Why do they call it turtle cheesecake?

Turtles are candy traditionally made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate, with a shape resembling that of a turtle. It's called a turtle cheesecake recipe because the toppings consist of chocolate, caramel, and pecans - just like turtle candy.

How do you know when a cheesecake bar is done?

The secret to testing a cheesecake (or in this case, cheesecake bars) for doneness is to jiggle it, meaning give it a gentle shake. You're looking for the dessert to be nearly set with only the center jiggling slightly. This means it's done! if the center doesn't jiggle it's likely overcooked. Lots of cheesecakes require a hot water bath to guarantee even cooking, but one major reason I love these turtle cheesecake bars is that they don't need one!

How do you cut cheesecake squares?

Similar to cakes, brownies, and pies you should use a large, sharp knife to slice these turtle cheesecake bars and wipe the blade with a paper towel in between cuts to ensure perfectly clean, crisp cuts every single time.

Why do room temperature ingredients work best for cheesecake?

Because room temp ingredients help prevent lumps from forming in the batter. The last thing you want with a cheesecake is a lumpy batter! It takes a little planning ahead but ensuring your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature will yield the most decadent, velvety smooth batter. Totally worth it!

The Best Turtle Cheesecake Bars

The Easiest Turtle Cheesecake Bars

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5 from 12 reviews

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

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 20 bars 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Crust:

12 oz. 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 chopped pecans
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9x13 pan with tin foil.
Add Oreos to a food processor. Pulse until they are crushed into a crumb texture.
Pour melted butter into the food processor and pulse until the butter is well incorporated with the Oreos.
Press mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the baking dish.
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.
Bake for 40-50 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.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 hours on the counter. Top with caramel, pecans and mini chocolate chips.
Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Slice, serve and enjoy!

measuring cup

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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.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 263
Sugar: 14.9 g
Sodium: 166.8 mg
Fat: 19.3 g
Saturated Fat: 10.2 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 4.2 g
Cholesterol: 65.2 mg