This turtle pie is really easy, totally no-bake, and SO DELICIOUS! Chocolate filling, caramel sauce, crunchy pecans. . .your taste buds won’t know what hit them!
You guys! I have a new dessert love: turtle pie. Oh. Em. Gee. Chocolate, caramel, pecans, and very little effort on my part make this pie a total winner.
The pie came about after Cookie and I had a close (too close) encounter with a coyote on our morning walk the other day. If you watch my IG stories, you might have seen the pic I posted of an adorable coyote awhile back.
He was wandering around in front of my house, looking cute and not at all scary. Uh-huh. Fast forward a few days and I’m in the park with Cookie when she jerks forward on her leash and starts barking her little head off. I look up expecting to see a neighbor’s dog and see a FREAKING COYOTE running right past us, so close I can touch him if I reach out my arm.
He stopped about 8 feet away and was just eyeing Cookie and me, pawing the ground, looking like he either wanted to play or eat us both for breakfast. I’m still not sure.
I was shaking for hours after we got home. And since chocolate is better than therapy (right?) I made a ridiculously easy turtle pie to soothe my nerves and eat my feelings. It worked too. I feel much better and Cookie is certainly no worse for wear.
Why you’ll love this turtle pie
- The pie comes together quickly with easy to find ingredients
- It’s no-bake for those times when your oven is occupied (like the holidays!)
- It’s easy and doesn’t require any special skills
How to Make an Oreo Crumb Crust
Start with Oreo cookie crumbs—you can either pulse them into powder in a food processor or pop them in a zip-top plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Combine the crumbs with some melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly saturated.
Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate for half an hour.
How to Make Turtle Pie Filling
Are you ready for a secret? This turtle pie is made with instant chocolate pudding mixed with some whipped cream. So good, so easy!
Beat the pudding mix with whole milk until it’s very thick. Whip heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks, then use a rubber spatula to fold the heavy cream into the pudding.
Pour caramel sauce into the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Sprinkle chopped pecans over that; you can toast your pecans or just leave them raw, whatever your preference.
Scrape the chocolate filling into the pie crust and freeze for at least 2 hours. (Or overnight!). When you’re ready to serve, drizzle caramel sauce over your turtle pie, sprinkle with more pecans, and top with whipped cream.
Baker’s tip: you probably know this but it bears repeating: if your caramel sauce is cold, warm it up a little bit before you drizzle it on top of the pie. It’s so much easier that way!
See how easy that is? And it’s so good too, especially for those of us who adore instant chocolate pudding 🙂
Nothing beats a slice of turtle pie—except NOT becoming a coyote’s morning meal!
I’ll probably take to carrying a slice or two of this beauty around with me just in case the Wile E. shows up again. Do you think he’s open to bribes?
A few more no-bake desserts
Coconut Lime Cheesecake
Chocolate Caramel Bars
Coffee-Toffee Ice Cream Pie
Did you make this turtle pie? Awesome! Post a pic on Insta and tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your fabulous creations!
This turtle pie is a delicious and easy no-bake dessert made with chocolate pudding, caramel sauce, and pecans.
- 1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs from about 7 ounces of cookies
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 3.9-ounce box instant chocolate pudding
- 1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk
- 3/4 cup very cold heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- whipped cream
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Combine the cookie crumbs and butter in a medium mixing bowl and stir until all the crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture into an even layer in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
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Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and leave in the fridge while you make the filling.
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Combine the chocolate pudding mix and the milk in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the pudding is thick.
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Combine the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a second mixing bowl and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped cream into the chocolate pudding.
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Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of the chilled pie crust and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Spread the pudding into an even layer over the top of the pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours.
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When you’re ready to serve the pie, drizzle the caramel sauce over the top of the pie and sprinkle the pecans on top. Dollop whipped cream around the edge of the pie and serve. If your pie is difficult to slice, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes and it will soften.
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Uneaten pie can be stored in the freezer, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 months.
If your caramel sauce is cold, warm it up a little before drizzling over the pie. This makes life much easier!
Miriam says
December 6, 2018 at 1:28 amCan’t believe this is a no-bake cake – it looks amazing. Your encounter with the coyote sounds frightening, the scariest animals we come across here are foxes. There are so many of them in London running through the streets. Chocolate is definitely the best way to calm the nerves and I can imagine that you calmed right down after a slice of this cake 🙂
Kelsie says
December 6, 2018 at 7:19 amTotally agree about chocolate! Thank you, Miriam!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
December 6, 2018 at 5:01 amMy husband Tom would be all about this pie Kelsie! He loves turtle candies! His birthday is coming up too, so I think I’ll need to treat him to this one!
Kelsie says
December 6, 2018 at 7:19 amDO IT! Thanks, Mary Ann!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
December 6, 2018 at 5:56 amOk, totally freaking out right now over that coyote experience….I would be shaking for hours after too, especially if Riley was with me. Eeek! Scary stuff. Ok, this pie. This is definitely NOT scary and love that it’s no bake. I need to go console myself now with a big slice after hearing your story 😉 Pinned! Happy (almost) Friday, Kelsie!!
Kelsie says
December 6, 2018 at 7:20 amOh I know! I think if I hadn’t had Cookie there I wouldn’t have been half as scared. Thank you, Dawn!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
December 6, 2018 at 7:39 amThat coyote encounter sounds terrifying! I’m glad you and Cookie are okay. Good call on making this pie to console yourself. I hope you ate it all! Happy almost Friday Kelsie!
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:49 amSo scary! Thank you, Leanne!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
December 6, 2018 at 8:02 amA coyote??! Um hard pass! I would have probably peed my pants! 😉 I’m so glad you and Cookie are okay though!! On to better news – this pie!!!!! GENIUS! Seriously, Jeremy would devour this in about 2 seconds! He is obsessed with anything Oreo.. and anything involving chocolate, caramel and pecans. So yeah. This has his name written all over it! And I LOVE that it’s no bake! Heck to the yes! Cheers, girl! And stay safe out there! <3
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:49 amHaha! I came close to that, believe me :). Thank you, Chey!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
December 6, 2018 at 10:11 amI can’t think of anything better to sooth the nerves!! Oh man – that was a close one! Thanks for this recipe – it’s a keeper! (Or should I be thanking the coyote?!) 🙂
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:49 amThank you, Annie! 🙂
Kim Lange says
December 6, 2018 at 10:52 amOMGoodness that pie is to die for! That would make me feel better on even a good day and it looks amazing with everything I love!!! Glad you and Cookie survived the coyote!
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:50 amHaha! Thanks, Kim!
Milena says
December 6, 2018 at 12:32 pmFirst of all – you can feed me spoonfuls of that Oreo crust any time, I won’t even wait for it to firm up in the fridge..Totally awesome. When I get my fill, I’d love to make a new one and proceed through the recipe steps because this pie looks too good to miss out on!
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:50 amThank you, Milena!
Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
December 7, 2018 at 7:58 amThat’s crazy about that coyote!! But you are right….chocolate fixes everything hehehehe. This pie sounds so yummy and loving that chocolate cookie crust!! Mmmm.
Kelsie says
December 10, 2018 at 5:50 amIt really does :). Thanks, Kelly!
David @ Spiced says
December 10, 2018 at 6:15 amAh, I see you were jealous of Ben’s coyote experience last Fall? You just had to go see what it was like, too, huh? Seriously, though, I’m glad you both were ok. That would definitely give me a start, too…especially the way Wile E. was pawing the ground. Creepy! I’m thinking a slice (or maybe just the whole pie) is the way to recover from that experience! This pie looks amazing, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
December 16, 2018 at 6:18 pmHaha! Jealous is probably not quite the right word :). Thanks, David!
SHASHI AT SAVORYSPIN says
December 14, 2018 at 8:43 amOh My goodness! I missed your IG story about that coyote – Kelsie, I am so glad you and Cookie are okay after that close encounter! And, the way I see it is – chocolate IS therapy so heck yeah to making and enjoying this gorgeous, gorgeous pie! I’m wishing I had a slice or three –
Kelsie says
December 16, 2018 at 6:47 pmThank you! It was so scary! I wish I could send you a slice 🙂
Marissa says
December 14, 2018 at 5:54 pmI’m so sorry that happened with the coyote – so scary! Like David, I thought of Ben’s experience too! And I agree that chocolate (especially in the form of Turtle Pie) is the perfect therapy. 😉
Kelsie says
December 16, 2018 at 6:47 pmThank you, Marissa!
Lauren says
January 10, 2019 at 11:10 amThis looks crazy good! ….whoa ?? I need a big slice!