This baked salted caramel cheesecake is the best cheesecake recipe for caramel lovers! It has a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy cheesecake filling with homemade salted caramel sauce swirled in the batter and drizzled on top with plenty of flaky sea salt.
This salted caramel cheesecake is a truly decadent dessert. The silky smooth caramel cheesecake filling is made with full fat cream cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream, making each bite perfectly soft and creamy.
The filling sits on top of a crisp graham cracker crust and more salted caramel sauce is drizzled on top of the cake!
For more cheesecake recipes, check out this white chocolate Oreo cheesecake, coffee cheesecake, and M&M cheesecake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy salted caramel sauce-ย Buttery caramel is in the salted caramel cheesecake batter and spread on top. It has the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors! You can make it in just 15 minutes. I also used it in this caramel apple crumb cake, chocolate caramel cake, and banana caramel cake.
- Creamy cheesecake filling- The filling is super smooth and melts in your mouth. It's perfect paired with a crunchy graham cracker crust!
- Perfect for special occasions- This is one of my all time favorites to make for birthdays, holidays, and other gatherings. It's sure to impress all your guests!
Key Ingredients
Salted Caramel Ingredients
- Granulated sugar- Stick with white granulated sugar for the best results. Melting down brown sugar will result in butterscotch, not caramel!
- Unsalted butter- Your butter has to be room temperature so it doesn't shock the hot melted sugar and make it seize up. Pull it out of the refrigerator about an hour before you start and cut it into cubes so it's easier to combine.
- Heavy cream- For the richest consistency, use room temperature heavy cream. If your cream is too cold, it can shock the sugar, causing it to seize. Don't use half and half or milk.
- Vanilla extract- Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
- Salt- If you use sea salt flakes, like Maldon, you'll need to add 2 teaspoons instead of 1. 1 teaspoon is the perfect amount for finely ground sea salt or Kosher salt for this salted caramel sauce recipe.
Crust Ingredients
- Graham crackers- You need about 2 sleeves of graham crackers or 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar to sweeten the crust and add a subtle molasses flavor, but you can use dark brown sugar if you prefer.
- Unsalted butter- Use unsalted melted butter so the crust isn't too salty.
Cheesecake Filling Ingredients
- Cream cheese- Only use full fat cream cheese. Avoid cream cheese spread or any cream cheese that comes in a tub because it makes the filling too runny. My personal favorite is Philadelphia cream cheese. It needs to be room temperature, so pull it out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking to soften.
- Sour cream- Tangy sour cream helps cut through the richness of the cream cheese. Make sure it's room temperature.
- Heavy cream- Adding heavy whipping cream helps the cheesecake batter stay light, silky smooth, and keeps it from sinking in the middle.
- Vanilla extract- A splash of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste levels up the overall flavor.
- Cornstarch- I like using cornstarch in my cheesecake recipes because it helps the batter thicken and set up as it bakes. An equal amount of flour works if you don't have cornstarch.
- Large eggs- 3 large eggs hold the ingredients together. They need to be room temperature to mix into the batter smoothly.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sour cream substitute- Plain Greek yogurt is the best substitute for sour cream.
- Instead of vanilla, add a splash of whiskey, bourbon, or dark rum to the caramel sauce for a boozy twist.
- Add whipped cream- Top the cheesecake with a cloud of homemade whipped cream to make it even more special. Some dollop of salted caramel buttercream would be delicious too!
- Use ganache- Instead of caramel sauce, top the cheesecake with creamy caramel ganache to make it more decadent.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
For making the caramel, opt for a light-colored medium saucepan with a sturdy bottom. You'll be able to monitor the sugar's color easily, and the heavy bottom prevents scorching. Stainless steel or ceramic non-stick pans are best!
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: To make the caramel sauce, cook the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, avoiding the sides of the pot. The sugar will clump and turn golden.
Step 2: Keep stirring the sugar until it melts and turns a light amber color. Take off the heat and stir in butter. The mixture will bubble viciously. Continue stirring until the butter is mostly combined.
Step 3: Pour in the heavy cream and immediately whisk it in. Then whisk in the vanilla and salt.
Step 4: Pour the hot caramel into a heat-proof bowl or jar. Let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Place in the fridge while you make the cheesecake.
Step 5: Pulse the graham crackers to a fine crumb. Then stir the crumbs, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter together in a large bowl until it looks like wet sand.
Step 6: Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
Reduce oven temperature to 325ยฐF. For the water bath, fill a roasting pan with hot water, and place it on the bottom oven rack. This is the water bath that helps prevent cracks.
Step 7: Mix cream cheese and light brown sugar together in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Step 8: Beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, ยผ cup of the salted caramel sauce, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and salt on medium-low speed.
Step 9: Mix in the eggs one at a time on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after the second and third egg. Then gently fold the batter to pop any air bubbles.
Step 10: Pour the batter on top of the crust and bake for 70-80 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is puffy. It should have a slight jiggle when you lightly shake the pan.
Step 11: Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Cool for 1 hour on the counter or until it reaches room temperature.
Step 12: Pour the caramel sauce over the cheesecake, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Step 13: Release the sides of the pan and transfer the cheesecake to a cake stand or platter. Sprinkle with flaky salt, cut into slices, and serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. For this caramel cheesecake recipe (or any baking recipe), you have to use room temperature ingredients. When all the ingredients are the same temperature, they mix together seamlessly, helping prevent lumps in the batter.
- Mix the eggs on low speed. This is to avoid adding too much air to the batter, which can create air bubbles that make the cheesecake crack.
- Don't overbake. The cheesecake is done when it jiggles in the center with a gentle shake. It should have a tight jiggle like Jell-O. If it sloshes like water, it's not done.
- Cool gradually. Cheesecakes shrink as they cool, so it's important to cool them gradually. Rapid temperature changes from hot to cold can cause cracks, so patience is key!
Storage Tips
Store the salted caramel cheesecake in a large airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. I recommend a cake carrier.
If you have leftover salted caramel sauce, store it in an airtight container or jar. It'll last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It will thicken a lot, so microwave the amount you need for 10 seconds to return it to a pourable consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make the caramel sauce 2-3 days ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to use. Heat in the microwave for a few seconds before adding to the cheesecake filling and drizzling on top.
You can make the cheesecake up to 2 days ahead of time, but hold off on pouring the caramel sauce on top until you're ready to serve.
Yes! I think it's a great shortcut. Look for a thicker caramel in a jar, not a squeeze bottle. My favorite is Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce. You can also use it for these chocolate caramel cupcakes.
Using a water bath ensures that the heat is distributed gently and evenly around the cheesecake, leading to a smoother texture. The water bath's moisture creates a humid atmosphere in the oven, preventing the cheesecake's surface from drying out or developing a tough crust. It's definitely an essential step!
Make sure the cheesecake is chilled, then wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze up to 30 days. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
More Cheesecake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
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Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 84 grams unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- 120 grams heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
Graham Cracker Crust
- 200 grams graham cracker crumbs about 2 sleeves graham crackers
- 70 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 680 grams full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 140 grams light brown sugar
- 80 grams sour cream room temperature
- 80 grams heavy cream room temperature
- 80 grams salted caramel sauce
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
Salted Caramel Sauce
- First, add granulated sugar to a clean saucepan. Cook over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Don't let the sugar hit the sides of the pot.200 grams granulated sugar
- The sugar will clump and turn golden. After a few minutes, it will start to melt and dissolve. Keep stirring until it's liquid and an amber color.
- Immediately take off the heat and whisk in the butter. It will bubble viciously. Whisk until the butter is mostly mixed in.84 grams unsalted butter
- Whisk in the heavy cream. Once fully combined, stir in the vanilla and salt.120 grams heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt
- Pour the hot salted caramel into a glass jar. Let it cool for 30 minutes at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator while you make the cheesecake.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/180ยฐC and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Pulse the graham crackers to a fine crumb in a food processor. Then stir the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Mix in melted butter.200 grams graham cracker crumbs, 70 grams brown sugar, 10 tablespoon unsalted butter, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Take the crust out of the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Reduce the temperature to 325ยฐF/165ยฐC. Fill a roasting pan with hot water and place on the bottom oven rack. This is the water bath.ย
Cheesecake Filling
- Beat softened cream cheese and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.680 grams full fat cream cheese, 140 grams light brown sugar
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, ยผ cup of our salted caramel, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and salt on medium-low speed until smooth.80 grams sour cream, 80 grams heavy cream, 80 grams salted caramel sauce, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Mix in the eggs one at a time on low, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after eggs 2 and 3.
- Gently fold the batter with a rubber spatula to pop air bubbles, then pour on top of the crust. Lightly bang against the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.
- Place the cheesecake on the rack directly above the water bath. Bake for 70-80 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is puffy. It should have a tight jiggle when you lightly shake the pan.
- Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.ย
- Take the cheesecake out of the oven and carefully run a butter knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it doesn't stick to the sides of the springform pan. Cool cheesecake for 1 hour on top of the oven.
- Pour the remaining caramel sauce on top of the cheesecake, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.ย
- The next day, release the sides of the springform pan and use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cheesecake to a cake stand. Sprinkle with flaky salt, slice, and enjoy!
Emily
I made this for my daughter's baptism and it was a hit! creamy and smooth. SO delicious!
Morgan
Amazing! Turned out perfect!