This Easy Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake is a must-try! It's rich and creamy with triple the amount of chocolate! Made with an Oreo Cookie crust, chocolate cheesecake filling, caramel sauce, and pecans, this dessert will have you drooling!

Chocolate on top of chocolate!

If you’re a dessert lover like me, you know that one slice of anything isn’t enough to satisfy a craving. When I treat myself to a dessert, it’s gonna be worth the money I spent on it and the calories I gained! I want all of the sugar and the fat that go along with the dessert.

My Easy Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake did that and more! This no water bath cheesecake was crazy delicious. The Oreo Cookie crust combined with the chocolate cheesecake was good on its own. But, when you add the caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and chopped pecans on top, you will a dessert that is out of this world.

Cheesecake tips & tricks

Here a just a few baking tips and tricks that will make this Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake even better:

• Keep all of the ingredients at room temperature. This will create smooth and creamy textured cheesecakes.

• Do not overbeat or overmix the batter. The less air that you have in the batter, the better. The less air that is in the batter means that there is less of a chance that the cheesecakes will crack. Beat on a low speed the entire time.

• Get a GOOD QUALITY CREAM CHEESE. I always suggest using Philadephia Cream Cheese. The better your ingredients are, the better the cheesecakes will be.

• SET A TIMER! You do not want to overbake your cheesecakes. They will crack if you overbake them. Once the edges are settled, the middles will still be loose. But, the middles will settle after they have been removed from the oven and are chilled.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them! You can find pretty much all of these ingredients at your local grocery store. A few of them are used repeatedly throughout the recipe which makes it even easier!

• Oreo Cookie Crumbs: For a chocolate cheesecake, you must have an Oreo Cookie crust! I personally think it’s disrespectful not to have one. Make sure that you remove the cream between the cookies before crushing them. 

• Granulated Sugar: The sugar helps to sweeten each part of this recipe. You’ll need it in the cheesecake filling and crust. Make sure to fully cream the cream cheese and sugar.

• Butter: The butter is melted to help moisten the cookie crumbs. The crumbs easily press down into the liners. You can use your fingers or a measuring scoop to press them down.

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I always tend to go with semi-sweet chocolate chips for my baking recipes because of their balance of sweetness and bitterness. With the additional sugar from other ingredients, you won’t need a very sweet chocolate chip.

• Cream Cheese: You can’t have cream cheese without soft cheese! I used the typical cream cheese. But, you can use cottage cheese or ricotta. I do not suggest using the pre-whipped cream cheese. Make sure to use a very good quality cream cheese as well! 

• Sour Cream: I added a small amount of sour cream to add some additional creaminess to the filling. The additional fat content really helps out!

• Pure Vanilla Extract: The extract is purely used for additional flavor purposes. Please do not use imitation vanilla extract! You’ll definitely regret using it if you do. 

• Fresh Lemon Juice: A little bit of lemon juice is added to the cheesecake to help balance its overall sweetness. I always try to use fresh, but bottled will work as well since it is only a small amount. 

• Large Eggs: All of the ingredients for this recipe should be room temperature, especially the eggs and cream cheese. The eggs are needed for structure and stability in the cheesecake. You’ll need 6 eggs total. 

• Caramel Sauce: I prefer to make my own caramel sauce for desserts, but sometimes that isn’t always feasible. I suggest using a very good quality caramel sauce. Trust me, you’ll be able to taste the difference.  

• Pecans: Turtle Cheesecake wouldn’t be Turtle Cheesecake without Pecans! The extra crunch that they add to the dessert really makes a difference. I used whole and chopped for aesthetic purposes, of course. 

How to make Chocolate Turtle CheeseCake:

This cheesecake is definitely a recipe that you won’t forget. You’ll want to make it over and over again. The steps are easy enough for anyone to follow. All you need are the ingredients and tools!

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview:

• STEP 1: Preheat the Oven & Make Cookie Crumbs. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Use a food processer to crush the oreo cookies in order to make crumbs. Make sure that the filling is removed from the cookies.

• STEP 2: Make the Cookie Crust. In a large bowl, mix the oreo cookie crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until all of the crumbs are moistened.

• STEP 3: Spread the Cookie Crust. Spray a 9 or 10-inch springform cake pan with non-stick baking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the pan, using a measuring cup or your hand to pack it in.

• STEP 4: Bake the Crust. Bake the crust for 8 - 10 minutes. When done, set aside for later use. Make sure to keep the oven on 325°F for later use.

• STEP 5: Melt the Chocolate Chips. Melt 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Do this in increments of 10 - 15 seconds to prevent burning making sure to mix in between to fully melt the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to cool for later use. 

• STEP 6: Beat the Cream Cheese. Place the cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl. With a stand or hand mixer and paddle attachment, stir on low speed until smooth and creamy. Do not excessively beat the mixture. You don’t want too much air in the batter.

• STEP 7: Add the Dry Ingredients & Eggs. Add the sugar, salt, and flour. Mix on low speed until fully combined and fluffy. Add the pure vanilla extract, lemon juice, and 2 cups of melted chocolate. Mix until fully combined. Begin adding in the eggs one at a time. Do not add in the next egg until the previous one has been fully incorporated.

• STEP 8: Add the Filling to the Crust & Bake. Add the filling over the oreo cookie wafer crust. Add a ½ cup of caramel sauce on top of the filling. Swirl the sauce into the filling with a toothpick making sure not go to deep into the filling. Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes. Drop the temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes. The center should be slightly jiggly, but be able to spring back with the touch of a finger.

• STEP 9: Make the Chocolate Drizzle. While the cheesecake is baking, melt a ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 tbsp of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure to do this in increments as well. Mix until fully combined. 

• STEP 10: Allow the Cheesecake to FULLY COOL. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow them to completely cool in the pan for 1 - 2 hours. Place a plastic wrap over the cheesecake and refrigerate it for 3 - 4 hours or overnight. 

• STEP 11: Decorate, Slice, and Serve! Once cooled, remove the cheesecake from the spring-form pan and top with the remaining caramel sauce, and spread. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and top with chopped and whole nuts. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

CAN I MAKE THIS Cake AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes! You can definitely make this dessert ahead of time! I suggest that you do make this at least a day in advance. You want to allow the cake to be fully cooled before you remove it from the pan and begin slicing!

Allow the cake to fully cool completely in the springform pan and then refrigerate it. This will help to prevent the cheesecake from breaking apart.

I’d love to hear your feedback about this EASY Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake! Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

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