This deliciously silky Caramel Cheesecake is the only recipe you’ll ever need! Made with a graham cracker crust and topped with decadent caramel sauce, it’s the perfect salty and sweet dessert for any occasion.

This post is sponsored by Sur La Table

Fact – I used to not be a fan of cheesecakes. There was something about them I didn’t like, so I took it upon myself to make the BEST recipe out there that anyone (including me!) would love. And when it comes to non-chocolate desserts, I’m very hard to please!

But this Caramel Cheesecake… it’s heaven. Triple tested and approved by cheesecake connoisseurs (aka Cheesecake Factory die hards), I am 100% confident this is the best recipe out there.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

If you only follow 1 tip, have it be this: use room temp ingredients. This is by far the best tip to making a smooth, lump-free cheesecake. So grab your sour cream, cream cheese and eggs, and allow them to come to room temperature.

What difference does it make, you ask? Well, using room temp ingredients means you won’t have to beat the batter as long. And the less you beat it the less air the batter will have, which means less lumps & a silkier cheesecake.

Do this instead of a water bath: This genius hack comes from Sam over at Frosting and Fettuccini (she’s amazing). Place a baking tray on the lower rack in the oven (directly under your cheesecake) and fill it with water!
Wrap your springform pan with tin foil. Even though we’re not doing a traditional water bath, I still covered the bottom and sides of my cheesecake.
Cooling your cheesecake is just as important as baking it. I allowed mine to cool in the oven with the door shut for 30 minutes. And then, cracked it open just a bit and left it for another 30 minutes. This is a very important step to prevent any cracks.

HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL SAUCE

One of my favorite things to make (second to chocolate ganache) is caramel sauce. Homemade caramel is so easy and delicious, I can’t get enough. Plus, it’s so much better than store bought.

You can pour as little or as much sauce as you want on this caramel cheesecake, or just grab a spoon and eat straight from the jar. Your call!

I like making my caramel sauce with brown sugar as opposed to granulated. According to SAVEUR, pastry chefs use white sugar because it yields consistent results every time. I just like the taste!

All you need is 5 natural ingredients; brown sugar, heavy cream, salt, butter & vanilla. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk, whisk, whisk until it thickens. Add in vanilla extract and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool before transferring to a glass jar. That’s it!

There you have it, friends, one of my favorite recipes on the blog – the best ever Caramel Cheesecake! And if you celebrate food holidays like me, this is the perfect dessert option for National Caramel Day (April 4th)!

As always, if you try this recipe, share it with me on instagram using the hashtag #yogaofcooking. It truly makes me SO happy to see what you make.

Happy baking! x