No Bake Turtle Pie takes the classic combination of caramel, chocolate and pecans drizzled over a creamy pie center. It’s a super easy, no bake pie with lots of short cuts and the best make ahead dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the holiday season.
Why you’ll love this recipe for turtle pie
Classic candy turned pie! You know those famous Demet’s Turtles – with the layers of crunchy pecans, creamy caramel and smooth chocolate. Well this turtle recipe is basically that – in pie form! It starts off with a Speculoos cookie crust that gets filled with a caramel cheesecake mousse filling, then finished off with the toppings – sweet, creamy and the ultimate indulgence.
Quick and easy! With so much holiday prep going on for the season, I love recipes that are a quick mix, assemble and forget-about-it-in-the-fridge sort of situation. This one is just that. SO easy and ready before you can say turkey.
A gorgeous make-ahead! Remember how I said this is a set-it-and-forget-it? Well these type of fridge and freezer pies make the ultimate make ahead since they need time to set in the fridge. Make it the morning of, a few days ahead of time or weeks in advance – the choice is yours!
Ingredients
Rather than taking a trip to the frozen aisle to pick up one of those Edward’s turtle pies, all it takes is a handful of ingredients to make this turtle pie at home. Here’s a list of what we need:
Cookie crust
- Speculoos cookies
- Melted butter
Pie Filling
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese
- Caramel sauce, homemade or store bought
Toppings
- Caramel sauce
- Chocolate sauce
- Whipped cream
- Pecans
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- Cookies: Go for Nilla wafers, Honey graham crackers or give it a chocolate spin with Oreo cookies or chocolate graham crackers.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick style cream cheese.
- Caramel sauce: Feel free to use homemade caramel or store bought. Dulce de leche or salted caramel sauce will also work. I used store bought because Thanksgiving is such a crazy time to prep and I wanted this to be simplified.
- Chocolate: You can use store-bought chocolate sauce or melted chocolate to drizzle.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the ingredient measurements.
How to make turtle pie
Turtle cream pie is a cinch to make and is best enjoyed after it’s set for a few hours in the freezer. Here’s how I like to do it:
Make cookie crust: In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the Speculoos cookie crumbs until fine. Alternatively, they can be added to a Ziplock bag and crushed with a rolling pin until fine crumbs are reached. Add in the melted butter until combined.
Press crust into pie pan: Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch pie dish. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. I use a drinking glass to evenly press the mixture into the pie pan. Place pie crust into the freezer while preparing the filling.
Whip cream: In a bowl fitted with a stand or hand mixer, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make caramel cream filling: Add cream cheese and caramel sauce to the same bowl with the mixer and mix on medium speed until combined and creamy. Gently fold in 1 ½ cups of the whipped cream mixture until combined. Add filling to the cookie crust and smooth out into an even layer.
Freeze: Cover pie with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
Finish and serve: Decorate the top of the pie with chocolate, caramel, pecans and remaining whipped cream. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
I don’t think there was ever a pie I didn’t like – and this one is like a mashup of cheesecake and pie in one. Some of my favorite ways to serve include:
- Thanksgiving: The crowd will go crazy for this one! If I’m feeling fancy, I set up a toppings bar with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, extra whipped cream and toasty pecans. That way, your guests can pick-and-choose how to top their pie.
- Christmas: Give the winter holiday a bit of chocolate caramel cheer.
- Just because: Who says you can’t make your pie and eat it too? Hide some wedges in the freezer and enjoy any time the craving strikes!
How to store
Leftover pecan turtle pie will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead: Make the pie from start-to-finish 1-2 days in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge rather than the freezer.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the whole pie, tightly wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 hour at room temperature or 3-4 hours in the fridge.
Recipe tips & notes:
- Press in the crust with a bottom of a glass or measuring cup. This makes it even and clean.
- Freezing time: The pie can be frozen longer than 4 hours, but you would need to account for thaw time. OR enjoy it frozen!
- Slice the pie with a sharp knife. It helps to have a glass of warm water nearby to get those clean, even slices.
No bake turtle pie FAQs
What is turtle pie made of?
Turtle pie is made with a creamy caramel cheesecake like center and cookie crust. The toppings include caramel, chocolate and pecans – all ingredients of the famous Demet’s Turtles, from where it got its name.
Is Edwards turtle pie a cheesecake?
Yes and no. The filling is lighter and fluffier than a cheesecake. I like to think of it like a caramel cream cheese mousse.
What is turtle cake called a turtle?
The name ‘turtle’ refers to the original candy, which were in similar shape to a turtle. The pecans were meant to represent the legs, while the caramel center and chocolate coating were the shell.
Can you refreeze a turtle pie?
Store any leftover turtle pie in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you would like to refreeze, first slice the pie into wedges, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 1 month. Enjoy a slice any time the craving hits – either straight from frozen or slightly less chilled.
Looking for more dessert recipes? Check these out!
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No Bake Turtle Pie
ingredients
Speculoos Cookie Crust:
- 2 cups about 1 – 8oz package Speculoos cookie crumbs
- 4 tbsp melted butter
Pie Filling:
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup caramel sauce homemade or store bought
Toppings:
Caramel Sauce
Chocolate Sauce
Whipped Cream
- Pecans
instructions
- Make cookie crust: In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the Speculoos cookie crumbs until fine. Alternatively, they can be added to a Ziplock bag and crushed with a rolling pin until fine crumbs are reached. Add in the melted butter until combined.
- Press crust into pie pan: Transfer the crust mixture to a 9-inch pie dish. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. I use a drinking glass to evenly press the mixture into the pie pan. Place pie crust into the freezer while preparing the filling.
- Whip cream: In a bowl fitted with a stand or hand mixer, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Make caramel cream filling: Add cream cheese and caramel sauce to the same bowl with the mixer and mix on medium speed until combined and creamy. Gently fold in 1 ½ cups of the whipped cream mixture until combined. Add filling to the cookie crust and smooth out into an even layer.
- Freeze: Cover pie with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
- Finish and serve: Decorate the top of the pie with chocolate, caramel, pecans and remaining whipped cream. Enjoy!
notes
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