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!
This looks gorgeous and sounds delicious! I think I will be adding a sweet cheese ball to our holiday menu this year!
Delicious!!
This is absolutely genius! It looks incredible! I have a feeling it would be gone in a snap!
This looks perfect! It would be gone in minutes at the thanksgiving feast we had 😉
I made this for Thanksgiving today. I cannot wait to have my family try it. I doubled the recipe and it made a HUGE batch – I will admit, about 1/4th of it was left at home! 🙂 It is AMAZING!
This is like the definition of fabulous party food. I love this idea!
Pinning. 🙂
Thank you Abbie for pinning!
soooo….what happens if I eat this entire cheeseball on my own? Will I then turn into a cheeseball as well?
I guess it’s a risk I’ll have to take! 😀
Hmmm, is that a trick question? 🙂
I have never had a cheeseball- I think I need to change that! This would be the recipe to– all that caramel and chocolate and cream cheese… HEAVEN!!
Yes. This should be your introduction to cheeseballs 🙂 Have a great week!!
Can’t wait to make this cheeseball for the holidays! But the graham crackers shown in the picture, where can I find this kind? All we seem to have around my neck of the woods are the usual box of rectangles. Thanks for the recipe and the name of the crackers!!
Hi Janice, those are graham sticks. I’m not sure which brand makes them! Teddy Grahams would also be a fun “dipper” or Nilla wafers too!! ENJOY!
Definitely have to give this a try! I love all the flavors in this. Perfect snack for Thanksgiving.
Yeah, it’s a great treat to have for the weekend. Just wrap it up if it’s not finished and serve it the next day!! I sometimes squish it back into a ball too 🙂
who doesn’t love a cheeseball 🙂 and turtles are a favorite in our house
Thanks Heather! Turtles and cheeseballs were meant to unite!
I bet this cheese ball is delicious! Love having an appetizer to snack on while waiting for dinner 🙂
Yeah, you’re not alone 🙂
I have a sneaking suspicion that I would devour that entire cheese ball before anyone else even had a chance! Yum!!!
Oh please, you and you’re clean eating! This is NOT on the approved list 😉
I know my family would love to snack on this! So good!
What do you suggest to use to dip into the cheese ball? This will be the first one I’ve ever made and served! I’m really excited to make it at my inlaws for new years.
graham crackers, apples, nilla wafers, animal crackers, teddy grahams, pretzels….a spoon!
I want this like right now!!
This is gorgeous Aimee!
I saw this on Pinterest and about fell out of my chair. This sounds beyond amazing! I can totally see me dipping my way through the entire thing! Everything about this sounds delicious. Pinning!
Thanks for pinning Mary Frances!!!
Your Turtle Cheeseball recipe sounds amazing!
Thanks for sharing all of the recipes!
You’re welcome! Glad you are enjoying them Melissa!
So I am thinking I need to add this to my holiday appetizer list! I have never had a sweet cheese ball before and this looks amazing!!
Never? Oh, girl, you MUST add this to your list 🙂