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}
Olivia says
is it 3x 8 ounce packages of creme cheese or 38 ounces???
Mary says
(3) 8-ounce packages, Olivia. Enjoy!
Sara says
A hyphen or something would be helpful because I am the person that saw 38ounces
Mary Younkin says
Thanks for the suggestions, Sara.
Meghan says
Not sure how this possibly could fit in a 10 inch springform pan. It was thin for an 8 inch pan and overbaked quicker than I could try to fix the oven temperature. The topping would be good on a better cheesecake recipe.
Mary says
Hi Meghan, As you can see from the photos and the video, this is not a deep or tall cheesecake. However, it shouldn’t have overbaked in the time noted for the recipe. I’ve made this cheesecake countless times, and as you can tell from the reviews in the comments, it typically works well. Is it possible that you substituted ingredients? or possibly left something out? I’m sorry to hear it didn’t turn out for you.
Guy Monroe says
This is a amazing recipe. I’m having trouble with crust sticking to bottom of spring form pan. Any tips,
Thanks
Mary Younkin says
I typically grease it first and cross my fingers, Guy. With the caramel over the crust, the odds of it sticking are honestly high. I’ve found that a sharp knife slid underneath can help release the crust as well.
Nichole says
I really wish there was a photo option! My cheesecake came out perfect! I believe the ones who are leaving bad reviews either substituted ingredients or didn’t follow directions.
I followed the directions and my cake came out perfect! The whole family loved it and was fighting over the last piece. Will make again!!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the cheesecake, Nichole!
Ashley says
QUESTION-
Instead of doing the oreo cookie crust, how do I substitute doing the Graham cracker crust instead? HELP
Mary Younkin says
Any graham cracker crust will work nicely here. Happy baking, Ashley!
Judy Sharp says
I used a 10” springform pan and it was a thin cheesecake. Can I double the ingredients to make it thicker? I realize I will have to increase the cooking time.
This was everyone’s favorite cheesecake that I had ever made. ❤️
Mary Younkin says
Yes, this is a thin cheesecake. You should be able to double it for a thicker one, but you’ll need to significantly increase the baking time.
claudia rejack says
I thought this cheesecake was delicious! I did have a little trouble with the crust sticking. Next time I may try parchment paper in the pan because I def will be making it again!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that you love the cheesecake, Claudia!
claudia rejack says
did you ever have trouble with sticking? do you have any tricks? do you think parchment paper might work?
Mary Younkin says
Hi Claudia, this is a sticky cheesecake, but sliding the pie server under each slice works nicely for releasing it from the pan.
claudia rejack says
Thanks Mary. I was trying to figure out how to remove the whole thing so I could give it to someone for christmas
Thank you so much for responding!
claudia rejack says
I’m going to try it…I will keep you posted if its a pass or fail.
claudia rejack says
Success! I also used a few extra cookie for the crust. And since I made 3 I used the jar hotfudge and jar caramel. YUMMY
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you love the cheesecake, Claudia!
claudia rejack says
Thanks Mary. I was trying to figure out how to remove the whole thing so I could give it to someone for christmas
Thank you so much for responding!
teri says
can I use chocolate gram crackers instead of oreos?
Mary Younkin says
That should work nicely, Teri.
Beginner says
Yummy recipe but wished I had used parchment paper (made for a terrible mess and had trouble getting the springform pan off) and would have been better to prebake the crust. I think the recipe for homemade Carmel sauce would have worked better without the water. But this was the first time I made a cheesecake, so will learn from my mistakes.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad that you enjoyed the cheesecake, but sorry the recipe gave you trouble! I’ve had this leak all over my oven once when I used an older pan that didn’t seal tightly. Since then, I typically place a pan underneath or wrap the outside in foil now just in case.
Stella says
This was a total hit but I used crushed Girl Scout Samoa cookies for crust – caramel sauce is excellent as well! Rave response!!
Mary Younkin says
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Stella. I bet it was amazing with those cookies too.
Brenda L Yingling says
You didnt say how much chocolate chips to melt
Mary Younkin says
Sorry about that. I usually just melt 1/2 a cup or so, Brenda.
Shelly says
So simple to make yet so delicious and in the wake of all that is going on this is just what my family need it for a little pick-me-up thank you and God bless you
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the cheesecake, Shelly!
Khadizha says
I absolutely love this recipe. Comes out perfectly every time! Has it been updated recently or something? I could have sworn the crust called for 12 oreos instead. Either way delicious!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you love the cheesecake. You are correct that it can be made with just 12 crushed Oreos. Quite a few people have asked for a thicker crust though, so I’ve adjusted it. Having made it both ways, I actually prefer it with more crust as well.
Andrea says
It’s an ok recipe but not the best. Next time I’ll look for another one.
Mary Younkin says
Better luck next time, Andrea. We love this one.
Gabrielle Ross says
Do you suggest the water bath for this recipe??
Mary Younkin says
I don’t use a water bath for this recipe, Gabrielle, as I don’t personally care if the cheesecake cracks when it’s being topped with sauces. You can certainly use a water bath though, if that’s your preference.
Tanya Simpson says
The recipe states 12 oreo cookies but it requires 24 and 6 tablespoons butter. I used a 8 inch pan but 12 oreos didn’t even cover half. Looked up another recipe to verify and it gave these measurements. Other than that it was great!
Mary Younkin says
Whoops! I don’t know how that changed. I’ve corrected it. Thanks for the heads up, Tanya.
Grace says
Loved this recipe! Note to newbies (aka me lol)… Highly recommend mixing the cream cheese step either by hand or on the slowest stand setting. Incorporating too much air will cause it to puff up, rise, or souffle which made the center seem undercooked. I didn’t really know what I was doing and *slightly* burned the crust. Still turned out delicious! Definitely something I’ll do again! [P.S. I used dairy free cream cheese and it was still just as delicious as when I could eat dairy!]
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the cheesecake, Grace.
Rick says
Crazy question: does the oreo filling need to be removed before crushing the oreos?
Mary Younkin says
It does not, Rick. You’ll crush it all together.
Ann says
I don’t have a springform pan. What can I do?
Mary Younkin says
You can make this in any pan, it simply won’t be removed as easily from the pan for clean slices, Ann.
Amy Malinowski says
Does salted vs unsalted butter matter?
Mary Younkin says
I use salted butter in all of my recipes, Amy.