Turtle pie combines all the delightful things! A rich caramel cream cheese filling is served in a crisp pecan-Oreo crust and topped with fluffy whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and more crunchy pecans.
This delicious dessert features all of the flavors and textures that make the beloved turtle candies so special– caramel, chocolate, and pecans– all woven into a decadent cream pie.
Cream pies are just irresistible (have you tried our Peanut Butter Pie or our Lemon Custard Pie?!), and this easy caramel turtle pie recipe creates another delicious pie that might just become a family favorite.
It’s a no-bake pie with a creamy filling and the perfect combination of chocolate, pecans, and caramel. You have the option to bake the Oreo cookie crust if you’d like it crisper, but you don’t have to. This easy turtle pie can be completely no-bake! All you need to do is refrigerate it until set.
If you’re a fan of the Turtles candy, you’ll love this fluffy and dreamy pie version!
Why this Recipe Works
A rich chocolate cookie crust and sweet, caramel cream filling are tasty together, but when you add the chocolate, caramel, and whipped cream topping, you get an epic dessert that is heavenly.
Turtle pie is:
- Using white chocolate helps the filling set up more firmly. It will hold its shape when sliced but still have a smooth, creamy texture.
- It has the best combination of flavors and textures. How can you go wrong with caramel, chocolate, and pecans?
- This pie is easy to prepare and (almost) no-bake.
The Ingredients
This caramel turtle pie recipe is sweet and luscious and hits all the right flavor notes!
To make it, you will need:
- Oreo cookies. If you aren’t a fan of Oreos, you can use your favorite cookies or make homemade crispy chocolate cookies.
- Butter.
- Dulce de leche. You can use dulce de leche that is canned and purchased from the grocery store, or make your own. If you’ve never used it before, it’s a thick, creamy, cooked condensed milk that has a rich caramel flavor. (we have instructions for homemade duce de Leche in the notes of the recipe card). You can also use thick caramel sauce (the kind that clings to a spoon).
- Heavy whipping cream. Don’t use half and half. You need heavy whipping cream in order to whip it into a thick, fluffy topping.
- Pecans. Toast the nuts to bring out the flavor.
- White chocolate. We use a bar of white chocolate, but the chocolate chips will also work.
- Powdered sugar. This is also called confectioners sugar.
- Cream cheese. Use the kind that comes in blocks, NOT the stuff that comes in a tub.
- Vanilla extract.
- Chocolate sauce.
How to Make Turtle Pie
This process is actually quite simple once you get started!
Some of the layers of the turtle pie will require the same ingredients so make sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the detailed instructions and ingredient amounts.
Blitz the Oreo cookies in a food processor to get fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until well combined. Press into the bottom of a pie dish to form the pie crust. Refrigerate to set.
Heat dulce de leche and some heavy cream in the microwave until it’s slightly warm and drippy. Reserve 3 tablespoons for later.
Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of the crust and sprinkle toasted pecans on top. Chill while you make the filling.
Microwave the white chocolate and cream in short intervals until it’s 80% melted. Remove and stir until all the chocolate melts. Set it aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add the rest of the cream and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, and set the whipped cream aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the dulce de leche, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture. Beat until well combined.
Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to make the creamy caramel filling.
Spread the filling in the pie dish and refrigerate for 4 hours. Make the second batch of whipped cream and spread it or pipe it on the pie. Drizzle caramel sauce and chocolate sauce on top, then sprinkle with toasted pecans.
More Chilled or Frozen Desserts
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Homemade Strawberry Popsicles (3 Ways)
- Cookie Monster Ice Cream
- Lemon Custard Pie
- 31 Cool Summer Dessert Ideas
Recipe Tips for the Ultimate Turtle Pie
- When making the cookie crust, the finer the crumbs, the better they will pack down and create a firm pie crust.
- If you bake the pie shell, make sure to cool it completely before adding the filling.
- You can freeze turtle pie for up to three months. Let it thaw for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
- Store the pie in the fridge for up to 3 days. The whipped cream topping will hold up for 1-2 days. For the best results, add the topping a few hours before you serve the pie. Cover leftover pie with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
✅ Substitutions and Variations
- You can use homemade or storebought caramel sauce instead of Dulce de Leche but make sure it is thick and spoonable. You can also melt 10 ounces of caramel candies with 4 to 5 tablespoons of cream or half and half to make an easy caramel sauce.
- Use a store-bought chocolate pie crust for an easy shortcut.
- Make a shortbread crust instead of a chocolate crust.
⏲ Storage
Keep the pie in the fridge for up to 5 days. Wait to pipe the whipped cream topping until the day you plan to serve the pie.
You can also freeze the pie for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pie is named after the Turtles candies that are made with caramel, chocolate, and pecans. The candies look like turtles, but the pie just has the same flavor components.
Sure, but you will still need a splash of cream to melt with the white chocolate.
This easy turtle pie recipe has a smooth caramel flavor and velvety layers of deliciousness, finished off with chocolate and pecans!
Between the rich caramel topping, creamy filling, and the Oreo crust, it’s almost impossible to figure out which part we love the most!
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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
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Our chocolate caramel tart is thick, rich, and luscious. The gooey caramel filling gets topped with a thick chocolate glaze. It’s the perfect treat for any occasion, whether it’s a family gathering or a romantic dinner for two.
Our Caramel Apple Pie will win over your taste buds and steal your heart! It’s the ultimate apple pie- extra caramel, tender apples, warm spices and a flaky buttery crust.
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Turtle Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 34 Oreo cookies
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
Caramel Pecan Bottom
- 1 cup dulce de leche homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾ cup toasted pecans
Caramel Cream Filling
- 4 ounces white chocolate chopped
- 1-¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce reserved from above
- 3 tablespoons chocolate sauce
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
Instructions
- Before you begin, stick a mixing bowl in the freezer to get it chilled. You will use this bowl to whip the cream. The chilled bowl will make the cream whip up fluffier and have more volume.
Crust
- Toss the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs.
- Drizzle the butter over the cookie crumbs and pulse several times until well blended.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie dish and press into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up the crust.
- Optional step: if you want a crisper crust, preheat the oven to 350°F and transfer the chilled cookie crust into the oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Let the crust cool completely.
Caramel Pecan Bottom
- Combine 1 cup of dulce de leche and two tablespoons of cream in a microwavable bowl and stir well. Zap the mixture in the microwave in 8 to 10-second bursts. Stir the mixture in between bursts until it is slightly warm and drips off the spoon easily.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture for the topping. Pour the sauce into the bottom of the crust, then sprinkle the toasted pecans over the sauce.
- Refrigerate the pie dish while you work on the filling.
Filling
- Place the chopped white chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Add two tablespoons of the heavy cream to the bowl and zap it in the microwave in 5 to 8-second increments. Stir the mixture between the intervals until it is about 80% melted. Remove it from the microwave and constantly stir until the white chocolate is melted completely. Set aside to cool down while you whip the cream.
- In a chilled bowl, add the rest of the heavy cream and the powdered sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and free of lumps. Add the dulce de leche, vanilla extract, and the melted white chocolate mixture. Beat until smooth and well combined.
- Transfer half of the whipped cream to the filling mixture. Use a wide spatula to fold it into the mixture. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well blended.
- Spread the filling in the pie dish and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Topping
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a chilled bowl. Beat on medium-high until it forms stiff peaks.
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream on top of the pie.
- Drizzle the top of the pie with caramel and chocolate sauce, then sprinkle toasted pecans over the top.
Notes
- For the cookie crust, the finer you make the crumbs, the better they will pack down and create a firm pie crust.
- If you bake the cookie crust, make sure you let it chill completely before adding the filling.
- You can freeze the pie for up to 3 months. Let it thaw for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
- Store the pie in the fridge for up to 3 days. The whipped cream topping will hold up for about 1 to 2 days. For best results, add the topping a few hours before you serve the pie.
To Make Dulce de Leche:
- Remove the label from two cans of sweetened condensed milk but do not open the cans. Place them in a large pot and cover them with water. Make sure the water is at least 2 inches above the cans.
- Simmer the water for 2 hours. If the water level drops, pour more boiling water over the cans so they stay emerged the entire time.
- Let the cans cool completely before opening them.
