Turtle Pie
If you love caramel pecan turtles, you’re going to LOVE this turtle pie! A toasty graham cracker and pecan crust is filled with a creamy caramel cream cheese mixture and topped with more gooey caramel, crunchy pecans, and silky chocolate. It’s classic flavors you love in a new delicious form.
For more caramel goodness, you should definitely try my Caramelitas or copycat Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies. If the pecans are your favorite part of this recipe, Arkansas Possum Pie also has a pecan crust. You’ll also love my Candied Pecans and Pecan Sticky Buns.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy turtle pie recipe. This recipe for turtle pie comes together in a snap. Once you’ve mixed and baked your pecan-graham cracker crust (alternatively, make this a no bake turtle pie recipe and just stick the crust in the fridge), mix the filling and pour it in. Drizzle some melted chocolate on top, add some toasted pecans, and chill. Easy!
- Perfect make-ahead dessert. This turtle cream pie needs to be chilled for several hours. You can even chill it overnight, ideal for prepping in advance.
- A delicious holiday treat. Pecan turtles are one of those candies that seem to get really popular around the winter holidays. This pecan turtle pie mimics the beloved candy in a form that is super shareable and loved by everyone who tries it!
Turtle Pie Ingredients
- Graham crackers: Graham crackers form the bulk of the crust for this pie, and are the perfect complement to the sweet and creamy caramel filling.
- Pecans: Pecans go in the crust alongside the graham crackers, and on top for added crunch and flavor. I highly recommend toasting the pecans.
- Cream cheese: This recipe falls under the category of cream pie, with cream cheese being a key component of the filling.
- Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream is whipped and then folded in with the cream cheese to make the filling light.
- Caramel sauce: For caramel flavor in every bite, caramel sauce is mixed in with the filling and drizzled on top of the finished pie. I love to use a salted caramel sauce for this, to offset the sweetness.
- Milk chocolate chips: To imitate pecan turtle candy, I like to melt chocolate chips and drizzle them over the top of this pecan turtle pie, knowing the chocolate will harden. However, you could use chocolate syrup in a pinch!
How to Make Turtle Pie
- Finely crush graham crackers and pecans. You need 1¼ cups of graham cracker crumbs, which is about 7½ to 8 graham cracker sheets. You also need ¾ cup of pecans. Start with 1 cup of whole pecans and chop or grind them very fine. A food processor works great for this. If you choose the no-bake option for the crust, I recommend toasting your pecans first.
- Mix crust ingredients. Once you have your finely ground graham crackers and pecans, mix them with ⅓ cup of granulated sugar and 7 tablespoons of melted butter. You can use either salted or unsalted butter. If you used a food processor to crush your graham crackers and pecans, you can add the sugar and butter to the bowl of the food processor and pulse all the ingredients together.
- Bake or chill crust. Press the graham cracker-pecan mixture along the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Bake pie crust at 350°F for 8-10 minutes and then allow to cool completely before adding the filling. Alternatively, chill the crust in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Whip cream cheese. In a large mixing bowl, beat 12 oz of room temperature cream cheese with a hand mixer until the cream cheese is smooth.
- Sweeten cream cheese. To the whipped cream cheese, add ½ cup of salted caramel sauce OR ½ cup of caramel sauce and ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat until the ingredients are combined.
- Whip cream. In a medium bowl, beat 1 cup of cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. You can use a whisk attachment, or regular beaters for this.
- Fold in whipped cream. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, and gently fold the two together until combined and smooth.
- Add filling to crust. Pour the caramel cream cheese filling into the prepared pie crust and use a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Top pie and serve. Prior to serving, melt 1 cup of milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Place melted chocolate into a zip top bag and snip off one corner of the bag. Squish the melted chocolate towards the hole in the bag, and drizzle melted chocolate over the top of your pie. You can also use chocolate sauce. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce as well, and add toasted chopped pecans to the top of the pie. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
I recommend toasting your pecans for the best flavor. Here are instructions on how to toast them in the oven or on the stove. Keep your pecans whole to toast them, then chop them after they’ve cooled.
- Toast pecans in the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast them for 4 minutes. Use a spatula to toss them around on the pan (I recommend taking the pan out of the oven for this, to avoid spilling on the bottom of your oven), then toast them for 4 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely before using.
- Toast pecans on the stovetop: Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast 1 cup of whole pecans at a time, stirring frequently until the pecans have deepened in color and smell nutty. This takes about 5 minutes. Careful not to let them burn!
I prefer to use a salted caramel sauce for this recipe because I find it helps offset the sweetness. If you use a regular caramel sauce, I’ve suggested in the recipe card adding a ½ tsp of salt to the filling.
You can make this a frozen turtle pie by keeping it in the freezer instead of the fridge. You can also make this an ice cream turtle pie by putting your favorite caramel ice cream in the crust instead of the cream cheese filling. Just be aware that the crust will be more difficult to slice through.
For my chocolate lovers, make and Oreo turtle pie with Oreo Crust for a fun and delicious variation!
Make this gluten free turtle pie by using gluten-free graham crackers.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Make Ahead: Since this pie requires chill time, it’s perfect to make in advance! Make it a day or two before you plan to serve, then add the melted chocolate, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans to the top just before serving. Alternatively, you can add the toppings several hours before serving. The pecans may get a little soft, but toasting helps.
Storing: Store leftover turtle pecan pie in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Turtle pie can be frozen! Double-wrap the prepared pie in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month, with or without toppings. Let it thaw in the fridge, or enjoy it frozen.
Recipe FAQs
Turtle pie takes it’s flavor and name from classic turtle candies. Pecan turtles, as they are otherwise known, get their name because the mound of caramel and chocolate over pecans resembles the shape of a turtle. Pecan turtle pie doesn’t look much like a turtle, but it does have all the flavors of the candy in pie form.
Yes, this pie can be frozen! Double-wrap the pie in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Enjoy it frozen, or let it thaw in the fridge before enjoying it.
The original recipe for turtle pie is not gluten-free, but if you use gluten-free graham crackers it should be fine.
I do not recommend substituting Cool Whip in this recipe because I believe it would make the filling too sweet. However, you could try leaving out the cup of powdered sugar and adding 8 oz of Cool Whip.
Because the filling is mostly cream cheese, you could definitely categorize this pie as a no bake cheesecake.
More Chilled Pie Recipes
Turtle Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Pecan Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs - about 8 full graham cracker sheets
- 3/4 cup pecans - finely crushed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons butter - melted (salted or unsalted butter is fine)
Turtle Pie
- 12 oz cream cheese - at room temperature
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce - or regular caramel sauce (if using regular caramel add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the cream cheese mixture to help offset some of the sweetness)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream - cold
Toppings
- salted caramel sauce - or regular caramel sauce
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips - melted (or chocolate syrup… see notes at the bottom of the recipe card)
- 3/4 cup pecans - toasted and roughly chopped
Equipment
Instructions
Make the graham cracker pecan pie crust
- In a medium size bowl combine the 1 ¼ cups of graham cracker crumbs, ¾ cup of finely crushed pecans, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 7 tablespoons of melted butter. Mix to combine. (Alternatively, you can add the graham crackers and pecans into a food processor. Pulse until finely ground then add the sugar and butter and pulse until combined.)
- Press the mixture along the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate. For a no-bake crust place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour. For a baked pie crust preheat the oven to 350°F. Once preheated bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely before filling. (I like to bake my pie crust!)
Make the Turtle Pie Filling
- In a large bowl beat the 12 oz of room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the salted caramel sauce (or regular caramel sauce and ½ tsp salt), 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until smooth and combined.
- In a medium bowl beat the heavy cream with a whisk attachment, until stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie crust, spread into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-6 hours (or overnight) to set.
- Prior to serving melt the chocolate chips, then place the melted chocolate in a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off one end. Drizzle caramel sauce and the melted chocolate, (or chocolate syrup), and chopped pecans overtop of the pie. Enjoy!