This turtle cheesecake recipe combines rich cheesecake filling with caramel, chocolate, and pecans. It’s an easy holiday dessert inspired by turtle candy, baked in a crunchy Oreo crust!
If you love the flavors in this easy caramel turtle cheesecake, try this no-bake turtle pie and my chocolatey turtle cupcakes, next.
The Best Caramel Turtle Cheesecake
Turtle cheesecake is such a great dessert for the holidays! This recipe is a variation of perfect homemade cheesecake topped with caramel, chocolate, and pecans, inspired by Turtles candy. I love Turtles, and it was so much fun translating those beloved flavors into a cheesecake! This recipe has rich cheesecake filling flavored with salted caramel sauce, baked inside a chocolatey Oreo crust with toasty pecans. Since this turtle cheesecake needs time to chill in the fridge, it’s also a wonderful dessert to make ahead for Christmas or Thanksgiving!
Why I Love This Turtle Cheesecake Recipe
- Foolproof. I share all my tips for a perfect, crack-free cheesecake that’s firm, creamy, and full of flavor. Even if you’re new to baking cheesecakes, you’re going to ace this recipe.
- Adaptable. If it does happen to crack, this turtle cheesecake is still delicious no matter what. Just cover any cracks with toppings like caramel, chocolate, crushed nuts, or whipped cream!
- Holiday-worthy. I can’t wait for this creamy caramel turtle cheesecake to hit my holiday table this year. It’s packed with the decadent flavors that I love to indulge in at Christmastime. Plus, it looks super festive once the toppings are added!
Ingredient Notes
To ensure a smooth cheesecake batter and even baking, remember to take ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the fridge ahead of time. I’ll start you off with some more notes here. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with the full recipe amounts.
- Crust – I make this cheesecake with a variation of my Oreo pie crust, but you can also use a graham cracker crust or swap the Oreos for Nilla wafers instead.
- Cream Cheese – The creamiest cheesecake calls for full-fat cream cheese. Use the kind that comes in bricks (and not the spreadable kind in tubs), and bring it to room temperature before you start.
- Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Substitute one type of sugar in place of both, if needed.
- Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream is best. The sour cream should be at room temperature.
- Salted Caramel Sauce – I use my homemade caramel sauce. You can also use a jar of store-bought caramel sauce (like Smucker’s). If you can’t find salted caramel sauce, I recommend adding a pinch of salt to keep the flavor profile the same and balance the sweetness of the caramel.
- Eggs – Also at room temperature. If you forget to take the eggs out of the fridge, simply place them into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes to bring them quickly to room temperature.
- Garnishes – Good toppings for this turtle cheesecake are toasted pecans, additional caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce or melted chocolate, and homemade whipped cream. You can even decorate the top with real Turtles chocolates. Be as creative or as simple as you’d like when it comes to garnishes.
How to Prepare a Waterbath for Cheesecake
I don’t know about you, but preparing a waterbath for a cheesecake always seemed to be the most intimidating part. I was sure that the water would leak into the cheesecake, ruining all my hard work. Here’s a few tips I’ve picked up.
- Test your pan: Before preparing the crust, fill the pan half full with water to check the seal. If the water comes pouring out the bottom, it might be time to replace the pan, as the seal is not tight.
- Use a slow cooker liner. This tip was a GAMECHANGER for me. My bestie Lindsay posted a tutorial which uses a slow cooker liner instead of foil to wrap the springform pan, which provided a leak-proof seal.
- Triple wrap. If I am out of slow cooker liners, I use 3 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
- No foil or liners? Try this. Lynn from Fresh April Flours blew my mind when she shared how she prepares her cheesecakes without foil using a double pan method. And just the genius idea of using a larger round pan than the cheesecake pan instead of a casserole dish is so smart.
- Fill the water bath in the oven. Instead of trying to carry a giant casserole dish filled with water and a cheesecake, place the cheesecake in the pan, then place it in your oven. Carefully fill the casserole dish with warm water, and close the oven door when you need to refill the cup.
How to Make Turtle Cheesecake
Here’s a quick look at the steps to make this homemade turtle cheesecake. You’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card after the post.
- Prepare the Oreo crust. Blend Oreos and pecans in a food processor, then add melted butter. Press the crumb mixture firmly into a lined 9” springform pan. Afterward, par-bake the crust at 325ºF for 8-10 minutes.
- Prepare the pan. Let the crust cool, and then wrap the bottom of the pan with a triple layer of foil. This way, the pan is watertight. See notes for alternative options.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the ingredients together to make the filling, and pour the filling into your prepared crust.
- Bake. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath at 325ºF for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (up to 1 hour and 40 minutes). Then, switch off the oven and let the cheesecake rest inside with the door cracked for an hour.
- Cool. Take the cheesecake out and lift it from the water bath. It’ll need to cool on the countertop for another hour, and then you can move it to the fridge. This gradual cooling process is key to preventing cracks, so don’t rush it.
- Garnish and serve. After 4-6 hours in the fridge, release the Turtle cheesecake from the pan. Garnish the top with extra caramel sauce, chocolate, and chopped pecans, and enjoy!
Cheesecake Perfection- Recipe Tips
- Keep the oven door shut. At least until the cheesecake is finished baking. While it’s tempting to sneak a peek, resist the urge to open the oven door while the cheesecake bakes. Sudden temperature changes can cause the cheesecake to deflate. For this same reason, you’ll need to cool the cheesecake gradually (see below).
- Check the cheesecake for doneness. You don’t want to bake the cheesecake until it’s 100% firm in the center, since it’ll continue to set up as it cools. This caramel cheesecake is done baking when it’s set at the edges with a slight jiggle in the middle.
- Cool the cheesecake slowly. It’s important to cool the cheesecake first inside the oven with the door cracked, then on the counter, and finally in the fridge. This gradual cooling prevents the cheesecake from sinking and cracking.
- Add chocolate. Mix a handful of chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter, or sprinkle chopped chocolate on top after baking.
- For clean slices, dip a sharp knife into hot water before slicing into the cheesecake, and wipe the knife clean between slices.
How to Store This Cheesecake
- Refrigerate. This turtle cheesecake will last in the fridge for up to 6 days. Make sure to let the cheesecake cool completely and keep it covered or tightly wrapped so that it doesn’t absorb any odors from the fridge.
- Freeze. Double-wrap the cooled cheesecake either whole or in slices and freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the cheesecake before adding any toppings. Thaw the cheesecake in the fridge before serving.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Turtle Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours
- Yield: 8-12 slices
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This caramel turtle cheesecake combines a rich and creamy cheesecake filling with a chocolatey Oreo crust, more caramel, and toasty pecans. It’s a perfect holiday dessert!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (28g) chopped pecans
For the Filling:
- 32 ounces (904g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup (95g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (56g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup (60g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (59ml) Salted caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted pecans
- Caramel sauce
- Hot fudge or chocolate sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom.
- In the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, blend the Oreos and pecans until they become fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter and blend until well combined and the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumbs tightly into the bottom of the springform pan, bringing it slightly up the sides.
- Bake at 325°F for 8-10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool. Then wrap the pan with 3 sheets of foil so that it creates a watertight seal around the bottom of the springform pan. *See notes for other methods. Set aside.
For the Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes until free of lumps then add the sugars, sour cream, caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and eggs, beating everything together on medium speed until smooth. Some very tiny lumps (sesame seed size) are ok. Scrape down the bowl occasionally to make sure everything is evenly and thoroughly combined.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles on the surface, pop with a toothpick. Place the wrapped springform pan inside another larger roasting pan or baking dish. Fill the outside pan with approximately 2-3 cups of very hot water so it is about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake at 325°F for approximately 80-100 minutes. The center should be set and the edges should look more dry, but the center will still be slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and leave the door cracked open for 60 minutes, shut a kitchen towel between the oven and door to crack it just the right amount. This allows the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly, which helps to prevent cracking.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath and cool for at least 1 hour on the countertop, then cover and move to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours until the cheesecake has fully set.
- When ready to serve, slide a thin knife all along the outside edge of the pan, gently remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, and place it on a platter or cake plate. Top the cheesecake with drizzles of salted caramel sauce and chocolate sauce and top with chopped pecans.
Notes
Storing
- Leftover cheesecake needs to be stored wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
- Freezing: Once the cheesecake is completely cool. wrap the entire cheesecake or individual slices in plastic wrap then in a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. It is best to freeze the plain cheesecake before topping it with sauces and pecans.
Cheesecake tips
- Waterbath options: You can also wrap the cheesecake pan in a slow cooker liner bag, tying it tightly to create a water-tight seal. In this case, do not wrap the pan in foil.
- Toppings:
- You can use hot fudge or melted chocolate in place of the chocolate sauce when garnishing the cheesecake.
- I used my homemade caramel sauce, but you could use a jar of caramel sauce (I recommend Smucker’s Salted Caramel Sauce). If you can’t find salted caramel sauce, I would add a pinch of salt to help keep the flavor profile the same and help to tame the sweetness of the caramel.
- For an extra dose of chocolate, you could mix a handful of chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter before baking or sprinkle them on top as a garnish after it cools.
- Slicing tip: For the neatest slices, dip a sharp knife in very hot water and clean off with a paper towel between each slice. The heat helps the knife slide through the cheesecake smoothly and wiping it off keeps the slices clean.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 656
- Sugar: 31.3 g
- Sodium: 450.2 mg
- Fat: 53.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.4 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 230.9 mg
It sounds delicious and I can not wait to try it. I am always looking for good recipes. This one hit the mark because I love salted caramel and cheesecake.
Thank you Gayle!