Turtle Pie (No Bake)

This recipe was originally published in November 2021. It has since been updated with new images and a new recipe.

This turtle cheesecake pie has everything you love about classic chocolate turtles! From the rich and creamy salted caramel filling to the caramel pecans, this truly is the perfect dessert for the holidays or for a birthday.

Like my Oreo peanut butter pie, this turtle pie has a no bake Oreo cookie base. I've then used my favorite tried and tested cheesecake filling that I use for all of my no bake cheesecakes (like my strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake). It is super rich, creamy and yet still so light!

It's also such an easy recipe and can be made in advance, which is why I love making it for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Grab your ingredients!

• Cream Cheese: Your cream cheese will need to be at room temperature before using. If you're based in Europe and your cream cheese comes in tubs, you must pat it dry with a paper towel. Cream cheese in tubs has more moisture in it.
• Oreos: I used chocolate Oreo cookies for my cookie crust, but you could substitute it with wafer cookies, graham crackers, etc. You'll want to blend them or pulse them into a powder with a food processor. You can also buy ready-crushed Oreo cookies at some grocery stores!
• Chocolate: You'll want to use some semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips to drizzle on top of the pie just before serving!
• Confectioners' Sugar: also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar, this is going to sweeten the turtle pie filling and also help give it structure.
• Heavy Cream: We'll whip the heavy cream until we have homemade whipped cream. This is going to make your pie filling super light! You can swap it out for Cool Whip.
• Caramel Sauce: I'm using a homemade caramel sauce, but you can also use store-bought if you prefer or you're low on time.

Let's Make This Recipe!

Step 1: Crush your Oreo cookies in a food processor until you have small crumbs. Pour in your melted butter and mix together until the crumbs are moist. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and pour in the crumbs. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down and slightly up the sides. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat your heavy cream until you have stiff peaks. This might take 4-5 minutes so be patient! Keep to the side once it's ready.

Step 3: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add your vanilla, sour cream, salted caramel sauce and confectioners' sugar. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Once it is completely smooth you can stop the mixer. Fold in your whipped cream carefully, you don't want to deflate it! Fold until it is completely incorporated.

Step 4: Fold in your whipped cream carefully, you don't want to deflate it! Fold until it is completely incorporated.

Step 5: Take the crust out of the freezer and pour in the filling. Use a small offset spatula to smooth it out, then place plastic wrap on top of the cheesecake. Place in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

Step 6: When you're ready to serve, use a small silicone spatula or an offset spatula and run it along the edges. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Mix your pecans with the remaining caramel, then spoon on top of the pie. Finally, drizzle over melted chocolate and pipe whipped cream along the edges!

My Baking Tips!

• Cream Cheese - If you're based in Europe or your cream cheese comes in tubs, pat down your cream cheese with a paper towel. The cream cheese in Europe has a lot more moisture than in North America, and your filling won't be as firm if you don't pat down the cream cheese.
• Piping the Whipped Cream - I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate the pie with whipped cream.
• Pie Pan - Feel free to use a pie pan instead of a springform pan, you'll want to use a 9-inch pie dish. I prefer using the springform pan because I find it easier to slice!
• Chilling - For best results, chill your turtle cheesecake for 12 hours. I tried slicing it at 6 hours and while it was fine, it was definitely much cleaner after 12.
• Caramel Pecans - make sure the caramel isn't hot when you mix it with the pecans. You don't want warm caramel to melt the pie filling!

Storage

Keep this turtle pie in the fridge for up to 4 days; it is best served cold. I recommend only adding the whipped cream just before serving!