Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Salted caramel cheesecake is the perfect indulgent dessert! You’ll love this rich and velvety smooth classic cheesecake topped with gooey homemade salted caramel sauce. Made with full fat cream cheese and sour cream (for richness!), each bite is perfectly soft and creamy. Recipe makes one 9-inch cheesecake.

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Cheesecake fans, you’re in for a treat with this ultra decadent caramel cheesecake! Each bite is a delicious combination of rich caramel sauce, ultra creamy vanilla cheesecake, and buttery graham cracker crust. 

If you’re new to making cheesecake at home, this recipe is simple and straightforward – no foil, no water bath, just pure cheesecake bliss!

Cheesecake Success Tips

Use room temperature ingredients. This is a crucial step to prevent over-mixing and incorporating too much air in the batter (which leads to cracks!). You’ll get the creamiest texture from full fat cream cheese (block style) at room temperature.

Mix filling carefully. Mix on the lowest speed (stir) of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, just until combined. To avoid overmixing, frequently scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step by Step: Caramel Cheesecake

You’ll use about 16 sheets of graham crackers for the crust. I use a food processor to quickly pulse them into uniform crumbs, then whisk together with sugar and salt.

Add melted butter and mix well until the mixture comes together in large pieces.

Pack the crust tightly with a measuring cup. Bake for about 10 to 11 minutes, until light golden and set. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, mix cream cheese, sugar, arrowroot starch, and salt on low speed until smooth. Through my recipe testing, I’ve found that a bit of starch helps stabilize the cheesecake and prevent cracking.

Mix in sour cream and vanilla on low speed.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined.

Pour the batter over the graham cracker crust and bake for about 60 minutes, until the center is still slightly wobbly, and the cheesecake is slightly puffed.

Cool and Chill Cheesecake

When the cheesecake is baked, turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Let it cool inside the oven for about 75 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and run a thin spatula around the edges, then let it cool for another hour.

Move the cheesecake to the fridge and let it chill overnight. The next day, place it on a serving plate and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Sour Cream

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• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Baked salted caramel cheesecake with sour cream is the perfect indulgent dessert! You’ll love this classic cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and gooey salted caramel topping! Recipe makes one 9-inch cheesecake.

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Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups (250 g) graham cracker crumbs (16 sheets, pulsed)
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 24 oz (678 g) full fat cream cheese, cubed, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp (6 g) arrowroot starch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs (200 g), at room temperature

Topping

• 1 cup salted caramel sauce

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Use a silicone pastry brush to brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan evenly with softened butter. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
2. Make the crust: Whisk together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and mix in until completely incorporated (texture will resemble wet sand) and mixture comes together in large pieces.
3. Press the crust firmly and evenly across the bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides of prepared springform pan. Pack the crust tightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
4. Bake crust for 10 to 11 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
5. Make the filling: Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, arrowroot starch, and salt on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each egg on low speed just until combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl after each egg. Pour filling over the crust and gently smooth top with an offset spatula.
6. Bake cheesecake at 300°F for 60 to 65 minutes, until edges are set, the center is still slightly wobbly, and the cheesecake is slightly puffed.
7. Cool cheesecake: When the cheesecake is finished baking, immediately turn off the oven, prop the oven door with a wooden spoon, and cool the cheesecake inside the oven for 75 minutes (this gradual cooling process prevents sudden temperature changes, which can lead to cracks).
8. After 75 minutes, remove springform pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Carefully run a thin metal spatula around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it’s not sticking to the sides of the springform pan. Cool cheesecake for 1 hour on the rack.
9. Chill cheesecake: Move cheesecake to the refrigerator (uncovered to prevent condensation from forming) and chill overnight.
10. Remove cheesecake from pan: Release the outer edge of springform pan. Use a thin metal spatula to lift cheesecake from the base of pan and transfer to a serving plate.
11. Assemble cheesecake: Top the cheesecake with caramel sauce, smoothing with an offset spatula. For neat slices, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe dry before slicing cheesecake. If desired, sprinkle slices with a pinch of flaky salt.
12. Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Notes

Helpful tools (affiliate links): Springform pan, stand mixer, offset spatula

Make ahead: Salted caramel sauce can be made 2-3 days ahead and refrigerated. Re-warm caramel sauce in the microwave (just until pourable) before using. The cheesecake can be baked ahead, fully cooled, and chilled for up to 2 days before serving.

Freeze cheesecake: Once baked, cooled and completely chilled, wrap the cheesecake in a layer of plastic wrap. Once wrapped in plastic, wrap cheesecake again in foil, securing the edges tightly. Freeze for up to 1 month for the best texture. The day before serving, move the cheesecake from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, still wrapped to prevent condensation. Once thawed, top with salted caramel sauce.