Turtle Brownies With German Chocolate Cake Mix

Simple and absolutely delicious turtle brownie recipe using German chocolate cake mix! These brownies are packed with amazing flavor and super quick to make.

Ok, I’m going to level with you. These brownies are absolutely fantastic, but I do not make them very often.

Not because they are challenging to make, but because I can’t stop myself from eating way too many. But, if I had even a little more willpower, these would be a regular dessert in my household.

But don’t let my lack of self-control scare you off, these brownies are real crowd pleasers. With their soft texture and just the right amount of gooeyness you won’t find a better tasting, easy turtle brownie recipe (IMO).

In fact, you may want to bookmark or pin this recipe now, because I’m betting you’re going to want to make them again and again.

Alright, now let’s get to the good part!

How to Make Turtle Brownies using a German Chocolate Cake Mix

Prep time for this recipe is right around ten minutes and bake time is as little as thirty-five minutes. So that means, you’ll be enjoying these rich and tasty turtle brownies in no time!

For equipment, you will need an 8″x8″ baking pan, a mixing bowl, saucepan (for your caramel sauce), and a hand mixer or stand mixer.

For your baking pan, you can grease it with butter or cooking spray, but I’ve found that lining your pan with parchment paper, and then spraying your parchment paper with cooking spray makes it much easier to cut and serve your brownies later.

These brownies are super rich and sticky, so if you have parchment paper, it’s worth using it.

Related: How to soften hard brownies

Ingredients

We will be using pretty common ingredients for these brownies, so you should have no trouble finding everything at your local grocery store.

For the caramel, I recommend using the unwrapped variety. While not a deal breaker, it does save a lot of time unwrapping all those caramel pieces when it’s time to make your caramel sauce.

Turtle Brownie Ingredient List

• German Chocolate Cake Mix
• Salted Pecans (chopped)
• Caramel Squares
• Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
• Evaporated Milk
• Unsalted Butter (softened)

One thing to keep in mind with this recipe is how much salt is being used. I’ve found salted pecans provide enough for the entire recipe. So if you use salted butter, you may be better off going with unsalted pecans.

Related: Does brownie mix go bad

Instructions

While there are a few more steps than making a basic batch of brownies, this recipe is quite simple and doesn’t take long to make at all.

Basically, your going to create layers with your cake mix, chocolate, caramel, and pecans. This will create an absolutely amazing flavor in every single bite.

So, once you have all your ingredients gathered, it’s time to start baking!

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Line baking pan with parchment paper and spray it with non stick cooking spray.

Note: If you don’t have parchment paper, you can just grease your baking pan.

Step 3: In your mixing bowl, add your German chocolate cake mix, three ounces of evaporated milk, and softened butter.

Step 4: Using your low setting, mix until well combined.

Step 5: Add half of your pecans to the mixture and stir by hand until evenly incorporated.

Step 6: Pour half of your brownie mixture into your pan. Using a piece of parchment paper, press your brownie batter down to slightly compress it.

Step 7: Bake in preheated oven for ten minutes.

Step 8: While brownies are in the oven, put the remaining evaporated milk and your unwrapped caramel pieces in your saucepan.

Step 9: Bring to medium heat and stir constantly until caramels are melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 10: As soon as your brownies have baked for ten minutes, remove them and pour most of caramel sauce on top. Reserving some to top off your brownies.

Step 11: Evenly spread half of your chocolate chips on your caramel.

Step 12: Pour remaining brownie batter evenly on top.

Step 13: Sprinkle the rest of your chocolate chips and pecans on top.

Step 14: Bake in oven for an additional 25-28 minutes. Your brownies are done when an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Step 15: Carefully remove brownies and place on a cooling rack. Drizzle the last of your caramel sauce on top.

Step 16: Serve warm or cool and enjoy!

Related: How to freeze brownies

Recipe Notes

• The ratio of caramel, chocolate, and pecans can be adjusted according to personal taste preferences. So if you are a chocolate lover, add a quarter cup more of chocolate chips. Same goes for the caramel lovers out there. And if you like more crunch in your turtle brownies, simply up your chopped pecan amount.
• For a different presentation, you can use chopped pecans for the inside of your brownies, but place whole pecans on the top.
• These brownies are super rich, and I’ve found they are incredibly tasty when topped with some vanilla ice cream and served warm.
• To store your brownies, cover them and keep them at room temperature for up to three days.