tahini caramel turtle pecans

hi friends! welcome to summer, where i’m simultaneously wanting to clink sweated glasses on patios, feel the tingle of a sunburn on my shoulders, only eat chilled appetizers, and retreat to the air conditioning because wow, northern virginia is less so Hot Girl Summer and more like Swampass Girl Summer. i’m hovering somewhere in between and taking the sunshine and cold treats where i can get them.

i was thinking about cold treats that didn’t need to be eaten out of a cone (delicious but problematic in the blazing heat) and wanting to elevate things from a sliced watermelon situation, and **poof**, tree ripe fruit co’s georgia pecans showed up on my proverbial doorstep, and the potential for snacking magically burst wide open. i’m partnering up with them for another delicious recipe using their beautiful tree-ripened pecans!

*screams in cute*

these adorable treats are a honey street take on a super classic dessert and i’m now realizing they contain all my most favorite things: tahini, dates, dark chocolate, fresh pecans, and a sea salt sprinkle - I MEAN. extra bonus round points for being ridiculously easy and ready for peak snacking opportunities in 20 minutes. it’s checking all the Hot Girl Summer cold treat boxes and sparking all my joy. my guess is they’ll do the same for you, too.

a few things before we get started:

- these are a fun, maybe slightly more nutritious take on a classic dessert! dates and tahini caramel provide the sticky-sweetness needed for a traditional turtle pecan
- we are not messing around with how simple and quickly these tahini caramel turtle pecans come together. it’s summer, and we have activities to do, and being indoors temping boiling caramel with a candy thermometer is not one of them
- tree ripe fruit co’s fresh pecans are what really make these cutie snacks so special. they’re tree-ripened in the georgia sun, and only picked when they’re at their golden brownest, creamiest, and sweetest. they’re also conveniently delivered right to you, when they’re at their peak freshest - we love to see it
- these will keep in the freezer for up to one week, but my odds are on a few days (maybe even the merest of hours, minutes?) that they'll be around because hot dang, they are the most perfect, delicious treat

tahini caramel turtle pecans
makes: 14 turtles
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 10 minutes, for chilling

7 large medjool dates, halved and pits removed
70 pecans; 56 for the ‘legs’ and 14 sliced in half for the ‘heads’
1/4c tahini
1/4c maple syrup
1/2tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2c dark chocolate chunks, melted

line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper.

heat the tahini, maple syrup, and salt over medium heat in a sauce pan. whisk quickly to combine, and add water to thin as needed (i splashed in about 2tbsp.) remove from the heat as soon as the caramel comes together and thickens, and set aside.

melt the dark chocolate (i did this in the microwave for just over a minute.)

arrange the date halves cut-side up. press 4 pecans into each ‘corner’ of the date, making the legs for the turtles. spoon a teaspoon of the caramel into the center of each date. then, spoon the melted chocolate on top of that, covering the caramel and part of each ‘leg.’ then, press a halved pecan onto the top of each turtle, creating the ‘head’ (so cute!) sprinkle each turtle with salt, then pop the tray into the freezer for 10 minutes to chill and set.