This 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.
Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake
I make this cheesecake only once or twice a year and it is always by request. 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.
Turtle Cheesecake
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. No exaggeration at all, my friends.
The crisscrossed swirls of caramel and chocolate drizzle make this cake look especially stunning. And it tastes even better than it looks!
Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
Served for dessert with a strong cup of coffee, this is pure chocolate caramel cheesecake bliss. This is the dessert to bring when you want to wow a crowd!
While this 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.
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!
Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
It’s an easy swap to make this a gluten-free cheesecake. 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 traditional sandwich cookies.
I’ve made this recipe for turtle cheesecake 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!
Turtle Cheesecake Recipe
The buttery caramel combines with the rich chocolate crust and silky cheesecake center to make this one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had.
I’ve said it once already and I’ll continue saying it. This cheesecake is so much more than the sum of its parts. It tastes like a much fancier dessert than it actually is!
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.
This is the same basic nine-ingredient recipe that I made for the first time straight off the back of the Philadelphia cream cheese package over 20 years ago.
Kitchen Tip: I use a reliable springform pan when making this recipe. Both 9-inch and 10-inch pans work well for this cheesecake recipe.
You can also use a smaller-sized cheesecake pan but will need to adjust the baking time accordingly. When I make this cheesecake in an 8-inch pan it requires an additional 10 – 15 minutes of baking time.
To make this recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Crush the cookies in a large freezer-weight zipclose 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 ½ 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 for 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.
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-to-make treats.
Turtle Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 24 chocolate sandwich cookies about 2 cups finely crushed, gluten free cookies work fine
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- ¾ cup homemade caramel sauce (store-bought sauce is fine too)
- 3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
- ¼ cup chopped pecans toasted if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Crush the oreo cookies in a large freezer-weight zipclose 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 ½ 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 for 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!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally posted 12/14/12 – photos and recipe notes updated 12/16/22}
Anonymous says
Got it in the oven now smells so good, ps the carramel sauce recipe is yummy thanks!
Anonymous says
Is it normal for the carmel to rise up and spill alittle bit onto the top of the cheesecake
Mary says
I don't recall that happening when I've made this, but it shouldn't hurt anything.
Anonymous says
Very excited to make this for Easter this year!!!
Anonymous says
I just made this yesterday and it's the greatest….
[email protected] says
This looks really yummy. I like it so much. Baking cake always involve a lot of works and ingredients so I barely bake a cake. But this one is rather simple and I love dessert. Probably I will try this… 🙂
Joan Hayes says
Mary, this cheesecake looks too good — everything I love, all in one dessert! I will most definitely be making this as soon as I can! : )
Amanda @ I Am Baker says
This cheesecake is rockin' my world, amazing!!!
Hannah C. says
How long will this stay good in the fridge? Can I freeze it, or will that ruin the texture?
Sue Bowler says
I live in the high desert in Calif. where the elevation is approx. 2700 ft. above sea level. Do I need to adjust the oven temp. and cooking time for this recipe?
Jackie G. says
Hey there!
I just recently became someone with a gluten free person in my family that I need to adjust some of my cooking to. I am uneducated and trying to get educated in what is actually gluten free … so the only thing that is in this recipe that I need to be concerned with is the crust … to me it obviously is the flour in the cookies … I’ve seen other recipes that have starch in the cream cheese batter … but I don’t see that in yours so I don’t expect you to answer that. Anyway … I’m looking forward to attempting to make your recipe … it sounds really good.
Have you ever done it in a water bath or put a water pan in the oven … if yes, did you have any success in avoiding cracks? I know that once you add the eggs you can’t over beat but I have heard that the water baths or water pan works well for avoiding cracks …. Thank you … looking forward to trying your recipe. 🙂
Victoria says
Hi, could I use a sauce made with melted kraft caramels?
Mary says
I haven’t tried that myself, but it should work fine.
AJ says
Thanks for this recipe. It’s perfect. Made this cake and satisfied a craving I’ve had for years. Now I don’t have to hunt for it when I go shopping. 🙂 #fullandhappy
Mikala says
Love it! I made this and it was the best recipe I’ve ever tried for a cheesecake!
TKG says
Came out really good. I about doubled the amount of cookies for the crust, so upped the melted butter as well, though not quite double. I liked it thicker and could also build it up against the edges to about the height of the cake. A glass tumbler was really useful for pressing it down and shaping the crust against the edges. I went way lighter on the caramel layer on top of the crust – maybe two or three tablespoons. With the layer on top of the cake, there was plenty. I used the caramel recipe from elsewhere on this site and that came out great.
Betty says
I made Turtle Cheesecake for a family event and everyone loved this. I rate recipes after they are made and I ask my family to do the same we rated this as a 10.
Aaron says
I’ve been looking for a good turtle cheesecake recipe, and love the idea of the caramel layer over the oreo crust. However I ran into a problem just a couple days ago, as I removed the cake from the springform pan, cutting a slice to check the layers (specifically looking for caramel to ooze out a little). Instead, I found the caramel had infused with the oreo crust, hardening. I used a salted caramel recipe from another place online, so I don’t know if this is the reason for my issue. Also I should mention after adding the caramel layer on the oreo crust, I had put it in the fridge for about an hour, so I’m not sure if that attributed to the hardening.
Debbie says
Where’s the caramel sauce instructions??? Think I kinda Need it……….you gave out Half a Recipe!
Mary says
Hey Debbie, thanks for the heads up! Here’s a direct link to the recipe: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/homemade-caramel-sauce/ I don’t know why the link disappeared. I’ve added it back to the recipe above. Enjoy!
Jenna white says
I have made this several times and every time the caramel soaks into the crust and becomes glue. Any suggestions.?
Sarah Graves says
Hi I tried this recipe and could not get the cheesecake to come off the spring form pan. The Oreos and Carmel turned into kind of a sticky goo and did not come out right. Any tips?
Mary says
I’m wondering if the Oreos were crushed too crumbs or maybe in bigger pieces? If they weren’t in crumbs, they might not have absorbed the caramel to form the crust properly. I just remade this one to make the video and it worked according to the recipe, so I’m stumped. Did you substitute any ingredients? Did you refrigerate the crust before adding the cheesecake filling?