It doesn’t get much better than a buckeye-inspired dessert — unless you add a gooey, salty turtle topping. These Buckeye-style peanut butter turtles combine a classic chocolate-peanut butter center with a caramel-pecan turtle layer for an irresistible sweet-and-salty treat. They’re easy to make and always disappear fast.
Best Chocolate Candy Combo – Peanut Butter Turtles Truffles
Peanut butter lovers, rejoice. This recipe marries the familiar buckeye base — creamy peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar and butter — with a warm turtle topping of melted caramels and chopped pecans, then finishes with a chocolate dip. The result is a salty, nutty, gooey bite that’s familiar yet elevated.
The idea came after I experimented with buckeye-style brownies. The combination of salty nuts, caramel, chocolate and peanut butter was so good I wanted to present it in a simpler, candy-style version. The peanut butter centers are straightforward to prepare; once chilled, they’re dipped in chocolate and topped with warm caramel-pecan “turtle” sauce.
For a finishing touch, a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt brightens the flavors and balances the sweetness. I often use a pinch of flaky salt on glazes, fudges, and other peanut-butter-forward treats — it’s an easy, delicious upgrade.
Tips and Tricks To Remember
- Chill the peanut butter dough well (slightly frozen if possible) before inserting toothpicks; this helps the toothpick stay secure while dipping in chocolate.
- The warm turtle topping can drip a bit after spooning it onto each ball. If that happens, wait and then gently reshape the caramel with clean fingers so it sits neatly on top.
- If you prefer a saltier finish, stir ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt into the melted caramel before spooning it over the candies.
- I usually melt chocolate chips for dipping because they’re convenient, but chocolate can sometimes “bloom” (white streaks) after cooling. If a perfect sheen matters, consider tempering the chocolate or using a coating chocolate designed to set glossy.
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
Yes. Shape the un-dipped peanut butter balls and freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a gallon freezer bag until you’re ready to dip. If you make the whole recipe, freeze the completed turtles on a sheet, then move them to a sealed bag — they’ll keep their shape and won’t stick together.
You can also store finished turtles in an airtight container layered with wax paper in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks. Bring them to room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the caramel topping softens slightly.
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Buckeye-Style Peanut Butter Turtles
Melissa ErdelacPin
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Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or shortening
- 20 squares unwrapped caramels (about ½ of an 11 oz. bag)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- optional flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
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In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, softened butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth.
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Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a smooth 1″ ball. Arrange the balls on a wax paper–lined baking sheet. Freeze the sheet for 15 minutes once all balls are shaped.
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Place chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until melted and smooth.
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Spear a toothpick into the top of each frozen peanut butter ball and, holding the toothpick, dip the ball into the melted chocolate about halfway up. Return the dipped ball to the wax-paper-lined sheet and remove the toothpick. Repeat for all balls.
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Melt the unwrapped caramels with the milk in a microwave-safe bowl, heating 1–2 minutes and stirring until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans to create the turtle topping.
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Spoon a small amount of the caramel-pecan topping onto each chocolate-dipped peanut butter ball. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Chill in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes to set. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
This buckeye-style recipe was adapted from an earlier classic buckeye technique.