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Rich and creamy, this Turtle Cheesecake is a showstopping dessert that is perfect for the holidays. Filled with caramel, chocolate, and pecans over a chocolate cookie crust, this cheesecake has it all! It’s sure to be a huge hit, and everyone will want you to make it again.
If you’re the type of person to stock up on turtle chocolates when the holidays come around, then this is the perfect cheesecake for you. You get all the flavors of the classic treat in the form of a cheesecake. Who wouldn’t love this? All you need are a few simple ingredients, a mixer, and you’ll have this turtle cheesecake ready in no time.
As this cheesecake cheesecake recipe requires time to set in the fridge overnight, it’s perfect for holiday dinners like Thanksgiving or Christmas, as you can prepare the dessert one to two days beforehand. If you’re interested in trying my other cheesecake recipes, try making my pecan pie cheesecake, classic cheesecake recipe, or homemade chocolate cheesecake.
“I pride myself on my cheesecakes – it’s my go-to. THIS IS THE BEST CHEESECAKE RECIPE I have every made. People are now requesting this when I am asked to bring a dessert. The crust is excellent. The filling – perfect. The toppings make it easy to look fancy. I’m now trying more of his recipes – you nailed this one John!!!”
A reader
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chocolate sandwich cookies — I use Oreo cookies for the turtle cheesecake crust, but you can use any chocolate sandwich cookies you have on hand. Just make sure you’re not buying double-stuffed cookies. The extra filling makes the crust greasy and stick to the pan. If you do not have chocolate sandwiches for the crust, you can use graham crackers, Biscoff, digestives cookies, Nilla wafers, or shortbread cookies instead. You will need about 1½ cups of crumbs with ¼ cup of sugar added, and you may need a little bit more butter depending on the cookie you use.
Pecans — I recommend buying whole or halved pecans so you can grind some for the filling and crust, and roughly chop some for the topping. You can even leave some whole if you prefer the look of it on top of the cheesecake. I prefer toasting them so they are a bit crunchier in the cheesecake. Use the oven or a skillet to toast pecans before you chop them.
Cream cheese — be sure to use full-fat cream cheese blocks and not the spreadable type from a tub. Cream cheese that is straight out of the fridge won’t mix well, so make sure it’s brought to room temperature, or you’ll end up with a lumpy batter. To bring your cream cheese to room temperature, leave it out the night before or heat it in the microwave (unwrapped) for 20 seconds at 50% power.
Eggs — just like the cream cheese, eggs mix better into the batter when they’re at room temperature as well. Place your eggs on the counter for 30 minutes or into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge beforehand.
Flour — the flour helps keep the protein from the egg thickening too much, leading to the turtle cheesecake’s filling being creamier in texture and lowering the chances of cracks forming on top.
Caramel — you can use a store-bought caramel that is thick (like a hot caramel topping), but try making my homemade caramel sauce if you have the time. I have tested this recipe with both types of caramel, and it works very well either way!
Chocolate chips — melted with cream, this makes an easy ganache to drizzle on top of the chilled cheesecake before serving. If you do not have chocolate chips, you can roughly chop chocolate bars to melt instead.
How to Make Turtle Cheesecake
1. Make the crust by combining finely crushed sandwich cookies and pecans with melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing the filling, for at least 30 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add ¼ cup flour, the cream, and vanilla and beat on medium until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the bowl frequently.
3. To make the chocolate cheesecake layer, remove a cup of batter and place in a small bowl. Stir melted chocolate into the batter.
4. To make the caramel pecan layer, in another small bowl, whisk together the caramel and the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour. Stir in the chopped pecans.
5. Spread the caramel mixture in an even layer over the cooled crust, leaving about a ½ inch border around the edge. When I first tested this, I did one with the caramel spread all the way to the edge of the pan. Once baked, it created a dark sticky layer that made the cheesecake harder to release from the side of the springform pan. I found that in a second test, leaving a small gap around the edge let the cheesecake batter fully cover the caramel and prevent any sticking issues.
6. Spread the chocolate batter into an even layer over the caramel mixture. Make sure you smooth it all the way to the side of the pan to cover the caramel layer.
7. Carefully spoon the plain batter over the chocolate filling and smooth the top. Place it on a baking sheet. In an oven with a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack, bake the cheesecake on the center rack for 75 to 90 minutes or until the edges are pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan and the center wobbles when gently shaken. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack, for 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
8. Before serving, heat the cream for 15 to 30 seconds, or until steaming and then add the chocolate chips and let stand for a few minutes. Stir until smooth. Drizzle the turtle cheesecake with melted chocolate and more caramel. Sprinkle with pecans.
Why Do I Need A Water Bath?
A water bath, or bain-marie, helps create a humid environment while your turtle cheesecake is cooking, adding extra insurance against cracking or a curdled filling. Since this filing has multiple layers and other ingredients added which effect how the batter bakes, the water bath is a helpful addition.
I originally developed this recipe with a traditional water bath. But, many of your commented saying you had issues with the water leaking into the foil and your pan, and it’s very easy to have that happen. So, I switched to using the water bath hack! I retested it and this worked just as well creating a smooth, crack-free cheesecake. By placing the cheesecake on a rack by itself and a pan of water (the water bath) on the oven rack below, you get the benefits of the added moisture in the oven while cooking without the risk of a soggy bottom.
Since cheesecake has a crust and isn’t as delicate as custard, like a creme brulee or flan, I prefer not to bake the cheesecake directly in the water as it can potentially leak into the seams of the pan, like some of you experienced.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Do not be tempted to open the oven during baking to peek at your turtle cheesecake. The hot air will escape, and the cold air from the kitchen can go into the oven, causing the cheesecake to deflate or crack. Only check it near the end of the bake time to test for doneness.
Accidentally caused a crack on the top of your turtle cheesecake? Simply cover it with more chopped pecans and caramel.
You do not want to bake until the center is firm as it continues to set as it cools. To tell if your turtle cheesecake has finished baking, gently shake the pan. If the cheesecake’s center is a bit jiggly, it’s done. Use A Baker’s Guide To Cheesecake for more tips on telling exactly when the cheesecake is done and how to avoid cracking.
Let the cheesecake cool gradually at room temperature. Don’t place it directly into the fridge to speed up the process, or it will develop condensation when covered or absorb scents in the fridge if uncovered.
For beautiful, clean slices, run your knife under hot water between cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prevent cracks on your turtle cheesecake, avoid over mixing the batter or mixing it at too high a speed. Doing so will add more air to the filling, leading to air bubbles cracking on the surface or the cheesecake rising too much and cracking as it deflates. Again, this can be prevented by bringing your ingredients to room temperature to mix smoothly without over-mixing.
I recommend keeping this chocolate caramel pecan cheesecake refrigerated. You can bring the cheesecake out to room temperature before serving if you prefer the cheesecake to be less firm and cold. If you don’t have a cake container with a lid to cover the cheesecake, you can use toothpicks to help tent the top of the cheesecake, so the plastic wrap doesn’t stick to the toppings.
You can! Once the cheesecake has cooled, you can freeze it whole or in slices. Wrap the cheesecake up in multiple layers of plastic wrap before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag if possible. If you plan on freezing the whole cheesecake, I recommend holding off on the topping and making it fresh instead, as the texture of the pecans will change slightly once frozen and thawed.
Turtle Cheesecake
Equipment
- Food Processor (optional)
- Mixer
- Bowls
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 20 chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos
- ½ cup pecan halves (60g, I prefer toasted)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (56g)
For the Filling:
- 4 8-ounce blocks cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (220g)
- ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour divided (35g)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (60ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled (90g)
- ½ cup caramel sauce (120mL)
- ½ cup chopped pecans (60g, I prefer toasted)
For the Topping:
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
Instructions
- Position an oven rack to the lowest level and a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
For the Crust:
- In a food processor, pulse the sandwich cookies and pecans until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Place in a medium bowl, and stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing the filling, or at least 30 minutes.
For the Filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup (30g) of flour, the cream, and vanilla. Beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the bowl frequently.
- Remove 1 cup of batter, and place in a small bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into the batter.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the caramel and the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the caramel mixture in an even layer over the cooled crust. Spread the chocolate batter into an even layer over the caramel mixture. Carefully spoon the plain batter over the chocolate filling, and smooth the top. Place on a baking sheet.
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Place a large roasting pan or casserole dish on the bottom rack of the oven and carefully fill halfway with the boiling water. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack.
- Bake for 75 to 90 minutes or until the edges are pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan and the center wobbles when gently shaken. Cover the cheesecake loosely with foil after 60 minutes if the top appears to be browning too quickly. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack, for 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
For the Topping:
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream for 15 to 30 seconds, or until steaming. Add the chocolate chips and let stand for a few minutes. Stir until smooth.
- Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cheesecake. Remove sides of the pan and transfer the cheesecake to a cake plate. Drizzle the cheesecake with melted chocolate and caramel. Sprinkle with pecans.
Notes
- Do not be tempted to open the oven to peek at your turtle cheesecake. The hot air will escape, and the cold air from the kitchen can go into the oven, causing the cheesecake to deflate or crack.
- Accidentally caused a crack on the top of your cheesecake? Simply cover it with more chopped pecans and caramel.
- To bring your cream cheese to room temperature, leave it out the night before or heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds at 50% power.
- Just like the cream cheese, eggs mix better into the batter when they’re at room temperature as well. Place your egg into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge beforehand.
- If you do not have chocolate sandwiches for the crust, you can use graham crackers, Biscoff, digestives cookies, Nilla wafers, or shortbread cookies instead.
- You do not want to bake until the center is firm as it continues to set as it cools. To tell if your turtle cheesecake has finished baking, gently shake the pan. If the cheesecake’s center is a bit jiggly, it’s done.
- If you do not have chocolate chips, you can roughly chop chocolate bars to melt instead.
- Let the cheesecake cool gradually. Don’t place it directly into the fridge to speed up the process, or it will develop condensation when covered or absorb scents in the fridge if uncovered.
- For beautiful, clean slices, run your knife under hot water between cuts.
Nutrition
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More Cheesecake Recipes
Bake one of these cake recipes next:
- Lemon Cheesecake: tart and creamy, this cheesecake gets a coating of bright lemon curd just before serving.
- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake: bake a classic cheesecake swirled with homemade raspberry jam.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake: the perfect holiday dessert using canned pumpkin and warm spices.
- Oreo Cheesecake: a classic cheesecake filling studded with chopped Oreos and topped with a swirled ganache.
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake: another candy favorite, peanut butter cups, turned into the ultimate peanut butter cheesecake covered with ganache.
If you’ve tried this Turtle Cheesecake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
