This Turtle Pie recipe is a dream come true! With a velvety chocolate crust, a cream cheese filling, gooey caramel drizzle, and crunchy chocolate pecan topping, it truly doesn’t get any better than this. Whether you’re looking for an impressive dessert for your next gathering or just someone with a sweet tooth, this Turtle Pie recipe will have you coming back for more!
What Is Turtle Pie?
Turtle Pie is a beloved classic dessert known for its rich flavors and delightful textures. It starts with a chocolatey Oreo crust topped with a smooth, velvety cream cheese filling. But what makes it special are the gooey caramel swirls on top, adding a sweet contrast, and the crunchy pecans and chocolate chips generously scattered over the pie, providing a nutty crunch.
Turtle Pie is often served cold and can be enjoyed on its own or with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce. Whether you’re a dessert connoisseur or simply love sweets, Turtle Pie is a delectable choice that combines the best of chocolate, caramel, and pecans into one irresistible treat!
You’ll Also Love: The BEST Butterscotch Pecan Pie
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce (or 1 ½ cups store-bought caramel sauce)
- Granulated Sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Salt
Oreo Cookie Crust
- Oreo Cookies
- Unsalted Butter
The Filling
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Vanilla Extract
- Salted Caramel Sauce
Toppings
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Confectioners Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Chips
- Coconut Oil or Unsalted Butter
- Chopped Pecans
- Chocolate Chips
How to Make Turtle Pie
1. Make the Caramel Sauce (or skip this step with store-bought caramel)
In a medium, heavy saucepan (not nonstick), melt the sugar over medium-low heat, carefully swirling the pan’s handle until it becomes liquid. Reduce heat to low, add butter (be cautious of splattering), then whisk in heavy cream. Let it bubble for 1 minute, remove from heat, stir in salt, and cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature before use.
2. Make the Oreo Crust
Crush Oreos in a sealed ziplock bag or a food processor until they resemble sand. Combine the crumbs with melted butter, either in the food processor or a bowl, to create a wet sand mixture. Press this mixture firmly into a greased 9” pie plate, covering both the bottom and sides, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set.
3. Make the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth for about 5 minutes. In another bowl, whip heavy cream with vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form. Whisk 1 cup of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Add ½ cup of salted caramel, whisking until the mixture is uniformly golden brown. Spoon the filling into the chilled crust, spread it evenly, and cover the pie pan with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight to set.
4. Decorate the Pie
Before serving, whip heavy whipping cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Melt chocolate chips with oil (or butter) in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted. Pipe or spoon whipped cream onto the pie in a decorative pattern, then drizzle with caramel sauce, and melted chocolate, and garnish with chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Slice, serve, or chill until ready to enjoy!
How to Store Turtle Pie
To keep your Turtle Pie fresh and delightful, store it in the refrigerator. Cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent any moisture or odors from affecting its taste. If you plan to enjoy it within a day or two, the refrigerator is sufficient.
For longer storage, consider freezing your Turtle Pie. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn. You can freeze Turtle Pie for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and it’ll be just as delicious as when it was freshly made.
RELATED: Can You Freeze Pecan Pie?
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple Pie Filling Cinnamon Rolls
- Oreo Chocolate Trifle
- Sweet Potato Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
- Mulberry Pie Bars
- Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
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Turtle Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce (or 1 ½ cups store-bought caramel sauce)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Oreo Cookie Crust
- 28 Oreo cookies
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
The Filling
- 8 ounce block cream cheese softened at room temperature for at least 1 hour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold from the fridge
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the Caramel Sauce
- In a medium heavy saucepan (not a nonstick pan), add the sugar and cook over medium-low heat, swirling carefully using the handle of the pan, until the sugar becomes liquid and is fully melted. Once the sugar is melted, reduce the heat to low and add in the butter and whisk to combine, being careful not to burn yourself since the caramel may start bubbling a lot once the butter is added. I like to wear a tall oven mitt when whisking in case any hot sugar splatters.
- Once the butter is fully mixed, slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Let bubble for 1 minute over low heat.
- Turn off the heat and mix in the salt. Let cool completely for at least 1 hour, at room temperature, before using.
Make the Crust
- Crush Oreos in a sealed ziplock bag or in a food processor until it becomes a sand-like consistency. Add the melted butter to the food processor (or dump the crumbs into a bowl and mix in the butter). Mix everything together until a wet sand mixture forms.
- Press the crust mixture into a grease 9” pie plate along the bottom and sides of the pan until compact. Set in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a large mixing bowl (with an electric mixer or whisk), beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- In another large bowl, whip the heavy cream with vanilla extract until medium-stiff peaks form (with an electric mixer or whisk).
- Whisk 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to loosen it.
- Then, fold the remaining whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined.
- Whisk in ½ cup of the salted caramel until the mixture is a uniform consistency and light golden brown color.
- Spoon the filling into the prepared chilled crust and spread into an even layer.
- Tent the pie pan with foil or loosely cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for 4-6 hours to set or overnight.
Decorate the Pie
- Before serving, whip the heavy whipping cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form (using an electric mixer or whisk).
- Melt the chocolate chips with oil (or butter) in a microwave safe bowl for 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted.
- Pipe the whipped cream in a design on the top of the pie or spoon onto the pie and use the back of your spoon to make a swoosh design.
- Drizzle the pie with caramel sauce, the melted chocolate, and decorated with chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
- Slice and serve or set in the fridge until ready to eat!
Notes
- You can use a store-bought salted caramel if you like, just be sure it’s very thick!
- The caramel sauce yields about 1 1/3 cup of sauce.
Liz says
Turtle desserts are my favorite and this pie was incredibly delicious!!!
Karen says
This looks delicious! I love how the final result looks super elegant and complex, but the directions are surprisingly easy! Cannot wait to make this and serve for my next dinner gathering. Thank you!
Kim says
This looks amazing! I love anything turtle related.
Amy Liu Dong says
This is such a great-looking pie! The presentation makes it so enticing and very appealing! Looks amazingly delicious! I’ll make this at home! Thanks!
Lisa says
What a great dessert idea.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I love turtle pie. This is so sweet and amazing. A perfect dessert.
Varnamala says
This pie looks like a bomb of delicious flavors. Love it!