Turtle Cheesecake with Caramel, Chocolate, Pecans, and an Oreo crust is a dessert that gets talked about long after the plates are cleaned. Sweet, decadent, and almost magically delicious, this cheesecake steals the show.
I make this Turtle Cheesecake only once or twice a year and it is always by request.
Turtle Cheesecake Recipe
The cheesecake starts with an Oreo cookie crust that is covered in caramel sauce, then a layer of creamy cheesecake. Once cooled, it is sprinkled with toasted pecans and drizzled with both caramel and chocolate. This Turtle Cheesecake beats just about any cheesecake I’ve had from a bakery.
The crisscrossed swirls of caramel and chocolate drizzle make this cake look especially stunning. And it tastes even better than it looks! Barefeet In The Kitchen creator video with Mary YounkinPlay Video
Just the smallest sliver really is a serving. Decadent, rich and worthy of any special occasion, this is a masterpiece of a cheesecake. It steals the spotlight at any dessert table and has been known to cause more than one person to sigh with joy.
Served for dessert with a strong cup of coffee, Turtle Cheesecake is pure chocolate-caramel bliss. This is the Cheesecake to bring when you want to wow a crowd!
While Turtle Cheesecake looks gorgeous and tastes even better, it’s not a fussy recipe at all. I’m happy to tell you that this dessert is much MUCH easier to make than you might expect!
Gluten Free Cheesecake
Another thing I love about this Turtle Cheesecake recipe is that it’s incredibly simple to make it gluten free. Simply substitute your favorite gluten free cookie for the Oreo cookies in the crust. Gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies are easy to find at most grocery stores these days and work just as well as the regular cookies.
I’ve made this recipe with both gluten free cookies in the crust and regular Oreos. My family couldn’t tell the difference between the two; they’re both delicious!
The buttery caramel combined with rich chocolate and silky cheesecake center makes this one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had. Every time I bring a Turtle Cheesecake somewhere it gets a ton of compliments and requests for the recipe. Everyone’s always amazed when I tell them how simple the recipe is to make!
Cheesecake Recipes
Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website and for another decadent cheesecake to try, this Coffee Cookies and Cream Cheesecake is creamy chocolate perfection!
For a cheesecake outside of the chocolate family this Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie never fails to impress. It’s a fabulous addition to any Thanksgiving menu but we’ve been known to enjoy it all year long.
In the summer time when I’m craving light, tart citrusy desserts, a No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake from 365 Days of Baking fits the bill nicely.
Light and fluffy No Bake Caramel Cheesecake Mousse and Berry Cheesecake Mousse Cups pack rich cheesecake flavor into easy-t0-make treats.
Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
Can’t get enough of that chocolate and caramel “turtle” flavor? Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cookies happen to be naturally gluten free yet still decadently tasty.
I make at least a couple batches of Shortbread Turtle Cookies and Chewy Caramel Turtle Bark to include in my holiday cookie trays every year. Pecans, chocolate, and caramel go so well together!
Kitchen Tip: I use this pan when making this recipe. Both a 9 inch and 10 inch pan work beautifully for this cheesecake recipe. You can also use a smaller sized cheesecake pan but will need to adjust the baking time accordingly. When I made Turtle Cheesecake in an 8 inch pan it took another 10 – 15 minutes to bake.
Turtle Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Crush the oreo cookies in a large freezer-weight ziploc bag. You can use a rolling pin or mallet to crush them. Alternatively, you can quickly pulse them in a food processor.
- Combine the crumbs with the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-10″ springform pan. Pour 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over this crust and spread it out lightly with a spatula. Refrigerate the caramel-coated crust for 10 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each one is blended. Pour this mixture over the refrigerated crust. Place the spring-form pan on a large baking sheet prior to placing it in the oven. (If you line the baking sheet with foil first, clean up will be a breeze.) Some of the caramel in the crust will drip through the pan onto your oven if you forget the baking sheet.
- Bake 65 – 70 minutes, until the center is almost set. Run a knife around the edges of the pan while it is still warm. Let cool at room temperature and then refrigerate 4 hours or overnight before removing the sides of the pan.
- Once the sides of the pan have been removed, sprinkle the pecans across the top of the cheesecake and then drizzle with the remaining caramel and the melted chocolate. Store the remaining cheesecake in the refrigerator.
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Turtle Cheesecake
4.47 from 28 votesTurtle Cheesecake with Caramel, Chocolate, Pecans, and an Oreo crust is a dessert that gets talked about long after the plates are cleaned.SavePinPrintReviewPrep Time: 15 minsCook Time: 1 hr 10 minsTotal Time: 1 hr 25 minsCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanServings: 16 servings
Ingredients
- ▢24 chocolate sandwich cookies about 2 cups finely crushed, gluten free cookies work fine
- ▢6 tablespoons butter melted
- ▢3/4 cup homemade caramel sauce (store-bought sauce is fine too)
- ▢3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
- ▢3/4 cup sugar
- ▢1 tablespoon vanilla
- ▢3 eggs
- ▢1/4 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
- ▢1/4 cup chopped pecans toasted if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Crush the oreo cookies in a large freezer-weight ziploc bag. (You can use a rolling pin or mallet to crush them. Alternatively, you can quickly pulse them in a food processor.) Combine the crumbs with the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-10″ springform pan. Pour 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over this crust and spread it out lightly with a spatula. Refrigerate the caramel-coated crust for 10 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each one is blended. Pour this mixture over the refrigerated crust. Place the spring-form pan on a large baking sheet prior to placing it in the oven. (If you line the baking sheet with foil first, clean up will be a breeze.) Some of the caramel in the crust will drip through the pan onto your oven if you forget the baking sheet.
- Bake 65 – 70 minutes, until the center is almost set. Run a knife around the edges of the pan while it is still warm. Let cool at room temperature and then refrigerate 4 hours or overnight before removing the sides of the pan.
- Once the sides of the pan have been removed, sprinkle the pecans across the top of the cheesecake and then drizzle with the remaining caramel and the melted chocolate. Store remaining cheesecake in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
