You’re going to love this cold and creamy Turtle Pie. With layers of creamy peanut butter pie filling, chocolate, caramel, and nuts, this no-bake dessert is hard to resist. You won’t be able to stop at just one slice!

 

Easy No-Bake Turtle Pie

This cool and creamy Turtle Pie is a no-bake dessert made with a peanut butter filling, chocolate, caramel, and crunchy pecans. Chilled in a cookie crust, it’s basically irresistible. A friend made a variation of this frozen pie for my baby shower, and everyone at the party just about swooned and jotted down the recipe. It’s a seriously simple recipe that’s seriously AMAZING. 

I’ve changed things up since then and brought peanut butter into the mix. It makes this Turtle pie taste a bit like a Snickers bar at the same time (you won’t see me complaining!). Is it a Snickers pie? Turtle pie? Snickertle pie? Any way you slice it, it’s delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Turtle Pie Recipe

• Cool and creamy. This Turtle pie is what I like to call a delicious mess. It’s loaded with creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, and crunchy pecans and drizzled all over with chocolate and caramel. Every bite melts in your mouth, and the flavors simply shine.
• Easy to make. Everything about this recipe is so quick and easy. This pie looks like something you’d pay good money for at the grocery store, and all it takes is whipping together a few easy ingredients before your freezer does the rest.
• No-bake. Turtle pie is the ultimate no-bake dessert to make if you don’t feel like switching on the oven. It takes only 15 minutes to prep it!

How to Make Turtle Pie

This Turtle pie combines all the best flavors: Caramel, peanut butter, chocolate, cream cheese… I’m not drooling, you’re drooling. Let’s get started! Below is a quick overview of the ingredients and how to make this pie. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full amounts and recipe details.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pie Crust – You can make this pie recipe inside a Graham cracker crust or an Oreo cookie crust. You’ll combine Graham cracker crumbs or Oreo crumbs with melted butter depending on which type of crust you choose. You can also crush up whole crackers or cookies using your food processor, to make the crumbs yourself.
• Butter – For melting.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll need one package of softened full-fat cream cheese for your Turtle pie filling. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start with the recipe.
• Sugar
• Peanut Butter – I couldn’t resist making this a peanut butter pie filling. Make sure you use smooth, shelf-stable peanut butter (like the kind from Skippy or Jif). Natural peanut butter tends to separate due to the oil.
• Whipped Cream – A defrosted tub of Cool Whip is super convenient. Otherwise, feel free to use homemade whipped cream if you prefer. 
• Pecans – Toasted pecans are the classic choice for a Turtle pie. They add that delicious crunch! However, you can also use any type of nuts, such as walnuts, peanuts, or almonds. 
• Caramel Sauce – A jar of caramel ice cream topping does the trick.
• Chocolate – You can easily melt down chocolate to drizzle over your pie, or use your favorite store-bought chocolate fudge sauce.

Directions

1. Prepare the crust. Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter, stirring until you get a sandy consistency. Afterward, press the crust evenly into a 9” pie plate.
2. Make the pie filling. Next, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter. 
3. Add toasted pecans. Heat the pecans in a skillet on the stovetop until they’re lightly toasted and fragrant. Add half of your pecans to the cream cheese filling and the whipped topping. Mix everything together until the filling is well combined.
4. Assemble and freeze the pie. First, spread caramel sauce into the bottom of the crust. Top this with your peanut butter cream cheese filling, then cover the pie and place it into the freezer.
5. Add toppings. After 2 to 3 hours, take the pie out and sprinkle on the rest of the pecans, then drizzle the top with melted chocolate and additional caramel sauce. 
6. Freeze again. Return the pie to the freezer for at least 1 hour, and keep it frozen until you’re ready to serve it.

Tips for the Best Turtle Pie

I can’t wait for you all to try a cold, velvety, Turtle-icious slice of this homemade pie. Keep these tips in mind for the best results:

• Make sure the nuts are unsalted. You’ll want to use raw, unseasoned pecans so that the flavor doesn’t interfere with the sweetness of the pie.
• Buy pre-toasted pecans if you’re pressed for time. You can also buy chocolate sauce from the store instead of melting chocolate for the topping.
• Use full-fat cream cheese. Make sure to use the cream cheese that comes in bricks and not the spreadable kind in tubs. Full-fat cream cheese will yield the richest, creamiest pie filling.
• Chill the pie well. This frozen dessert will be easier to slice and serve if it’s been thoroughly chilled. Make sure to budget enough time for your Turtle pie to set up in the freezer before serving.

Variation Ideas

If you’d like to personalize your peanut butter Turtle pie, there are a few ways to do it. Here are some of my favorite recipe variations:

• Salted caramel. Try salted caramel in place of regular caramel sauce for a delicious sweet-meets-salty twist.
• Oreo crust. I made the pie pictured using a Graham cracker crust, but an Oreo pie crust makes this Turtle pie all the more indulgent!
• Try Nutella in the filling. Change up the flavors in your pie filling and substitute peanut butter with Nutella hazelnut spread.
• Boozy Turtle pie. Add a splash of bourbon or brandy to the pie filling for a grown-ups-only twist. Other yummy options are chocolate-flavored vodka or Kahlua coffee liqueur. You can also stir it into the caramel or chocolate topping.
• Different nuts. Pecans are an ode to the Turtles candy that inspired this pie recipe, but don’t let that stop you from using your favorite nuts instead. Toasted walnuts, hazelnuts, or even roasted peanuts will also work. 

Ways to Serve Turtle Pie

• Ice Cream. Serve this creamy Turtle pie with a scoop of classic vanilla ice cream or with this 2-ingredient homemade strawberry ice cream.
• More Desserts. Serve this pie as part of a larger dessert spread rounded out with salted caramel thumbprint cookies, white chocolate chip cookies, and other no-bake favorites like these mini cheesecake bites.
• Drinks. Wash this Turtle pie down with a cold iced americano or a refreshing hibiscus iced tea sparkler in the summertime. This dessert also pairs great with a cortado coffee any time of the year.
• Toppings. Yes, more toppings! Give your slice of pie a swirl of whipped cream, shaved chocolate, dark or white chocolate chips, or fresh berries (like raspberries or strawberries). Toffee bits or toasted coconut would also be delicious.

How to Store

• Freezer. Store this Turtle pie airtight in the freezer for 2 months.
• Make-ahead: If you’re making this pie ahead of time, you can choose to store it without the chocolate and caramel toppings and add them an hour before serving.

More No-Bake Desserts to Try

• French Silk Tart
• Peanut Butter Pie
• No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Mousse Ice Box Cake 
• Banana Foster No-Bake Cheesecake