Is there anything more decadent and delicious than salted caramel cheesecake? This salted caramel cheesecake is easy to make and the perfect dessert for a special occasion.
Cheesecake is kind of a big deal on the Cheese Knees, we have a guide on how to make cheesecake and other fun cheesecake flavors like oreo cheesecake and triple chocolate cheesecake.
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
There is no question that cheesecake is one of the best desserts of all time. We love that you can take a basic cheesecake or make a fancier cheesecake like this salted caramel cheesecake.
why we love this cheesecake
- It is sweet and salty all at the same time.
- This cheesecake is so creamy and rich.
- It’s an easy recipe to take a cheesecake up a level.
- Salted caramel feels fancy.
- It’s a beautiful cheesecake.
Ingredients You Need
- Graham cracker crumbs- we are using graham cracker crumbs for a classic crust option. You could also use gingersnaps or oreos if you prefer.
- Butter- butter holds our crust together so it doesn’t become too crumbly.
- Caramel sauce- to save time, we opted for a store bought caramel sauce– feel free to use a homemade version if you prefer!
- Coarse sea salt- We love using Maldon flake sea salt in this recipe but any sea salt will work– just don’t use table salt (it’s too harsh).
- Cream cheese- cream cheese is the base of our cheesecake. Make sure it is fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps in your batter.
- Granulated sugar- granulated sugar helps sweeten the cheesecake.
- Milk + sour cream- Milk and sour cream help make the cheesecake light and fluffy. If you prefer a richer, more dense cheesecake you can omit one or the other (just not both).
- Vanilla- vanilla enhances the tang of the cream cheese and the sweetness of the caramel.
- Eggs- eggs make the cheesecake rich and delicious.
Before Starting this Recipe
- Use a stand mixer. We highly recommend using a KitchenAid, but any brand will do. A stand mixer is best because it is consistent and your arm won’t get tired.
- Don’t have graham cracker crumbs? To make the crumbs, pulse the graham crackers in the food processor until they are a fine crumb– about 30-45 seconds.
Tools You Need
Here are all the tools you need to make this salted caramel cheesecake.
Salted Caramel Topping
This salted caramel cheesecake is baked and then topped with a salted caramel! Here’s how you make it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm up the caramel sauce. Stir continuously using a rubber spatula until it is smooth and pourable.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Set aside until ready to use.
How to Make Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Make the crust. In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer the mixture into the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs into the bottom and sides to create an even, compact crust.
- Par bake the crust. Par-bake the crust for 5 minutes. Then, remove it from the oven and allow it cool while you make the filling.
- Make the salted caramel. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm up the caramel sauce. Stir continuously using a rubber spatula until it is smooth and pourable. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Set aside until ready to use.
- Make the filling. Mix the filling together, being sure you add the eggs until they are just combined, but do not over mix. Add 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce to the filling and mix again.
- Bake. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust for 50-55 minutes.
- Turn off the oven. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and crack the oven door– allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for one hour. This will help the cheesecake finish cooking and help prevent large cracks in the center.
- Let it cool. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator fo 6 hours to chill.
- Serve with caramel sauce. If you are serving the whole cheesecake pour the caramel sauce over the top of the cheesecake and spread it out evenly. If you are going to serve it one piece at a time, drizzle the caramel sauce over each separate piece of cake.
Don’t Overmix
When you add the eggs to the cheesecake batter, make sure they get fully incorporated, but not overmixed!
Over mixing the batter once the eggs have been added can lead to cracking.
How to soften cream cheese
Looking for a quick method to soften cream cheese? Check out our post – How to Soften Cream Cheese – 4 Ways! Here you’ll learn 4 unique (and quick!) methods to softening cream cheese the perfect amount for baking and cooking.
simple
spring form pan
Always have your cupboards stocked with a spring form pan incase of dessert emergencies!
How to Prevent Your Cheesecake From Cracking
Don’t Over-Mix: a good rule of thumb when it comes to baking, in general, is not to over-mix, especially overbeat the eggs. This can cause cracking in cheesecake.
Slowly Cool: you’ll notice we are taking precautions in step 8 to slowly cool the cheesecake. Instead of removing the cheesecake from the oven immediately, crack the door open and let it cool for 1 hour before removing from the oven.
Add Flour: by adding a few tablespoons of flour into the cheesecake, this helps prevent cracking as well.
Storage
Store cheesecake in an airtight container (or covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
How to Freeze Cheesecake
Freezing a cheesecake is very simple! If you’d like to freeze your salted caramel cheesecake for later, let the cheesecake cool completely in a spring-form pan. Wrap the cheesecake (and springform pan) in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
We recommend not freezing the caramel topping and waiting until right before serving to make the sauce.
To thaw the cheesecake, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw completely before serving.
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2.25 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Sauce
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
For the Cheesecake
- 24 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9” springform pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and mix until combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and onto the sides of the prepared pan, making sure to create a thin, compact layer.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then remove the crust from the oven and set it aside while you make the filling.
For the Sauce
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm up the caramel sauce. Stir continuously using a rubber spatula until it is smooth and pourable.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Set aside until ready to use.
For the Cheesecake
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth– about 1 minute.
- Add in the milk, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the eggs one at a time.
- Still on low speed, add in ½ cup of the salted caramel sauce and mix just until combined.
- Pour the mixture over the par-baked crust and bake until the edges of the cheesecake are set and golden brown– about 50-55 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door, and allow the cake to cool for about 1 hour.
- Once cooled, transfer to the fridge and allow the cheesecake to chill for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).
- To serve, spoon the remainder of the salted caramel sauce over the cheesecake. Slice and enjoy.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Tips & Notes
- I’m using graham cracker crumbs for a classic crust option. You could also use gingersnaps or oreos if you prefer.
- Butter holds our crust together so it doesn’t become too crumbly.
- To save time, I opted for a store bought caramel sauce– feel free to use a homemade version if you prefer!
- I love using Maldon flake sea salt in this recipe but any sea salt will work– just don’t use table salt (it’s too harsh).
- Cream cheese is the base of our cheesecake. Make sure it is fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps in your batter.
- Granulated sugar helps sweeten the cheesecake.
- Milk and sour cream help make the cheesecake light and fluffy. If you prefer a richer, more dense cheesecake you can omit one or the other (just not both).
- Vanilla enhances the tang of the cream cheese and the sweetness of the caramel.
- Eggs make the cheesecake rich and delicious– make sure they get fully incorporated, but not overmixed! Over mixing the batter once the eggs have been added can lead to cracking.
