Turtle Shortbread Bars Recipes

PECAN TURTLES® BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and softened butter in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat mixture evenly onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over crumb mixture.
• Combine 2/3 cup butter and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until entire surface is bubbly; cook, stirring constantly, 1/2 to 1 minute more. Pour into pan, spreading evenly over crust.
• Bake in preheated oven until entire surface is bubbly, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes to allow chocolate to melt; use a knife or small spatula to swirl chocolate slightly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Use sharp knife to cut into 48 bars.

TURTLE SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*F Blend together flour, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter until fine crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle pecans on top of unbaked crust. In a saucepan combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Pour mixture on top of pecans. Bake in oven for 18 - 22 minutes, until caramel layer is bubbly. Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel layer and let sit for 5 minutes. with a knife, gently swirl chocolate (do not spread) to create a marbled effect. Cool completely and cut into bars.

TURTLE SHORTBREAD COOKIES (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and almond extract. Stir in flour and salt. (If dough is crumbly, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional softened butter or stick margarine.)
• Divide dough into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into 1/4-inch thick circle. (If dough is sticky, chill about 15 minutes.) Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until melted. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time, until melted and thin enough to drizzle.
• Dip 2 straight edges of each cookie into melted caramel, then into chopped pecans. (If caramel thickens, add up to 1 teaspoon water and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramel softens.)
• Place a dot of melted chocolate on top of each cookie; place pecan half on chocolate. Drizzle remaining chocolate on tops of cookies.

TURTLE CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour and sugar, with a pastry blender or fork mix in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch (23 cm) square cake pan ( I used a spring form pan or line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal). Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL PECAN TURTLE BARS

Steps:

• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 300°F oven until they darken slightly in color and begin to give off a nutty toasted aroma, about 4 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add flour, brown sugar, and butter to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture becomes a very crumbly dough.
• Pour the dough into the prepared pan and gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan to create a solid crust. Make sure the crust reaches all the way into the edges and corners of the pan and that there are no holes in the crust.
• Bake the crust until it's a light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the caramel pecan layer.
• In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let the mixture boil without stirring for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat.
• Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the shortbread crust and pour the caramel over the pecans.
• Return the pan to the oven and bake the bars until the caramel is bubbling and darkens slightly in color, about 15 minutes. Remove the bars from the oven a let cool completely.*
• Once the bars have cooled, prepare the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it's just simmering (not boiling!). Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Then gently whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled bars and spread it into an even layer using a spatula. Let the chocolate set before sprinkling with salt (optional), slicing, and serving the bars.

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
• In a bowl, combine flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup softened butter. Mix at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until well mixed. Pat firmly into greased 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle pecans over the crust. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan combine 1/2 cup packed brown sugar with 2/3 cup butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the entire surface starts to boil. Let boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.
• Pour the caramel mixture evenly over pecans and crust.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes at 350˚ F or until the caramel is bubbly. Remove from oven.
• Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow the chips to melt (2-3 minutes) and then swirl into the caramel. Cool completely before serving.