make Chocolate Covered Pecan Turtles recipe
- Expert Tips To Make It
- How To Store Them
- Chocolate Covered Pecan Turtles FAQ's
- Other High-Protein Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Homemade Chocolate Pecan Turtles Recipe [High Protein]
💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: No major kitchen skills or baking are required for this recipe, and it makes for the perfect last-minute dessert as it comes together quickly, kind of like date bark.
Healthy: As healthy as a dessert can be, these homemade protein turtles are dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo. Plus, they have 7ish grams of protein.
Indulgent: All the flavor you remember from the originals, with delicious caramel, melted chocolate, and tasty pecans.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Almond butter: Any nut butter will work for the recipe for turtles, but almond butter plus maple syrup gives the most authentic caramel flavor (like in this dairy-free caramel sauce with coconut milk).
Collagen powder: The cleanest and easiest source of protein (check out these collagen powder recipes). If you don’t want to make these a protein-packed turtle recipe, substitute the collagen powder with almond flour.
Whole30: Make the turtles Whole30-approved by skipping the maple syrup. You won’t miss out on too much sweetness! You may need 1 tablespoon of the date water, though for texture.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Of course, there are a few ways you can adjust the flavor of the protein turtles. Below are a few of my favorites.
Drizzle: You can drizzle the chocolate turtles with homemade caramel sauce for maximum indulgence.
Sprinkles: Add some festive sprinkles to the top of the turtles to jazz them up for any occasion. This works for protein Rice Krispies, too.
Extract: Add a splash of almond extract to bring out more nuttiness in them.
How To Make Chocolate Covered Pecan Turtles recipe
Step 1: In a food processor, blend together the dates, almond butter, and maple syrup.
Step 2: Stir in the collagen powder.
Step 3: Portion into balls on a lined baking sheet. Press pecans into the balls.
Step 4: Melt together chocolate chips and oil before topping the turtles with melted chocolate. Pop them in the freezer to set.
Expert Tips To Make It
Soak the dates in warm water before you need them. This makes them so much easier to blend.
You can toast the pecans if you have time, it brings out a much richer flavor. Not necessary, but absolutely delicious.
Try to add as little water or liquid to the date mixture as possible. Otherwise, they get too sticky.
The turtles are best eaten out of the fridge. They can sit at room temperature for a bit, but they do get pretty soft.
If you like texture in your turtles, leave the dates a bit chunky when blended. If you want it smooth, spend some time scraping them down. This is the case for homemade snickers with dates, too Likewise, you can coat the entire turtle with chocolate, and it’ll stay hardened at room temperature, or you can just coat the tops (like I do). The nutritional value is based on just the tops.
How To Store Them
These chocolate pecan turtles can be stored in the fridge or freezer. If storing in the freezer, they’ll last up to 3 months if in a freezer-safe bag. Let them come to room temperature (about 10 minutes) before you enjoy them.
Store them in a sealed container in the fridge in a single layer for up to a week. Enjoy them right out of the fridge or bring them to room temperature.
Chocolate Covered Pecan Turtles FAQ's
You’ll want to first double the batch of chocolate sauce (so the chocolate chips and oil). Freeze the turtle's insides for about 30 minutes while the chocolate melts. Then, dip them into the melted chocolate coating on all sides before popping them back in the freezer to set.
Whey protein, collagen powder, and beef-based protein can be added to a homemade chocolate epcan turtles recipe. Vegan protein powder however, absorbs too much liquid. When adding protein to homemade chocolate turtles, add a little bit at a time and adjust the liquid sweetener as needed to achieve a sticky but not dry texture.
To prevent the pecans from becoming soggy in homemade turtles, toast the pecans first, then cool them. Make sure that your chocolate isn't too "wet" as well. This creates a moisture barrier so the nuts stay crunchy even after several days.
Other High-Protein Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Chocolate Pecan Turtles Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Homemade Chocolate Pecan Turtles Recipe [High Protein]
Video
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups Dates soaked in warm water
- ⅓ cup Pecan halves plus more for topping
- 3 tablespoons Almond butter natural and fresh
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons Collagen powder
- Pinch Sea salt
- ⅓ cup Dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon Coconut oil
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, soak the dates in warm water for 20 minutes and then drain them.
- In a food processor, blend the almond butter, dates, and maple syrup until mostly smooth.
- Scoop the mixture into a bowl and mix in the collagen powder.
- Use a trigger ice cream scoop to portion the turtle mixture onto a lined baking sheet.
- Press 2-3 pecans into each turtle. When you press them in, flatter the turtle a bit.
- In a small pot or in the microwave, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips over low heat until combined. Whisk until smooth.
- Use a spoon to portion the melted chocolate over each turtle, spread it around so that it coats the top.
- Crush up some extra pecans and sprinkle them and the sea salt on top.
- Pop the tray into the freezer for 45 minutes to set.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
The combination of peanut butter and dates is the BEST.