Chocolate Billionaires
Nov 05, 2026
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These chocolate billionaires are an easy, old fashioned candy made with chewy caramel, crunchy pecans, crispy rice cereal, all covered with a chocolate coating.
I found this recipe while flipping through my collection of old church cookbooks. Similar to chocolate turtle candy, this chocolate billionaires candy incorporates crispy rice cereal for extra crunch.
It’s always fun finding hidden gems in old cookbooks, especially when they have fun names like chocolate billionaires. With a name like that, I knew I needed to make them.
These treats look like something you might find in a fancy chocolate shop, but they are actually really simple to make.
Want more tasty treats, try these Rolo stuffed Ritz crackers, dandy do cookies, and gumdrop nougat candy.
Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned Candy
- No candy thermometer needed to make this chocolate billionaire candy.
- Easy to make with just 5 ingredients.
- Great for the holidays. An old fashioned candy that is perfect cookie trays and holiday parties.
- Wonderful for gifting. Package these in pretty tins or treat boxes for a delicious homemade gift.
Ingredients
Homemade chocolate billionaires are made with simple ingredients.
- Caramels: Soft caramels are the base for this homemade candy.
- Heavy cream: A little cream helps the caramels to met smoothly. It will also help prevent the caramel from getting too hard when it sets up.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add delicious flavor and crunchy texture.
- Rice Krispies cereal: Crispy rice cereal sets this billionaire candy apart from a classic turtle candy.
- Chocolate melts: I like using Ghiradelli chocolate melting wafers for the candy coating. You can use chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate. You can also substitute with almond bark or melted chocolate chips.
How To Make Chocolate Billionaires
- Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. I like to lightly spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray.
- Melt the caramel bits and heavy cream in a large saucepan over medium low heat until it’s fully melted. Make sure to stir continuously so it doesn’t burn.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cereal and chopped pecans.
- Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. This recipe makes about 20-21 chocolate billionaires.
- Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to chill.
- Microwave the chocolate melts in 30 second intervals until melted.
- Using a fork, dip the candy into the melted chocolate and then place back on the wax paper.
- Let the candies completely set before serving.
Heather’s Recipe Tips
- Use wax paper and non-stick spray so the candy doesn’t stick. This will help you easily be able to remove the candies from the paper.
- Melt the caramels slowly so that it doesn’t burn. I recommend heating over medium low heat so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
- Use a fork to dip the candies into the melted chocolate. Place the set caramels on a fork and dip in the melted chocolate.
- Let the candy set completely. Be sure to allow the chocolate set up before eating.
Chocolate Billionaires Variations
This homemade chocolate candy recipe is easy to customize with a few variations. Here are some ideas:
- Salt: Top the candy with a little flaked sea salt.
- Pretzels: Replace some of the cereal with small pretzel pieces.
- Coconut: Stir shredded, sweetened coconut into the caramel mixture.
- Nuts: Substitute the pecans with peanuts or walnuts.
- Sprinkles: Add festive holiday color by topping with colorful sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
Storage Instructions
Store: Store any leftover candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Make sure to keep them in a cool spot, not in the direct sunlight.
Refrigerate: Keep the chocolate billionaire candy in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I recommend letting them sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes to let them soften.
Freezer: You can freeze this candy in a freezer safe container or freezer safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Common Questions
Yes, you can substitute Kraft unwrapped caramels for the caramel mixture.
No, you don’t need to toast the chopped pecans. You can lightly toast them for extra rich flavor.
If you cook the caramel too long, this can sometimes make the caramel hard. Make sure to heat the caramel over medium low heat.
Yes, you can add extra crispy rice cereal and leave out the nuts.
More Easy Treats
Chocolate Billionaires
Ingredients
- 11 ounce caramels bits
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
- 10 ounce chocolate wafer melts
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. I recommend lightly spraying the wax paper with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the caramel bits and heavy cream in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat and melt the caramel bits until the caramel is smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pecans and the crispy rice cereal in the melted caramel and remove from heat.
- Drop a heaping tablespoon of the caramel mixture on the prepared baking sheets. I like using a small cookie scoop for this. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Microwave the chocolate melts in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Using a fork, dip the caramels into the melted chocolate and then back on the wax paper.
- Let the chocolate completely set.
Notes
- Use wax paper and non-stick spray so the candy doesn’t stick. This will help you easily be able to remove the candies from the paper.
- Melt the caramels slowly so that it doesn’t burn. I recommend heating over medium low heat so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
- Use a fork to dip the candies into the melted chocolate. Place the set caramels on a fork and dip in the melted chocolate.
- Let the candy set completely. Be sure to allow the chocolate set up before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
