Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

Mini turtle cheesecakes topped with rich caramel, chocolate drizzle, and pecans cradled on top of a pecan-graham cracker crust are the epitome of pure bliss!

Why this recipe works

These mini turtle cheesecakes begin with a pecan and chocolate graham cracker crust followed by a rich, creamy base topped with a decadent caramel pool and chocolate drizzle. Finish them off with crunchy pecans and these cheesecakes will win you and your guests over every single time!

Mini cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for all occasions. Birthdays, parties, cookouts… you name it – I’ll probably bring it. No dessert table is complete without them!  

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CRUST – The crust is a combination of chocolate graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cooled melted butter. If preferred, you can use regular graham crackers crumbs. Feel free to omit the pecans in the crust, but we love the nutty flavor and bit of texture it adds.

CARAMEL – We whipped up some homemade caramel sauce for this recipe. However, you can definitely use store-bought in its place if that’s easier for you. Salted caramel is also delicious on top, you can find a recipe for that on our salted caramel cheesecake post.

CHOCOLATE – Chopped baking chocolate bars are best for melting and drizzling as opposed to chocolate chips. However, chocolate chips will also work in a pinch. Semi-sweet and dark chocolate are both great options!

CREAM CHEESE – Be sure to let the cream cheese reach room temperature before beginning. You can speed up the process by cubing it and letting it rest at room temperature for around 30 minutes. Doing so will ensure a silky smooth cheesecake filling void of any lumps.

How to Make Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Place bottoms into each cup of a mini cheesecake pan.
2. To make the crust, combine chocolate graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cooled melted butter. Use your fingers to combine well. Spoon a tablespoon plus a teaspoon into bottom of each cup in the pan and press lightly with your fingers. Bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.

To Make the Cheesecake Filling

1. For the cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl using a standing or hand mixer until creamy. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, salt, and vanilla; beat well. Slowly add in the yogurt followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until blended.
2. Scrape the mixture out of the mixer bowl and into the food processor. Process for about 45 seconds or until silky.
3. Fill each cup of the pan to just about the top. Bake for 20 minutes, the edges will be dry, the tops of cheesecakes will be puffed and the centers will be a bit jiggly. Turn off the oven and prop open the door and cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cooling arch and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before decorating.

To make the Caramel and Chocolate

1. To make the caramel drizzle, combine the butter cubes, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon then allow the heat to melt the butter. The sugar will begin to melt and bubble. Stir once or twice then check with a candy thermometer. You want the soft ball stage, which is 238 degrees.
2. When this temperature is reached slowly add in the heavy whipping cream while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until smooth then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool.
3. To make the chocolate drizzle, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and the chopped chocolate together in the microwave for one minute. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool.

Assembling Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

1. To assemble, carefully remove the cheesecakes from the pan. If they are too cold and stuck, use a hair dryer to warm the outside of the pan cups. Line counter with waxed paper and place a cooling rack over the waxed paper. Place the cheesecakes on the cooling rack.
2. Line a drinking glass with a fold top sandwich bag and empty the caramel into the bag. Twist the end of the bag closed and snip off a tiny corner of the bag with scissors. Do the same with the melted chocolate.
3. Squeeze out the caramel from the end of the bag and pipe a small pool onto each cheesecake.
4. Drizzle the chocolate over the caramel and cheesecakes.
5. Place a pecan in the center of each cheesecake.
6. Keep refrigerated until serving or for at least 20 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

If you would prefer not to pool the caramel on top of your mini turtle cheesecakes, you can drizzle it on just like you would with the chocolate. Garnishing with a pecan ties this recipe together in true “turtle” fashion. You can also chop the pecans and sprinkle them on top! Enjoy the mini cheesecakes chilled.

More Cheesecake Recipes

• Mini Cheesecakes
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
• Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
• No Bake Cheesecake Bars

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Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

Sweet little mini turtle cheesecakes topped with caramel and chocolate drizzle will always be the star of every dessert table!

5 from 17 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes

2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Calories: 366

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

Crust

• ▢ ¾ cup ground chocolate graham cracker crumbs about 5 sheets, or 10 squares
• ▢ ⅓ cup finely chopped pecans
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled

Cheesecake Filling

• ▢ 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 4 ounces regular full fat cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ ½ cup vanilla yogurt

Caramel

• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate

• ▢ 3 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 12 pecan halves for topping

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Mini cheesecake pan
• ▢
  Stand mixer or hand mixer
• ▢
  Food processor
• ▢
  Wire cooling racks

Before You Begin

• If preferred, you can use regular graham crackers crumbs. Feel free to omit the pecans in the crust, but we love the nutty flavor and bit of texture it adds.
• You can definitely use store-bought caramel if that’s easier for you.
• Chopped baking chocolate bars are best for melting and drizzling as opposed to chocolate chips. However, chocolate chips will also work in a pinch. Semi-sweet and dark chocolate are both great options!
• Be sure to let the cream cheese reach room temperature before beginning. You can speed up the process by cubing it and letting it rest at room temperature for around 30 minutes. Doing so will ensure a silky smooth cheesecake filling void of any lumps.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325. Place bottoms into each cup of the mini cheesecake pan.

Crust

• Combine chocolate graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cooled melted butter. Use your fingers to combine well. Spoon a tablespoon plus a teaspoon into bottom of each cup in the pan and press lightly with your fingers. Bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.

Filling

• Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until creamy. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, salt, and vanilla; beat well. Slowly add in the yogurt followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until blended. Scrape the mixture out of the mixer bowl and into the food processor. Process for about 45 seconds or until silky.
• Fill each cup of the pan to just about the top. Bake for 20 minutes, the edges will be dry, the tops of cheesecakes will be puffed and the centers will be a bit jiggly. Turn off the oven and prop open the door and cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cooling arch and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before decorating.

Caramel Topping

• To make the caramel, combine the butter cubes, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon then allow the heat to melt the butter. The sugar will begin to melt and bubble. Stir once or twice then check with a candy thermometer. You want the soft ball stage, which is 238 degrees. When this temperature is reached slowly add in the heavy cream while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir until smooth then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool.

Chocolate Topping

• To make chocolate drizzle, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and the chopped chocolate together in the microwave for one minute. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool.

Assembly

• To assemble, carefully remove the cheesecakes from the pan. If they are too cold and stuck, use a hair dryer to warm the outside of the pan cups. Line counter with waxed paper and place a cooling rack over the waxed paper. Place the cheesecakes on the cooling rack.
• Line a drinking glass with a fold top sandwich bag and empty the caramel into the bag. Twist the end of the bag closed and snip off a tiny corner of the bag with scissors. Do the same with the melted chocolate.
• Squeeze out the caramel from the end of the bag and pipe a small pool onto each cheesecake.
• Drizzle the chocolate over the caramel and cheesecakes.
• Place a pecan in the center of each cheesecake.
• Keep refrigerated until serving or for at least 20 minutes. Be sure to remove the removable pan bottoms from each cheesecake before serving.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Make Ahead – you can prepare the cheesecakes up to 3 days in advance and store them in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator. 
• Storing – Store the cheesecakes in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
• Freezing – I would recommend holding off on the caramel and chocolate drizzle until ready to serve. Flash-freeze the cheesecakes on a baking sheet until solid and transfer them to an air-tight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and top with caramel, chocolate, and pecans. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini cheesecake | Calories: 366cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 654IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post originally appeared here on March 5, 2012 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.