Description

Turtle Lush is a decadent layered dessert featuring a crunchy Oreo crust, smooth cream cheese filling, rich chocolate pudding, and a luscious whipped topping. Finished with drizzles of caramel and chocolate syrup and a generous sprinkle of pecans, this no-bake treat is perfect for chocolate and caramel lovers seeking an easy yet impressive sweet.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust:

3 cups Oreo crumbs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Layer:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces thawed whipped topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Chocolate Pudding Layer:

1 (5.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups cold milk

Whipped Topping:

8 ounces thawed whipped topping (remaining from 16 ounces total)

Topping & Garnish:

1/2 cup chopped pecans (remaining)
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Instructions

Prepare the crust: In a small bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs with melted butter. Mix well until the crumbs are evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 13×9 inch dish to form an even crust layer. Place it in the freezer to set for about 20 minutes.
Make the cream cheese filling: While the crust chills, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add 8 ounces of the thawed whipped topping to the cream cheese mixture and blend on low speed until fully incorporated.
Prepare the chocolate pudding: In a separate large bowl, whisk the instant chocolate pudding mix into the cold milk for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Allow it to rest for an additional 2-3 minutes to set properly.
Assemble the layers: Remove the crust from the freezer. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the Oreo crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans on top and gently press them into the cream cheese layer to help them adhere.
Add pudding and whipped topping: Spread the prepared chocolate pudding evenly over the cream cheese and pecan layer. Then, spread the remaining 8 ounces of whipped topping over the chocolate pudding layer to complete the dessert base.
Chill the dessert: Cover the assembled dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though chilling overnight yields the best texture and flavor integration.
Finish and serve: Just before serving, drizzle caramel sauce and chocolate syrup over the top of the chilled dessert. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped pecans evenly across the surface. Slice into squares and serve cold for a delightful treat.

Notes

Using Oreo crumbs with the cream filling included adds extra sweetness and texture to the crust.
For best results, allow the dessert to chill overnight to let layers fully set and flavors meld.
You can substitute regular whipped topping with homemade whipped cream for a fresher taste.
To make this dessert gluten free, use gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies for the crust.
Chilling the crust in the freezer helps it firm up quickly, ensuring easy layering and slicing.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Turtle Lush, layered dessert, Oreo crust, chocolate pudding, cream cheese dessert, no-bake dessert, caramel chocolate dessert