The Easiest Turtle Cheesecake Bars

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

12 ingredients and less than hour is all it takes to make the most delicious, simple dessert you’ll ever eat! Baking these cheesecake bars in a 9×13 pan is the secret to feeding a crowd without any fancy pans or water baths.

Cheesecake doesn’t have to be difficult!

How do I make Turtle Cheesecake Bars?

I feel like cheesecake has gotten this reputation as being a really difficult dessert. There’s the fancy spring form pan, the heavily debated use of the tricky water bath and the low cooking temperature, mixed with the fact that cheesecake is basically cooked through when it’s still jiggly (and looks like it’s not cooked through). So today I am delivering to you the very easiest, most simplest, fool-proof, turtle cheesecake bars.

You’ll start by lining a 9×13 inch pan with tin foil. This will make the cheesecake bars super easy to get out of the pan and slice.

You’ll combine crushed Oreos and butter to create a perfect layer of crunchy cookie crust.

Then you’ll combine lots of cream cheese with sour cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt. You’ll pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust and bake for 45 minutes.

After it’s cooled completely, you can stop the cheesecake bars with lots of caramel, pecans and chocolate chips. Then slice and serve!

Do I need any fancy tools to make Turtle Cheesecake Bars? 

This recipe requires no water bath, no fancy kitchen gadgets and no spring form pan. It’s simple, straight forward and delicious. Did you check out that ingredient list? 12 ingredients!?! This cheesecake could not be easier!

Tips for making Turtle Cheesecake Bars: 

• Be sure to line the pan with tin foil. This is a crucial step in ensuring that your cheesecake bars will be super easy to remove from the pan.
• Trust your gut on cook time. The cheesecake will continue to cook in the pan even after you’ve removed it from the oven. You want to err on the side of underdone rather than overdone.
• Your cheesecake is done when the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the cheesecake looks set, but the center is still slightly jiggly.
• Leave your room temperature ingredients out overnight. For real, overnight. They will mix best when they are legit at room temp.

Other easy dessert recipes you will love: 

• One Bowl Pecan Fudge Brownies
• Salted, Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? LEAVE A REVIEW!

If you made this recipe I’d love to hear how it turned out! Feel free to leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you guys and respond to each and every comment that I receive! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for the all latest recipes and a sneak peek at the behind the scenes adventures on Midwest Foodie!

The Easiest Turtle Cheesecake Bars

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Midwest Foodie
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 20 bars 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Print

Pin

---

Description

No muss, no fuss, just simple, straight forward, easy to make, delicious Turtle Cheesecake Bars.

---

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Crust:

• 12 oz. crushed Oreo cookies
• 5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

• (3) 8 oz. packages full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz. sour cream, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• Pinch Kosher salt

Topping:

• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup chocolate sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9×13 pan with tin foil. In a medium bowl mix crushed Oreos and melted butter until well combined. Press mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the baking dish.
2. In a large bowl use a hand held mixer to combine cream cheese and sour cream until mostly smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until combined. Then add eggs and salt and mix until smooth and creamy. Pour filling on top of the crust and spread in an even layer. Give the baking dish a few short bangs on the counter to make sure any air bubbles that are hiding rise to the top.
3. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center is set but still jiggly.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 hours on the counter. Top with toppings and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.
5. Slice, serve and enjoy!

---

Notes

Be sure to line the pan with tin foil. This is a crucial step in ensuring that your cheesecake bars will be super easy to remove from the pan.

Trust your gut on cook time. The cheesecake will continue to cook in the pan even after you’ve removed it from the oven. You want to err on the side of underdone rather than overdone.

Your cheesecake is done when the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the cheesecake looks set, but the center is still slightly jiggly.

Leave your room temperature ingredients out overnight. For real, overnight. They will mix best when they are legit at room temp.

Keywords: chocolate cheesecake, caramel cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake, turtle cheesecake