Turtle Pie

My turtle pie is a standout dessert, with a perfect blend of creamy pudding and cream cheese fillings, topped with a luscious caramel layer, whipped cream, chocolate, caramel, and crunchy pecans, all resting on a beloved Oreo crust.

After testing both a pudding filling and a cream cheese version, I couldn’t pick a winner. I loved the pudding’s texture but preferred the cream cheese flavor, so I combined the best of both to create the ultimate filling for this pie. Keep reading for my top tips on the crust, caramel cream filling, and more!

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You will Love this Turtle Pie Recipe!

I have a ton of experience making no bake pies, so I channeled all of that knowledge to elevate this turtle pie recipe. For the filling, I took what I learned from my chocolate pudding pie and my no bake peanut butter pie to test out a few different filling options. My chocolate pudding pie uses pudding mix and heavy cream to create a luscious, thick filling while my peanut butter pie uses cream cheese.

When I tested the pudding version (vanilla pudding mix, heavy cream, caramel sauce, and cool whip) against the cream cheese version (cream cheese, powdered sugar, caramel, and cool whip), I couldn’t pick a winner. I love the texture of the pudding version but I like the taste of the cream cheese filling. With that in mind, I decided to try a third combination, a mash-up of the two, which was the winner and became the final filling for this recipe.

This is hands down one of the most delicious pies you can make to seriously wow a crowd. Keep reading for all my best tips for the pie crust, caramel cream filling, and more!

What is Turtle Pie?

Turtle pie is traditionally a no bake dessert featuring a cookie crumb crust, a caramel cheesecake filling, and topped with whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate. The pie got it’s name because the combination of caramel, chocolate and pecans reminded people of DeMet’s Turtles (turtle candies), a popular candy that resembles the shape of a turtle.

What is turtle pie made of?

This caramel turtle pie recipe is made with a simple oreo crust, a decadent filling, then topped with whipped cream, caramel, chocolate and pecans. Is your mouth watering yet? Find the full recipe in the recipe card below, and keep reading for my best tips! Here is a summary of what you’ll need for this no bake pie recipe:

Oreo Crust

• Oreos
• Unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• Full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• Caramel sauce, I used Smucker’s 
• Instant vanilla pudding mix
• Heavy whipping cream
• Cool Whip, thawed

Whipped Cream

• Cream cheese, room temperature
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Vanilla extract

Topping

• Caramel sauce
• Melted chocolate or chocolate sauce
• Pecans 

How to Make Turtle Pie

My easy turtle pie recipe is broken into four groups – first the crust, then the filling, then whipped cream and assemble, finishing with caramel, chocolate and pecans on top of the pie! Easy as pie, no pun intended. Keep reading for my best tips and to get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Here are the easy steps:

Oreo Crust

1. Make oreo crumbs. In a food processor or blender, pulse the oreo cookies (the cookie portion and the cream filling) into fine crumbs.
2. Mix crumbs and butter. In a mixing bowl, use a spatula to combine the crumbs with the melted butter until well combined.
3. Press into pan for form crust. Transfer the crumbs to a 9 inch pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pack / tamp the crumbs evenly and tightly into and up the sides of the pan to form the crunchy oreo crust.

Filling

1. Mix cream cheese and caramel sauce. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and caramel sauce with an electric mixer until well blended, 1 minute. 
2. Beat in the pudding mix and heavy whipping cream, 2 minutes. You will NOT prepare the pudding mix as directed on the box. The mixture will become very thick. 
3. Add cool whip. Add the cool whip and mix on low until combined. 
4. Spread this mixture over the crust. Cover the pie pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours. 

Whipped Cream

1. Chill equipment. Place a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar. Remove the bowl from the freezer. Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar, beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until smooth and creamy.
3. Add in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract, beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form / it’s scoop-able with a spoon and holds its shape. 

Assemble the Pie

1. Caramel and chocolate. Drizzle caramel sauce and melted chocolate or chocolate syrup over the pie, in alternating directions. 
2. Whipped cream and pecans. Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the pie. Top with chopped pecans. 
3. Chill. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Turtle Pie Recipe Tips

For best results with this no bake turtle pie recipe, follow these tips:

• For the best crust: Blend the entire oreo (the cream and the cookies) when making the crust.
• Don’t skip the setting: The filling needs to chill for 4-8 hours in order to set properly. Don’t be tempted to skip over this part and move ahead with the next steps. 
• Ignore the pudding mix box: You won’t be following the directions on the box of pudding mix for this recipe. Follow the recipe steps instead, and don’t worry when the mixture becomes super thick, as it’s supposed to be.
• Chill your mixing bowl before making whipped cream: This is my best trick for making whipped cream. It’s a simple step you can do to ensure it sets up properly.
• Serve chilled: This pie is best served cold, so keep it stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. 

Chocolate Turtle Cream Pie Recipe FAQs

More Turtle Recipes

• Mini Turtle Cheesecakes
• Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake
• Turtle Bark
• Turtle Popcorn Balls

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Turtle Pie Recipe

By: Beth

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 8 hours hours

Servings: 12 slices

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My turtle pie is a cut above the rest, made with combination of a pudding filling and a cream cheese filling for the absolute best texture and taste! After extensive testing, I finally nailed the ultimate creamy caramel filling that I pair with my popular Oreo crust and then top with whipped cream, chocolate, caramel, and crunchy pecans. 

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

• ▢ 32 oreos
• ▢ 6 (86g) Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• ▢ 16 oz (452g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (164g) caramel sauce, I used Smucker’s
• ▢ 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix, 3.4 or 3.9 oz box
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups (295ml) heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 8 oz (226g) Cool Whip, thawed

Whipped Cream

• ▢ 2 oz (57g) cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (56g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 cups (473ml) heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

• ▢ 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons melted chocolate or chocolate sauce
• ▢ Pecans

Instructions 

Oreo Crust

• In a food processor or blender, pulse the oreos (the cookie portion and the cream filling) into fine crumbs.
• In a mixing bowl, use a spatula to combine the crumbs with the melted butter until well combined.
• Transfer the crumbs to a 9 inch pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass to pack / tamp the crumbs evenly and tightly into and up the sides of the pan.

Filling

• In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and caramel sauce with an electric mixer until well blended, 1 minute.
• Beat in the pudding mix and heavy whipping cream, 2 minutes. You will NOT prepare the pudding mix as directed on the box. The mixture will become very thick.
• Add the cool whip and mix on low until combined.
• Spread this mixture over the crust. Cover the pie pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.

Whipped Cream

• Place a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the freezer. Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar, beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until smooth and creamy.
• Add in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract, beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form / it’s scoop-able with a spoon and holds its shape.

Assemble the Pie

• Drizzle caramel sauce and melted chocolate over the pie, in alternating directions.
• Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the pie. Top with chopped pecans.
• Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 1411kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 132g | Saturated Fat: 81g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 349mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 4241IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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