I grew up with fridge-set cheesecakes but once I tasted baked cheesecakes, I was torn. This Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake recipe is the indulgent baked cheesecake you know and love but with super simple steps. No water bath required!
How much do you love cheesecake? Try this Easy Baked Cherry Cheesecake and this Black Forest Cheesecake too.
Why you’ll love it
There are many reasons you’ll love this baked salted caramel cheesecake.
- Indulgent, rich and creamy
- Simple to make
- Celebration worthy
- Can be made ahead of time
Baked cheesecakes have a firmer texture than their fridge set siblings, but are super creamy and silky smooth. Definitely an over the top indulgence that I love to share around. Be warned, a little of this cheesecake goes a long way.
Try this Caramilk cheesecake too, for all the caramel flavour but no baking!
Helpful Tools
- I use a food processor to turn the cookies to crumbs but you can use a plastic bag and a rolling pin to gently bash them.
- A handheld beater will be fine for this recipe, or a stand mixer if you have one
- An 8 inch springform tin
Baked cheesecakes have a reputation of being difficult to make, however, I seem to make more baked cheesecakes than fridge set these days.
Why is this one so easy – well first there is no need for a water bath or bain marie situation with this one.
Just throw it straight onto the middle shelf of the oven and bake. Cooling the cheesecake in the oven for half an hour after you’ve turned it off not only makes sure it’s fully baked, but also stops any cracks. Even if it does crack – no matter, just call it rustic.
Lets talk about that simple caramel sauce
I am ever so slightly (read: completely) obsessed with salted caramel and I’ll love it long after the fad has died out. Liquid gold. Of course, learning to make it myself was an extremely dangerous and wonderful day.
This version though is an easy caramel sauce. This caramel is the same one I use for my Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and it’s totally lush. Oh and it takes all of 5 minutes to make.
Just mix some store-bought chewy caramels (I like Werthers) with a little cream, in a saucepan over low heat until it melts into a divide runny caramel. Add a little salt and it’s done. Let it cool just slightly before making the cheesecake.
How to make a perfect cheesecake crust
These are my 6 steps to a perfect cheesecake crust or cheesecake shell. This recipe uses cookie crumbs and melted butter so it’s a very simple cheesecake crust to make but sometimes getting the right shape can be tricky. You know, thick in some spots, loose and falling apart. This is how you get it just right.
- Start by tipping the right ratio of cookie crumbs to melted butter into a greased and lined round spring form tin. Use a spatula or you finger tips to spread the crumbs out to the edge and a little up the sides (don’t pay too much attention to the middle right now)
- Use your fingers to pull the cookie crumbs up the sides, at the same time pressing them against the sides to firm it up
- Now ball up your fist – it’s the perfect shape. The bottom part of your fingers push into the sides, while your middle knuckle presses into the corners and the middle parts of your fingers press down on the bottom. The reason for this step is to get all the cookie crumbs firm around the edge and getting a true corner. Some people use a glass for this but I find them too slippery and you need one with a sharp corner.
- Press the bottom so that it’s all even, then very gently run a finger around the top edge of the crust to level it out.
- Use the pointy end of a dinner knife to get into the corners and scrape a little of the crumbs away, being careful not to poke a hole through the crust. I do this because the corners of a cheesecake can often be thicker than the rest of the crust and hard to cut through with a fork or spoon.
- Use the palm of your hand to secure any loose crumbs in the middle.
How to make cheesecake
This is the easy part.
- Combine your caramel sauce, a tiny bit of brown sugar and cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream and beat a little more.
- Pour the mixture into your biscuit base and smooth out as much as possible.
PIN IT: Click to Pin this recipe for later!
Can this cheesecake be made ahead?
Yes. This baked cheesecake can, and should, be made at least the day before. It will keep in the fridge well for 3-4 days and can even be frozen.
Store in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Can you freeze cheesecake and how to freeze cheesecake?
Yes, you can freeze cheesecake, so if you have lots leftover here’s how to store it in your freezer so you can have more whenever you like.
- Cut it into slices first (so you can grab a slice whenever you feel the urge).
- Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap – two layers.
- Place it inside an airtight container and freeze.
- Thaw a slice on the bench top for 3-4 hours or the whole cheesecake in the fridge for 24 hours.
If you’re looking for a truly decadent dessert to treat your family and friends with, you can’t go past this Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake. It’s simple, it’s delicious, is there anything better?
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Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Ingredients
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL
- 270 g soft caramels, shop bought (I use Werthers) (9.5oz)
- ¼ cup thickened (or heavy) cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
- 250 g crushed sweet biscuits (8.8oz) (notes 2)
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted (3.5oz)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 500 g cream cheese, room temperature (17.6oz / 1.1lb)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (notes 1)
- 2 teaspoons teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 200 ml sour cream (3/4 cup +1 Tbsp / 6.8 fl oz)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Instructions
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL
- Save 1/4 cup caramel for drizzling
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the caramels, cream and salt. Begin pushing them around the pan and as soon as they move freely, turn the heat down to low and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature before proceeding.
- You can make the base of the cheesecake while you wait.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
- Preheat the oven to 160C / 320F / 140C fan forced.
- Grease and line the base and sides of an 8 inch round spring form tin. Use a food processor or blender to process the biscuits to fine crumbs. Add the cinnamon and ginger and process to combine. Add the melted butter and blitz one more time to combine completely. Tip the mixture into your prepared tin and press down all over the base and up the sides about 2 inches (notes)
- Set aside 1/4 cup of caramel for drizzling later.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or handheld beater, beat the cream cheese, the remaining caramel and sugar until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as required.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla beating until each is well incorporated. Beat for a further 2 minutes on a low to medium setting. Add the sour cream and beat until just combined.
- Pour the filling into the biscuit base and smooth over the top as much as possible.
- Place the tin onto the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for around 55-65 minutes or until the centre is almost set. There should be a very slight wobble in the centre. Leave it to cool in the oven with the oven off and the door ajar for 1/2 an hour then take it out and let cool at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. Finally, transfer to the fridge to cool completely.
TO SERVE
- Mix a little water into the leftover caramel and heat for 15 seconds in the microwave. Drizzle over the top of the cake and the slices once served.
Notes
- I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (4 teaspoons worldwide)
- I use Arnotts granita Biscuits for the base but you could use any digestive biscuit or graham crackers
- To make the base: Gently spread the biscuit crumbs out, push them towards the sides. Now used your fingers to press them towards the sides of the tin. Now ball your hand into a fist. With the top, flat part of your fingers pressing on the base, press your knuckles into the corners and the smaller side of your fingers to push into the sides. Your fist is the exact shape you want. Some people use a glass but I find them slippery and frustrating. This method works for me every time. Use your finger tips to firm up the sides a little bit. Now, use the point of a dinner knife to gently scrape around the corner, all the way round. This will remove excess crumbs from the corners, where cheesecake shells often become too thick. Lastly use your finger to carefully level out the top edge and it’s done.
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44 Comments on “Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake”
How much is a 1/4 cup of thick cream in ml?
Hi Harriet. It’s 60ml.
Very good recipe ! tastes delicious !!!! my partner enjoyed alot :))))
So happy you love it, Aisha. Thanks so much for leaving a review.
Hello from the US what is a sweet biscuit? Didn’t know what I could compare it to here. Graham crackers?
Hello Mary. Yes, something like Graham crackers is perfect.
Do you prepare the crust?
And would you have a 10in form recipe
Hello Connie. Yes, the instructions for the crust are in the recipe card. I don’t have instructions for a 10 inch. If you use the same quantities, it would just be thinner and may take less time to bake.
I don’t like cinnamon or ginger. Can I omit both or is there something I can substitute? Thanks.
Hi Cheetah. Yes, you can absolutely just leave them out.
This cheesecake looks delicious. Can you add coffee to make it a salted caramel coffee cheesecake?
You definitely can, Katerina though I haven’t tested it out so I couldn’t tell you how much or in what form is best.
Made this for my Daughters Birthday as she loves salted caramel. Turned out wonderful love this recipe ! Will be making this again. Thanks for sharing it with us all.
So happy you love it, Lisa. Truly appreciate you using my recipe 🙂
I have made this a few times for family parties.
They can’t get enough of it!!
I should really make 2 to stop the fighting 😜.
Thanks for the lovely recipe
So happy to hear that, Lesley.
Making this hungover/a little drunk still on Christmas Eve morning and I didn’t think I’d be able to do this today bc cheesecake can be hard to make but it’s honestly so fun cause it’s so simple and I can’t stop eating the batter as I’m doing this and it taste like melted caramel ice cream so freaking delicious
Haha! So happy to hear you’re loving it Mackenzie and that it’s hangover proof.
Not only is this absolutely delicious…but the recipe was so incredibly simple. Cheesecake recipes can be pretty intimidating, but this was wonderfully simple and FUN!
My family has requested this as a holiday staple!
That means the world to hear, AnnaMarie. So happy you loved it as much as we do. Truly appreciate you trying my recipe.
I have a question I hope you will answer–I want to make a pean pie cheesecake, but I don’t want to put the filling on the top like all the recipes I have seen are. Can you make the pecan pie filling and mix it with the cheesecake batter? Have you ever tried that? Thank you
Hello Nancy, I’m afraid I’ve never made a pecan pie so I couldn’t comment on this.
Nothing else but delicious! Just go and bake this. Now 😊
So happy you love it, Maja.
Hi there, approximately how much Caramel is used in the cheesecake
I’m not sure in cup format as it is made using caramels but it would be about 320-330g.
Can I add bananas to the cheesecake to give a banoffee type of flavour? Or would that compromise the consistency?
Hi Dylan, I’m unsure how they would affect the cheesecake itself (I’m sorry I don’t eat bananas, so literally no clue). You could add slices of banana to caramel sauce for the topping without any issues.
Tastes Divine, lovely texture, not too sweet or heavy
So happy you loved it Carol
Every single baked cheesecake I’ve ever made has cracked, except for this one! I’ve made this several times and it’s always perfect and tastes HEAVENLY!! What’s the secret? How do I bake other cheesecakes so perfectly 😭
Excellent, I’m so happy you love this, Elizabeth. It’s a combination of things I believe. Not too much air incorporated into the mixture and that crust around the edge. When the cheesecake cools and deflates a little, it pulls the crust with it rather than the cheesecake being stuck to the edge. Even a properly lined tin will help to limit cracks in cheesecakes.
Will these work turning them into mini cheesecakes?
It should work fine but will make a lot of mini ones. You will need to alter the baking time though and that will depend on whatever size you make them. I would check them at around 20 minutes for a muffin tin sized cheesecake.
Is there any way to get the US measurments for the ingredients? I don’t have any way of measuring specific weight for ingredients, especially not grams. I’ve tried researching online what it would be and there’s nothing even close to the gram amount in this recipe.
Hello Kylee, I’ve added weights in ounces now, and hope that helps you out but weighing ingredients is the only way to get a recipe exact. I recommend investing in kitchen scales – they’re super cheap, last a lifetime and recipes will always work better for it.
Hi,
I am wanting to bake this for a birthday but I’m struggling to find Werther’s soft caramels! What is an alternate that I can use? Does it have to be a lolly if so which one, or can i use caramel carnation?
Hello Holly, depending on where you are, there would be others that would work. Kraft caramels or similar would work. I haven’t tested the caramel carnation but I think it would work. I’ll have to test this idea.
I followed the recipe exactly and its definitely too much salt and not enough sugar in the cheesecake to make up for it. Maybe the caramels i bought aren’t sweet enough but it ended up too salty, even for salted caramel.
Salt level is definitely a personal thing. Maybe just add slightly less next time until you get the level you’re happy with
Hi,
How much caramel is actually needed for this? I already have some caramel in my fridge 😊
Thanks!
Maja
Sorry Maja, I don’t measure it that way so I can’t be completely sure. I’m guessing it’s around a cup. Also, if the consistency of your caramel is different to the caramel I use, there may be a difference in how the cheesecake sets.
Thanks! It sets rather well in the fridge, so I think it’s worth a try 😊 The caramel and a bit of brown sugar is sweet enough? Thanks!
Yes, it’s definitely sweet enough 🙂