Salted Caramel Cheesecake
I don’t just throw around the word “best” just because. When I say this is one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had, I mean it! This salted caramel cheesecake has the silkiest and creamiest texture that is perfectly balanced with the salted caramel. It’s both inside AND on top of this cheesecake. Oh, did I mention it has a gingersnap cookie crust?? Trust me, you definitely need to make this ASAP.
The BEST salted caramel cheesecake
Yes, that’s right. I’m not afraid to say that this is the best cheesecake recipe! I made the final version of this recipe for our Friendsgivingmas and I’ve never seen so many of my friends LOVE a dessert like they did this one.
How could they not? The texture is super creamy and the salted caramel on top makes sure the flavor isn’t too sweet. And the secret to getting that creamy texture is the salted caramel baked into the cheesecake!
How to make this easy salted caramel sauce
We’re already baking an entire cheesecake from scratch, so I wanted to make this caramel sauce recipe as simple and as quick as possible. I’ve made this recipe over and over again for SO many desserts. It’s perfect as a drizzle, filling, topping, or an ingredient all on it’s own.
Start by melting the sugar in a medium saucepan. Make sure you’re continually whisking it, even if it looks like nothing is happening. As it starts to melt, small clumps of sugar will start to form. This is why we keep whisking, so that those clumps don’t get too big. If they do, they’ll take longer to melt down which could lead to burnt caramel.
Once the sugar is melted, quickly whisk in the butter. Make sure it’s at room temperature because if it’s cold, the sugar will seize up, ruining your caramel.
When that’s almost combined, pour in the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. It’s also important to warm the cream before adding it to the caramel for the same reason as the butter.
Finish it off by mixing in the salt. The caramel will be very thin when it’s piping hot but as it cools down, you get that perfect caramel sauce consistency.
How to make the creamiest salted caramel cheesecake
Room temperature ingredients. Room temperature ingredients. Room. Temperature. Ingredients. Get it? Got it? Good.
This is the KEY to making any cheesecake super smooth. At the very least, make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature. If you’re in a pinch, place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. You can also secure your cream cheese in a ziplock bag and place in a separate bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes.
I also like to use both my whisk and paddle attachments when mixing the batter. I use the whisk just for the cream cheese to get it super smooth. Whisk it on medium speed until the cream cheese is no longer lumpy.
Then, take the bowl off of the mixer and use a large rubber spatula to “punch out” any air. I do this by vigorously spreading and flattening out the cream cheese. After this step, switch to the paddle attachment.
You also want to give your ingredients a head start. For example, whisk together all of the dry ingredients before adding them to the cream cheese. This is less work your mixer has to do, which means there’s less opportunity for you to whip air into the batter.
Baking your salted caramel cheesecake
In order to prevent cracking, place a roast pan filled with boiled water on the rack below your cheesecake. The steam will stop your cheesecake from drying out, ensuring zero cracks.
You also want to make sure you thoroughly grease your springform pan so that nothing sticks and your cheesecake can rise evenly.
When it’s done, the edges will puff up (don’t worry, they’ll settle when it cools). Gently shake the pan and if the center jiggles just a little, it’s done. The best way to describe a jiggle is like when you shake jello. It’s a tighter motion than if you shake a glass of water. That’s more of a wobble. If you see a wobble, it’s not done!
Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in there for another hour with the door cracked open. This also prevents cracks that can happen when the cheesecake is exposed to a drastic change in temperature.
Since the edges puff up during baking, it creates a perfect wall for the caramel to sit in. Pour it on top of the cooled cheesecake and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours before devouring.
For more cheesecake recipes, check out my:
- New York Style Cheesecake
- Cookie Dough Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- The BEST Classic Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars
- Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
- Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake
- Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this salted caramel cheesecake. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make this salted caramel cheesecake:
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 slices
Description
This salted caramel cheesecake is seriously the best cheesecake recipe ever. It’s silky smooth, extra creamy, and covered in a delicious homemade salted caramel.
Ingredients
Homemade Salted Caramel Recipe (click here)
Gingersnap Cookie Crust
- 2 cups (250g) ground gingersnap cookies, regular or gluten free
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- 2 lbs full fat Philadelphia cream cheese, room temp
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour or gluten free flour
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup (120g) full fat sour cream, room temp
- 1/3 cup (82g) of our salted caramel sauce, cooled
- Flaky sea salt (for topping)
Instructions
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Pour the caramel into a heat proof container and place it in the fridge while we make the cheesecake.
Gingersnap Cookie Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan. Optional – line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the ground cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes then leave it out to cool while we make the filling.
Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325F and place a large roast pan on the bottom rack.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), mix together the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Mix on low speed just until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
- At this point, move to the stove top and start a medium pot of boiling water (this will be for our water bath).
- Back to the batter – mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
- Scrape down the bowl again once all the eggs have been mixed in.
- Then mix in the vanilla, sour cream, and caramel.
- Use a rubber spatula to give the batter one last good mix by hand just to ensure everything is well combined.
- Pour the batter into the crust and drop the pan against the counter a couple times to let out any air bubbles.
- Once your water is boiling, carefully pour it into the roast pan and then place the cheesecake on the middle rack directly above.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s done when the edges have puffed up and the center gives a tight jiggle when you nudge the pan.
- Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked open for 45 minutes.
- Then pour the remaining caramel sauce over the cheesecake before refrigerating. If the caramel is too thick to pour, place it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to thin it out.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set, but preferably overnight.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt before serving. I recommend serving it slightly chilled so that the caramel holds its shape.
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cooling Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
I’ve made this twice and both times it’s been a hit. The best cheesecake recipe ever!!!
Made this for my daughter-in-law’s birthday and jr was a huge hit. “Best cheesecake I’ve ever had” was said multiple times. This is a keeper
Jenna, I am an avid baker and I want to make this recipe, however, your ingredients say 1/3 cup caramel. In the instructions you state to mix caramel in the batter. Then caramel is placed on top of the cheesecake.
I seem to be the only person that is confused about the caramel…
Does the 1/3 cup go into the batter? If so, how much caramel do you use for the top of the cheesecake? I hope you can answer this for me so I can make this recipe correctly.
I can’t cook and I come from a family of amazing southern cooks. Jenna’s cheesecake recipes and instructions in them have helped me to make two of her cheesecakes and helped me feel so good about myself. Thank you because they looked beautiful and tasted so good.
Hello,
Just wondering if I need to cover the cake in plastic wrap before placing in fridge?
Delicious recipe! It was my first time making salted caramel sauce – I think I left it cook just a smidge too long but have since remade and it is to-die-for good!
Made this for dessert on Christmas Eve. It was delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and turned out awesome. Thank you!
What an amazing recipe!! I made it for Thanksgiving and making it again for Christmas! I need to get a mini food processor for the ginger snaps to make the crust finer but it turns out terrific even with a chunky crust!!
This is THE perfect cheesecake. The recipe makes it so easy to create a beautiful and delicious cheesecake that will impress literally everyone.
I like that you still get a classic cheesecake flavor with the added bonus of the salted caramel. Sometimes flavored cheesecakes loose their cheesecakeyness to the flavor, but not this one! The salted caramel is a perfect complement to the cheesecake!
I used the Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps for the crust and the little bits of candied ginger added an fun little chewy surprise – I highly recommend finding gingersnaps with candied ginger in them!
I’m considering making this for Christmas. Can I use liquid vanilla instead of the paste?