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 . 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
Best Ever Caramel Cheesecake
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cheesecake
Description
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.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the Filling
- 4 (8oz) full fat cream cheese packages, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 3 eggs, room temperature
For the Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 350F. Grease an 9-inch springform pan with baking spray and wrap the bottom and sides with 3 layers of tin foil (to ensure a waterproof seal).
For the Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, cinnamon and butter, and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press into the bottom and sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 325F.
For the Filling
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth Add sour cream, vanilla and sugar and continue mixing until combined. Add in flour. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully combined. Do not overmix!
- Pour the batter onto springform pan and use an angled spatula to even out the top.
- Place a baking sheet on the lower rack and fill it with boiling water.
- Place the cheesecake on the upper rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes without opening the oven door. After 30 minutes, crack the oven door open and continue cooling.
- Place on top of the counter to finish cooling. Chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
For the Caramel Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine heavy cream, brown sugar, butter and salt. Whisk gently until it thickens. Add in vanilla and cook for another minute.
- Turn off the heat, let sauce cool slightly before transferring to a glass jar.
- Prep Time: 5 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 min
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: caramel cheesecake
WANT MORE DELICIOUS CHEESECAKE RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT!
This post is sponsored by Sur La Table. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to bring you delicious recipes every week!
I will be baking it on Tuesday for Warren’s birthday!!
That’s awesome! I hope you guys LOVE it!
This is SO stunning Rosana! That caramel looks beyond perfect! I am a huge cheesecake fan, so I must try your version next time I make one!
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Thanks, Bella! Let me know if you make it 🙂
Looks like a 5-star recipe to me!! Stunning job!! I haven’t had cheesecake in so long– thanks for putting this craving in my belly!
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so happy you liked it, Ash! xoxo
I’ll be making this amazing cheesecake tomorrow!!! Can’t wait for a spoonful of caramel!
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I hope you love it!
Luscious cake Rosana
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Thanks so much, Joanne!!
Hi !!! I’m just baking my cheescake, but I inserted the toothpick and it Cosme out wet, is that okay ? Or should be clean ?
can i use hand mixer ?
Yes!
Well, I shoulda asked you this at least a week ago, but I pick recipes on the fly usually. So here I am TODAY August 21st 2020 making this as a birthday cake. I’ve never sprayed a pan before making a cheesecake, and yours says to use “baking” spray. Are you talking about the kind with flour in it, or just regular spray? It probably won’t make that much difference, but I guess I’m gonna find out! Lol
Yes, any non-stick baking spray works!
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream
I don’t think that’d work! sorry!
I tried out cake with the above recipe.The cake was very soft and tasty.Thank you.
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Thank you so much!
Can I spread a thin layer the caramel sauce on about 2 hours before serving? The cheese cake came out gorgeous and I am bringing to a restaurant for my girlfriends birthday. I was hoping to have it ready to present without having to put sauce on separately. If it compromised the cake, I can manage!
Hi. Is there any way I can make this without baking the cheesecake filling and putting it in the fridge instead?
You can try my no-bake recipe instead 🙂
I only had a small springform so had extra filling for a mini pan….. It was my taste test and is was SO rich and delicious!
★★★★★
My grandson told me he wanted a cheesecake with my caramel icing for his birthday. I really didn’t think my caramel icing would work well on a cheesecake, so I started looking at recipes. This one sounded so good and I tried it last weekend. Oh my goodness, we loved it! It got rave reviews from everyone and we will definitely have this for his 13th birthday next month.
★★★★★
Caramel sauce! I could drink it. Tried other recipes for caramel sauce they didn’t work out but this one did! Perfect cheesecake also!
I’m so glad you liked it!! xx
Great recipe! I baked it twice now. I’m planning on making it for Christmas. I have a lot of guests coming, so wanted to make a 10” one instead of 9”. I figured out the difference in amounts of ingredients, but do you think I’ll have to bake it longer, or will 1 hr 10 still do it?
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If you use a 10-inch it’s just going to be flatter. I’ve only tested it with a 9-inch so my guess is to turn the oven off at 55min or so!
Can you use store bought caramel in a jar and just drizzle it on cake? Also could this be refrigerated overbite before taken out of pan?
Yes, you can use store-bought caramel! I’d say it’s better to remove it from the pan so that it doesn’t stick once refrigerated.
When are you supposed to put the Carmel sauce onto cake ?
Is it supposed to be hot still or is it not supposed to be added until after its cold?
Thank you. (This is my first cheesecake..eek!!)
I like to add the caramel at room temp, just before serving!
This was just the most amazing baked cheesecake I’ve ever eaten. Definitely a crowd pleaser thank you so much for sharing this slice of heaven with the world!
★★★★★
I’m so glad!
I am hoping to bake this on the weekend. I am curious about the addition of flour–what purpose does it have in the cheesecake? I have never seen a cheesecake recipe with flour before. I did have a very cakey cheesecake once on vacation that definitely had flour in it and was nothing like regular (New York style) cheesecake. Would this be like the vacation one, or more like a classic New York style cheesecake?
Helps prevent cracks! You won’t taste it. This cheesecake is perfect!
So I want to try out your recipe, but I do not have a 9-inch springform pan I only have a 12-inch springform pan. Is there a way I could make the batter bigger or could I just use a regular 9- inch pan.
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I’d use a regular 9-inch pan to be safe!
Cheese Cake is perfect! I cant wait to test my hands on this recipe thanks for sharing this wonderful masterpiece with us
This is the first cheesecake that I ever made and it turned out perfect! The people that I work with said that it is the best cheesecake that they have ever tasted. I added toffee bits on top of the caramel before serving. It was beautiful!
★★★★★
OMG Thank you so much, Sharon!! You made my day!!!
This recipe is love. Can’t wait to try this Cheese Cake… hoping for weekend to arrive soon.
Can I prepare it a day before?
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Excellent recipe for Caramel Cheese Cake. Thanks for Sharing the recipe. I will try today itself.
Made this for our Thanksgiving work potluck. It was my “extra” dish because I love to bake. I followed the recipe exactly and chilled it 4 days. I did change to a cinnamon graham cracker crust and added 1 tsp of cinnamon to the batter. Made a homemade butterscotch sauce and used 3 Granny Smith apples, diced and microwaved with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 TBSP of water to make a compote for the topping. After it was cooled mixed the apples with the butterscotch. Placed it onto the cheesecake right before serving and drizzled the caramel sauce over all. When I brought it to work EVERYONE exclaimed, they even took pictures and said it was better than Cheesecake Factory. One of our girls literally cried while she was eating it and said it was the best cheesecake she’d ever eaten and said she waits every year for her Grandma to make the family pumpkin cheesecake fit Thanksgiving but that this one was better. I’ve been cooking, baking, and catering for 20+ years and this recipe was the BEST reaction I’ve ever had, and that’s saying a LOT!!! KEEPER!!!
★★★★★
I have an apple cheesecake recipe that I want to use this caramel sauce recipe for (certainly going to use the cake recipe later). If I reduce the amount of cream will the sauce just be thicker – which is what I’m hoping for. Also thinking of adding pecans.
Decided to use your recipe rather than the original for the apple cheesecake and I’m so glad I did. It was very moist and delicious. Made a couple of small changes. First, added 2 cups of chopped apple that were coated with 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tbsp of flour. Added this into the batter as the last step before pouring. We only used 3 packages of cheese as that is what we had purchased – because of this I reduced the eggs by one. I also reduced the cream a bit in the sauce because I wanted something thicker – added toasted chopped pecans.
This one is going to be a staple for us. Thinking of doing a blueberry version with peach topping for the family over the holidays.
★★★★
Hey how long can cheesecake last for
Cheese Cake is perfect! I cant wait to test my hands on this recipe thanks for sharing this wonderful masterpiece with us
★★★★★
Cheesecake recipe really delicious, you make my day by sharing the special cake recipe…
thank you so much
★★★★★
Best Caramel Cheesecake!
★★★★★
This recipe is just slightly different than the one I’ve used for years, but I made them both for my husband’s coworkers and this one won hands down! I get requests specifically for this cheesecake from them on the regular. Thank you for the detailed cook time/instructions. I think that makes a big difference in making sure it is done but not over baking it!
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I’m so happy you liked this recipe, Jillian!
NIce cake
Thank you so much for sharing beautiful and yummy recipes.
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I’m so happy you like them!
Oh wow! That’s the best looking caramel cake. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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This an amazing blog which could easily let you cook a cheesecake.
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I made this two years ago for my husband’s birthday and it was to die for!! This time I’m making it for thanksgiving and want to have the caramel sauce on the side. Does the caramel sauce need to be refrigerated?
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Nice!
I made this cheesecake for Christmas and it turned out amazing! No cracks and it was super soft and delicious! The water bath below option worked great too!! It got rave reviews from my family and I’ll definitely be making it again!!
★★★★★
Your cheese cake recepies are too good. I really impress by this one.
Thanks for sharing
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Thanks for sharing.
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thank you
You can make the cakes, cool them, and then wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them. Then the day before remove from the freezer stick in the fridge to defrost. Make the buttercream fresh the day of.
This creamy cheesecake was rated 5 stars by everyone at our 4th of July party.
Easy to make. My only question was how long to cook the caramel. I kept mine bubbling for approximately 5 – 7 minutes.
I made mine in a 9×13 glass pan. I believe I baked it about 55 minutes and then jiggled and turned oven off. I left door closed for about 20 minutes and then took out. It was a bit brown around the edges so maybe could have baked less but it was sooooo good. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
I’m so glad everyone liked it!! Thanks so much for letting me know. I think the edges might have darkened a bit because of the glass pan, but I haven’t tested it myself to be certain. I’d use a round metal pan next time and see if it happens again 🙂
Mouthwatering yummy recipe!
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