Turtle Cheesecake

Active Time:

40 mins

Chill Time:

6 hrs

Total Time:

8 hrs 20 mins

Servings:

10

Turtle cheesecake is absolutely decadent, as rich and indulgent as desserts come. That makes it an ideal recipe for a holiday feast or other special occasion. This cheesecake is perfectly smooth and creamy with a dazzling dark chocolate crust and dark chocolate ganache. Saltiness from salted caramel sauce helps to bring balance to this extravagant treat, as does a sprinkle of toasted pecans.

Learn how to make turtle cheesecake, and impress your friends and family at your next special occasion dinner with this delightful sweet.

 42 Delicious Cheesecake Recipes For Every Season And Occasion

What Does Turtle Cheesecake Taste Like?

While the defining flavor here is sweetness, there’s enough salt in the recipe to keep it well balanced. The chocolate ganache adds a layer of fudgy goodness, while the salted caramel stays saucy and somewhat gooey for serving. The pecans add a nutty crunch that brings all of the ingredients together for the perfect turtle texture and taste. 

Turtle Cheesecake Ingredients

To make turtle cheesecake, you will need:

• Chocolate wafer cookies: These form the best crust for a turtle-inspired cheesecake. You can make your own, or look for an acceptable alternative at the grocery store.
• Unsalted butter: Helps bind the cookie crumbs.
• Kosher salt: A hint of salt in the sweet crust balances the sweetness of the cheesecake.
• Salted caramel sauce: You may use store-bought salted caramel sauce, or make your own in just 15 minutes.
• Toasted pecans: Some go under the cream cheese filling, and some go on top so there’s crunch in every bite.
• Cream cheese: You can’t have a cheesecake without cream cheese. Let it soften slightly before mixing for the best texture.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the cheesecake filling.
• Eggs: Eggs help solidify the cheesecake filling, making it dense and sliceable when chilled.
• Sour cream: Sour cream helps make the cheesecake filling easier to mix. It also lends a natural acidity and tanginess that blunts the sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla helps to bring all the flavors together.
• Cornstarch: This ingredients helps coagulate the cheesecake filling so it solidifies as it bakes.
• A dark chocolate bar: You could use a milk or semisweet chocolate, but we really recommend a dark chocolate variety. It’s slightly less sweet flavor works nicely with the rich and decadent cream cheese that already has lots of sweetness.
• Heavy whipping cream: Mixed with the chocolate to make a basic ganache.

Can you still buy Nabisco’s Famous Chocolate Wafers?

Unfortunately for fans, Nabisco discontinued its chocolate wafers. Dewey’s Brownie crisp cookies work as a great alternative. Our version of chocolate wafters is also a perfect substitute.

How To Make Turtle Cheesecake

The steps of this recipe pay off when you have your first bite of creamy, silky cheesecake and taste the dark chocolate, salty caramel, and toasty pecans. Get the full recipe further below, but here’s a brief recap:

• Step 1. Make the chocolate cookie crust: Crush chocolate wafers, and combine with butter and a pinch of salt. Stir until the crumbs are moistened, then press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake the crust, and let cool completely.
• Step 2. Make the cream cheese filling: In a stand mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Then, add sour cream, vanilla, cornstarch, and a bit more salt.
• Step 3. Assemble cheesecake: Drizzle some of the caramel sauce over the cool crust. Sprinkle with some pecans. Then, when it’s ready, pour the cream cheese filling into the pan, and smooth the top. Bake until set, then cool and chill. Remove from springform pan before adding chocolate topping.
• Step 4. Make ganache: Add chopped chocolate bar to a heat-safe bowl. Warm the heavy whipping cream to just before it boils. Pour the cream over the chocolate, and let sit for a few minutes. Stir mixture to melt chocolate and make ganache.
• Step 5. Finish cheesecake top: Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Finish with another swirl of caramel and a sprinkle of pecans.

How To Decorate Turtle Cheesecake

For the ultimate presentation, pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the cheesecake and spread it to smooth with an offset spatula. Then drizzle salted caramel over the cheesecake, and sprinkle it evenly with the rest of the chopped pecans. You may want to have on hand extra caramel sauce for drizzling as you serve.  

Can You Make Turtle Cheesecake Ahead?

You can make turtle cheesecake in advance. But note that the caramel sauce will stay saucy, so wait to pour it over before serving. If you plan to drizzle with caramel sauce and then save for later, expect the caramel to further drip down the cheesecake.

How To Store Turtle Cheesecake

Store turtle cheesecake in the refrigerator, well covered, up to 5 days. If you prefer a softer texture, remove it from the fridge to stand for an hour at room temperature before serving. 

Can You Freeze Turtle Cheesecake?

You can freeze turtle cheesecake either whole or in slices. Wrap it in layers of plastic wrap before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag for storage. If freezing whole, you may wish to hold off on decorating to preserve the appearance and textures before serving.

More Cheesecake Recipes

What’s better than one cheesecake? Two or more. Try one of these recipes next:

• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
• Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups packed finely ground chocolate wafer cookies (about 30 cookies)
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 3/4 cup prepared salted caramel sauce, divided 
• 2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, divided
• 3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup chopped (70% cacao) dark chocolate bar (such as Lindt)
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Prepare oven and pan:Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in center position. Wrap bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 4 layers of aluminum foil; set aside.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
2. Make cheesecake crust:Stir together chocolate wafers, melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESSPress evenly into bottom of prepared springform pan.
3. Bake crust:Bake in preheated oven until set and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer springform pan to a wire rack, and let cool slightly while preparing filling, about 15 minutes. JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
4. Add caramel and pecans to crust:Spoon 1/2 cup of the salted caramel over bottom of cooled crust, and sprinkle evenly with 1/3 cup of the pecans; set aside.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
5. Make cheesecake filling:Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Beat cream cheese and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until very smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
6. Add eggs:Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed just until incorporated, about 45 seconds.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
7. Finish filling, and add to crust:Add sour cream, vanilla, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Pour filling over caramel and pecans in prepared crust.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESSSmooth top.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
8. Put cheesecake pan in roasting pan with water:Place springform pan in a large roasting pan, and place on center rack of oven. Pour hot water (4 to 8 cups) into roasting pan to a depth halfway up sides of springform pan, being careful to not pour water into cheesecake filling. JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESSWhy do you need the water bath?During baking, the cheesecake sits in a springform pan within a large roasting pan, and water fills the roasting pan to a depth halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This water bath cooking method, along with the gentle cooling in the oven with the door propped open, helps keep the cheesecake from cracking.
9. Bake cheesecake:Bake at 325°F until sides are set but center is still slightly jiggly, 60 to 70 minutes. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake cool in oven with door propped open, about 1 hour. JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
10. Let cheesecake cool, then chill:Remove roasting pan from oven. Remove cheesecake from water bath, and place on a wire rack. Run a small offset spatula around edges of cheesecake to loosen. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill until chilled and set, at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
11. Warm cream:Place chocolate in a medium-size heatproof bowl; set aside. Heat cream over medium-low in a small saucepan, stirring constantly, until hot and steaming (be careful not to boil), 3 to 4 minutes.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
12. Make ganache:Pour cream over chocolate, and let stand, undisturbed, 3 minutes. Slowly stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Let cool at room temperature 15 minutes.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
13. Remove cheesecake from pan:Run a sharp paring knife around edges of crust to loosen cheesecake from springform pan. Remove sides of springform pan. Run knife around bottom of cheesecake to loosen. Gently shimmy or use large spatulas to transfer cheesecake onto a cake stand or plate. JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
14. Add chocolate to cheesecake top:Pour chocolate mixture over top of cheesecake;JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESSSpread and smooth top with a small offset spatula.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS
15. Add caramel and pecans:Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup salted caramel over cheesecake.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESSSprinkle evenly with remaining 1/3 cup chopped pecans.JEN CAUSEY; FOOD STYLIST: ANA KELLY; PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS