With caramel, pecans and chocolate chips, this Turtle Cheeseball is delicious to serve with apples, animal crackers or grahams. No bake treat that takes minutes to prepare!
The cream cheese and butter base to this this sweet cheeseball creates a smooth structure, and is lightly sweetened with powdered sugar and caramel sauce. This sweet dessert dip looks impressive and takes very little effort.
This cheeseball recipe was originally published in November 2013. I updated the recipe notes and images and republished in March 2026.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Whenever I entertain I love to serve a combination of sweet and salty treats.
And while guacamole, jalapeno dip, and queso are all delicious choices, sometimes, a sweet dip is equally important.
A cheese ball is a cheese based dip, usually cream cheese or another soft cheese variety, served–you guessed it–in the shape of a ball. (like my chipped beef cheeseball and my ham and pineapple cheeseball).
Today’s version has a cream cheese base with all the signature flavor and texture of turtles. Chocolate, Caramel, Pecans. CHECK!
xo
I made the Turtle Cheeseball for my all girls weekend fun at the lake and it was a great BIG hit!
– alice
Thanks so much for sharing.
Turtle Cheeseball Ingredients
- Cream cheese– The base of the cheeseball. Make sure it’s fully softened so the mixture blends smoothly without lumps.
- Butter– Adds richness and helps soften the texture so the dip stays creamy and spreadable.
- Caramel pieces – I used Kraft caramel baking bits because they’re the perfect size.
- Caramel sauce – Caramel ice cream topping works great or use my homemade caramel sauce or butterscotch sauce!
- Chopped pecans– Toast the pecans for best flavor!
- Mini chocolate chips– Mini chips distribute more evenly than regular-size chips, giving chocolate in every bite.
Today’s recipe is easy to put together. You can make it the day before if you’d like and keep it in the fridge.
To serve the dip: Place on the center of a serving platter surrounded by your choice of dippers. You can also serve the ball on the center of a plate with the dippers in separate bowls on the side.
Love chocolate and caramel? Be sure to try my turtle brownies, turtle fudge, and homemade turtles too.
How to Make a Cheeseball
Make the base. Start by beating the ingredients for the cheeseball together. Transfer the mixture to plastic wrap, shape into a ball, and refrigerate for at least one hour until it has firmed up.
Roll and Finish. Mix the toppings in a bowl. Add the chilled cheeseball and roll in the toppings. Chill again until ready to serve.
How to Serve a Turtle Cheeseball
- Pretzels, apple slices, and animal crackers are a few of my favorite vehicles for scooping up this dip.
- For even more sweetness, crunchy cookies would be delicious. Think Biscoff cookies, shortbread or even Oreos. Of course it’s great spread onto graham crackers too!
- Our baked cinnamon sugar tortilla chips are also perfect, as are salty homemade bagel chips!
Cheeseball Tips and Tricks
- Use fully softened cream cheese and butter for smooth texture.
- Chill. Chill. Chill. And if for some odd reason your cheeseball doesn’t set up (it seems cream cheese and butter brands add extra water), serve it in a bowl as a dip!
- For best scoopability, allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes.
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Turtle Cheeseball Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce I used caramel ice cream topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips divided
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup caramel bits I used Kraft
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with butter until fully blended. Add caramel sauce and sugar and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on counter. Drop cheeseball onto plastic wrap and cover cheeseball completely. Once covered, shape into a ball. Refrigerate for one hour.
- In a bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pecans and caramel bits. Unwrap cheeseball and roll into bowl of chocolate chip mixture. Press toppings gently into the cheeseball.
- Rewrap in plastic wrap (a new piece) and refrigerate until ready to serve! ENJOY.
Notes
- Use fully softened cream cheese and butter for smooth texture.
- Chill. Chill. Chill. And if for some odd reason your cheeseball doesn’t set up (it seems cream cheese and butter brands add extra water), serve it in a bowl as a dip!
- For best scoopability, allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes.
- Store leftover cheeseball in refrigerator for up to one week.
Nutrition
This sweet cheese ball recipe with all the components of turtle candy is sure to steal the spotlight next time you entertain!
I’m looking for your Pisctachio cheese ball recipe but it is no longer on Pinterest. Can you share it with me?
That recipe no longer remains on my website, so sorry.
Previously made as a spread and liked the taste but didn’t have to deal with the texture for a ball. This time trying to make a ball. It was very sticky. I was able to peel away the plastic wrap keeping most of the ball form in tact. To finish the ball I put the topping in 2 bowls, dropped in the ball and flipped the bowls several times to coat. It worked well. After reviewing several recipes and cheese ball tips, next time I will try with 1/2 C of powdered sugar.
I can see mine isn’t going to firm up either. Adding in another 8oz cream cheese. We will see. Will make again
using 2 8oz cream cheese and leave butter out altogether and add in powder sugar to taste. May try swirling in Carmel sauce instead of blending. Taste delicious though 😋
This was a hit!! But it didn’t firm up for me either? I thought maybe next time I will add more power sugar??
I wish I would have read the reviews because my Cheeseball didn’t firm up at all either. It’s for a shower tomorrow so I guess I’ll be serving it as a dip with the pecans and mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top. I’m thinking less butter would help. Maybe 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup. Very tasty though!
Mine didn’t firm up, but it didn’t matter. The entire thing was eaten, and everyone loved it. I made it for a baby shower and got a lot of compliments. I didn’t find caramel bits, so I improvised. After I put pecans and the mini chocolate chips on the outside, I drizzled some of the caramel sauce over it!!
I will be making this again, but will try 1/3 cup butter next time and see if that helps with consistency.
This was amazing. Definitely needed to put in the fridge to get it to be a little firmer. Delicious. Just delicious.
This will be my first cheeseball. I’m making it for a Thanksgiving app. I really hope I don’t meets it up and that everyone will like it.
It did not firm up for me either. I’m going to mix in the topping ingredients and put it in a pretty bowl for dipping.
What a bummer, not sure what to suggest! Although, using it as a dip is a great alternative!
I made the Turtle Cheeseball for my all girls weekend fun at the lake and it was a great BIG hit!
Thanks so much for sharing.
Wouldn’t recommend this. Couldn’t get the cheeseball firm. Others had this problem too
I can not seem to get the cheeseball firm. Any suggestions?
I had the same problem. Suggestions?
i had same problem too!
Since I couldn’t get it firm I made it into a dip! It was amazing!
Hmmm, others have had that problem as well. Glad you enjoyed it as a dip 🙂
I am considering making this but freezing a small ball of hot fudge first, then building the cheese ball around that? So it has a fudgey center. Of course I am considering doing that when (a) I have never even made the basic cheeseball and (b) it’s for a baby shower with dozens of people. May be a recipe for disaster! We’ll see!
Oh!! That sounds like a fun idea, be sure to let me know how it turns out!!!
I HAD to pin, save and drool over this cheeseball … then my hubby looked over my should and saw your Peanut Butter Cookie Dip … had to save and pin that recipe too! Now I must share my new finds 🙂 Thank you!
Are those hazelnuts I see along with the pecans and chocolate chips? Looks amazing! Thank you for sharing. Making this for Christmas!
Can’t wait to try this!