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This delicious Caramel Cheesecake is a wonderful combination of caramel and cheesecake. It has a cookie crust, a velvety smooth caramel cheesecake filling, and a generous topping of homemade salted caramel. This dessert is full of flavor that will send you straight into a fall mood.
The amazing blend of caramel and cheesecake in this delicious salted Caramel Cheesecake recipe is a must try. It has a delicious cookie crust, creamy caramel cheesecake filling, and it is topped with lots of homemade caramel sauce. It is perfect for any fall gatherings.
For more cheesecake recipes, try Apple Crumble Cheesecake, Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake and Tiramisu Cheesecake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Salted Caramel: The homemade salted caramel is added both to the cheesecake filling and on top of the cheesecake.
- Creamy cheesecake filling: The creamy and smooth caramel cheesecake filling ties together this delicious cheesecake.
- Showstopper: This cheesecake is a showstopper of a cake, that is a crowd pleaser.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Digestive biscuits: We don't have graham crackers in Danmark, so I therefore use Digestive cookies. But if you can buy graham cracker crumbs then you can definitely use those instead if you want to make a graham cracker crust.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar helps sweeten the cheesecake and is as well used for the caramel.
- Cream cheese: It's important that it's full-fat cream cheese and it's at room temperature when using it. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking. In the USA, use the brick-style cream cheese packs.
- Sour cream: Measure and let the sour cream come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking.
- Eggs: Take the eggs out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL AND COOKIE CRUST
Here is how to make and bake this Caramel Cheesecake. This recipe needs a stand mixer or an hand electric mixer, and a 23 cm/9 in spring pan lined with baking paper.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Turn the oven heat to 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 23 cm/9 inch springform pan lined with parchment paper in the bottom.
STEP 1: For the caramel, in a large frying pan, add the granulated sugar and water and stir it together so all of the sugar is wet. Melt it over medium/high heat until golden brown.
STEP 2: When the caramel is golden brown, reduce the heat to medium heat and stir in the butter. Then add the heavy cream, a little at a time, stirring in each addition until incorporated. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered.
STEP 3: Turn off the heat and add a pinch of salt and vanilla paste. Transfer it to a shallow bowl or casserole, and let it cool down in the fridge.
STEP 4: For the crust, in a food processor, add the cookies and granulated sugar and blend it all together until a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and blend it together with the blended cookies.
STEP 5: Add the cookie crumbs to the baking pan and press the cookie crumbs down with the bottom of a glass, and up agains the side of the pan. Bake it for 10 minutes.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CHEESECAKE FILLING
STEP 1: With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed. Then add the granulated sugar and caramel and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and let it mix until combined. Then add two eggs at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined.
STEP 3: Pour the cheesecake mixture into the spring pan and even it out. Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform pan in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust.
STEP 4: Bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a small wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour. Before letting it completely cool down in the fridge.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Give the cheesecake pan a small shake, it's only slightly jiggling in the center of the cheesecake then it's done.
Yes, you can replace it 1:1 for full-fat greek yogurt.
Yes, you can definitely replace the homemade caramel with store bought.
WHY BAKE THE CHEESECAKE IN A WATER BATH
Why is baking a cheesecake in a water bath so important? What the water bath does, is that it makes the cheesecake bake more gentle and helps avoids cracks. When baking a cheesecake without a water bath, it is more likely for it to over-bake, which will give a curdled texture, a cracked top. The hot water protects your cheesecake while it's baking in the oven. It makes sure your cheesecake comes out smooth and creamy.
HOW TO STORE
Store the Caramel Cheesecake in the refrigerator covered by plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It's best enjoyed within 3 days.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Caramel Cheesecake
Equipment
- 30 cm /12 inch cake pan optional for the water bath
Ingredients
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE (can be replaced with store-bought caramel sauce)
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon water
- 40 g butter
- 150 g heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
COOKIE CRUST
- 250 g digestive or graham crackers
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 75 g butter
- A pinch of salt
CARAMEL CHEESECAKE
- 800 g full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 100 g caramel
- 200 g sour cream 14-18% room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
SALTED CARAMEL
- In a large saucepan or frying pan, add the granulated sugar and water and stir it together so all of the sugar is wet. Flatten it out into an even layer, so it melts evenly. Melt it over medium/high heat until golden brown. Once you can see it starts slightly brown, give it a stir once in a while so it all melts evenly.140 g granulated sugar, 1 ½ tablespoon water
- Once the caramel is golden brown, reduce the heat to medium heat and stir in the butter until it has melted into the caramel. Then add the heavy cream, a little at a time, stirring in each addition until incorporated. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered.40 g butter, 150 g heavy cream
- Turn off the heat and add a pinch of salt and vanilla paste and stir it in. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and let it cool down in the fridge. It takes about 30-60 minutes to become room temperature.¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
COOKIE CRUST
- Before starting, preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 325ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 23 cm/9-inch springform tin lined with parchment paper in the bottom.
- In a food processor, add the cookies and granulated sugar and blend it all together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.250 g digestive or graham crackers, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar, A pinch of salt, 75 g butter
- Add the cookie crumbs to the springform and press the cookie crumbs down with the bottom of a glass, and up against the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out.
- Bake it for 10 minutes. Let it cool down while making the cheesecake filling. Keep the oven turned on.
CARAMEL CHEESECAKE
- With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed. Then add the granulated sugar and caramel and let it mix for 1 minute on low speed or until smooth.800 g full fat cream cheese, 150 g granulated sugar, 100 g caramel
- In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and let it mix until combined.200 g sour cream 14-18%, 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch, 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Then add two eggs at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined. Once all the eggs have mixed in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix to make sure all the ingredients have incorporated.4 large eggs
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform.
- Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅓-2/3 up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust.
- Alternatively, add a triple layer of aluminium foil around the cake pan to safely seal it from the water before placing it in a water bath. There might be a possibility of water leaking in, so make sure it's covered well if choosing this method.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes.
- Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a small wobble in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour.
- Then take it out of the oven and remove it from the water bath. Take off the aluminium foil, if added, and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool down fully for about 1 hour to room temperature.
- Finally, once at room temperature, place it in the fridge and let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight before eating.
ASSEMBLING
- When ready to serve, add the caramel on top of the cheesecake and optionally sprinkle it with a bit of sea salt.
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