A salted caramel cheesecake recipe that is beyond indulgent! Made with an Oreo cookie crust, Philadelphia cream cheese, and deliciously golden caramel syrup for pure heaven in every bite.
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Everybody should have a good New York Cheesecake recipe in their arsenal but once you’ve got the technique down, treat yourself to this salted caramel version. You will never go back!
I’m a firm believer in cheesecake being the ultimate ‘treat yourself’ food. Although the low fat, vegan and even tofu cheesecake recipes have gotten better and better, nothing beats a proper rich creamy cheesecake.
For this recipe, I combined all the best parts of a sinful cheesecake and I have no regrets. It is truly, undeniably, and unforgivingly delicious. You have been warned…
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Oreo Crust
- Butter
- Chocolate Cookie Crumbs (Oreo cookies with filling removed or chocolate graham crackers)
Cheesecake Batter
- Philadelphia® Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Sour Cream
- Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Cornstarch
- Pure Vanilla Extract
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Sugar
- Water
- Butter
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Sea Salt
The Best C’s: Cream Cheese, Chocolate & Caramel
This is a Philadelphia caramel cheesecake. You are free to experiment with different kinds of cream cheeses but I find that the fat content of Philadelphia cream cheese is the most reliable and the perfect texture for a creamy yet light cheesecake.
For the cookie base, I replaced the traditional Graham Crackers with Oreo cookies. Again, you can use any other chocolate cookies but I still recommend Oreos.
Oreo cookies are a little drier which is what you want when combined with butter. It holds better after baking and doesn’t become soggy or rock-solid.
The salted butter caramel sauce is homemade. I know that a lot of people shy away from making their own salted caramel syrup but it is not as complicated as you might think.
The key to a successful caramel is patience and keeping a close eye on the color. Plus, this particular sauce recipe calls for extra butter and whipping cream. Both of those ingredients help you recover from minor mistakes in the caramelization stage.
How to Make Caramel Cheesecake
Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter all sides of a 10” springform pan.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe dish.
- Crush cookies in a food processor or in a Ziploc bag with a mallet. Add crushed cookie crumbs to a bowl and pour melted butter over the top and stir.
- Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the oven. Remove and allow to fully cool.
Cheesecake Batter
- In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and cornstarch. Begin adding egg yolks one at a time and stir just until combined. Too much air whipped into the eggs can cause the cake to crack as it bakes.
- Pour cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Grab a large roasting pan with deep sides. Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil and place it inside the large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come up halfway up the springform pan. The water should not be able to get inside the foil.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1.5 hours. Resist opening the oven as it bakes as this can cause it to sink in the middle. Turn off the oven and let it rest inside for 30 minutes before removing. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- While it refrigerates, make the salted butter caramel sauce by adding water and sugar to a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add butter and allow to simmer until it reaches a golden brown color. Slowly and carefully add heavy whipping cream. Whisk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool. Drizzle over the top of the cheesecake once it’s set.
How to Fix Cheesecake Mistakes
Just like making your own caramel, a lot of people are nervous about making their own cheesecake. To help calm your nerves, I’ve covered all the most common mistakes when baking cheesecakes right here.
Why Do Cheesecakes Sink in the Middle?
Cheesecakes can sink in the middle for the same reason other cakes might sink; you opened the oven door. The sudden temperature change can cause the less cooked parts of the cheesecake (the middle) to lose their integrity. I know it is tempting but your baby cheesecake is perfectly comfortable in there so leave it alone.
Did the cheesecake still sink even though you didn’t fall into temptation and left the oven door closed? There might be other explanations.
A cheesecake might sink in the center when the batter has been whipped too much. The batter should be mixed, not whipped like cream. Overmixing is more likely when you are using cold ingredients so let everything come to room temperature before you combine them in the bowl.
Why Did My Cheesecake Crack or Split?
One of the reasons why I prefer the water bath baking method is that it helps prevent cheesecake cracking. The steam in the air makes it cook slower and less likely to dry out.
The cracking happens when the cheesecake is in the oven for too long and too much moisture is lost. This can also be caused by putting the cheesecake too close to the top of the oven.
You might also have a split down the sides when it’s overbaked. The cheesecake pulls away from the sides when it’s too dry and this can cause the crust to tear.
Why Does My Cheesecake Have Bubbles on Top?
The bubbles on top of your cheesecake are air bubbles that got in during the mixing process. Cheesecake batter should be silky smooth but if you whip or mix for too long, air bubbles can get stuck in there. So once again, don’t overbeat your cheesecake batter!
The solution to preventing air bubbles in your cheesecake is simple; give the spring form a few firm taps to pop any bubbles in the batter. Also, never ever put a cheesecake inside a cold oven.
Another trick is to always beat the eggs together with the batter. When you beat eggs separately, there is more chance of air coming into the cake batter.
Storing Caramel Cheesecake
I completely understand why Rachel and Chandler became so obsessed with the neighbor’s cheesecake but let’s not recreate that iconic floor cheesecake moment. We can keep ourselves together and save some cheesecake for tomorrow, right? Well… maybe…
Does Cheesecake Need to Be Refrigerated?
Because of the high dairy content, cheesecake must be refrigerated for food safety reasons. It is fine when left out for a few hours but definitely move it into the fridge after the second hour or so.
The caramel sauce doesn’t have to go in the fridge with it, though. You can store it in an airtight jar in a cool dry place.
How Long Does Cheesecake Last in the Refrigerator?
Cheesecake can last in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. The longer it sits in the fridge, the stronger the cream cheese flavor becomes. The cold temperature will also make the cheesecake denser.
So, if you want the same smooth and fluffy texture as it has on day 1, you may want to devour the cheesecake by day 2. I’m sure your family doesn’t mind helping you with that.
I dare you to try making this cheesecake and not fall in love. The homemade caramel syrup and Oreo cheesecake crust may be a little more work but it is more than worth it.
Please let me know if you run into any more cheesecake baking difficulties! I’m happy to give you tips on how to fix your cheesecake – either for your next batch or so no one will notice the mistake.
Share your Caramel and Oreo Cheesecake on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations! Seeing you try my recipes is my favorite social media notification.
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Enjoy!
Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 6 tablespoons Butter, melted
- 9 ounces (2 cups) Chocolate Cookie Crumbs, about 28 Oreo cookies with filling removed
Cheesecake Batter
- 2 pounds Philadelphia® Cream Cheese,softened
- 8 tablespoons Butter, softened
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- 1 cup Sugar
- 5 Large Egg Yolks
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup Sugar
- ⅓ cup Water
- ½ cup Butter
- ¾ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter all sides of a 10” springform pan.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe dish. Add crushed cookie crumbs and pour melted butter over the top and stir. Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes in the oven. Remove and allow to fully cool.
Cheesecake Batter
- In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and cornstarch. Begin adding egg yolks one at a time and stir just until combined. Too much air whipped into the eggs can cause the cake to crack as it bakes.
- Pour cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Grab a large roasting pan with deep sides. Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil and place it inside the large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come up halfway up the springform pan. The water should not be able to get inside the foil.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1.5 hours. Resist opening the oven as it bakes as this can cause it to sink in the middle. Turn off the oven and let it rest inside for 30 minutes before removing. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- While it refrigerates, make the salted butter caramel sauce by adding water and sugar to a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Add butter and allow to simmer until it reaches a golden brown color. Slowly and carefully add heavy whipping cream. Whisk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool. Drizzle over top of cheesecake once it’s set.
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There is no sugar listed in the ingredients for the crust, yet the recipe says to add the sugar…I just left it out and it was great!