Go Back
–+ servings
Chocolate turtle candies stacked 3high on a white serving tray and extra turtles in the background.
Print

Vegan Chocolate Turtles

Vegan turtles made with dates, chocolate, and pecans. The dates provide a rich, gooey caramel like center using real food and no dairy. These homemade no-bake treats are easy to make and are a huge hit around the holidays.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 25 minutes
Resting time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 turtles
Calories 84kcal
Author Sara

Equipment

  • 1 food processor
  • 1 Baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (10-12 dates)
  • 1 tbsp. creamy almond butter
  • 42 pecan halves
  • ½ cup vegan semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
  • ½ tsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place pitted dates and almond butter in a food processor. Mix/pulse on high until dates break down and a large ball is formed.
  • Remove date ball from food processor. Roll into 12 individual balls. Place balls on the parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Place 3 pecan pieces upside down on each date ball. Push down slightly to flatten and so that the pecans will stick. Flip each piece over so that the caramel/date center is on top.
    Note: I like to place the pecans upside down and then flip over so the chocolate goes on top of the dates/caramel center. If you'd like, you can place the pecans right side up and then add chocolate on top of pecans.
  • Melt chocolate with coconut oil in a small bowl by microwaving in 30-second increments, stirring between intervals. Don't overheat the chocolate. Once the majority of the chips are melted just keep stirring to allow the remaining pieces to melt.
  • Using the back of a spoon, spread chocolate evenly between each date/pecan cluster. Finish by sprinkling each piece with sea salt.
  • Allow chocolate to fully set. You can place in the fridge for about an hour, or the freezer for about 30 minutes.
  • Finished turtles should be stored in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If your dates are on the hard side, soak them in extremely hot water for 10 minutes to allow them to soften up before blending. 
  • Make sure you are using the creamy almond butter (or nut butter of choice) and not the dried almond butter from the bottom of the jar.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 0.3mg