This Caramel Cheesecake infused with caramel and finished off with a luscious Caramel Toffee Topping made jaws drop. I served this uber-decadent, not for the faint of heart homemade cheesecake to a bunch of 22-year-old guys and their parents.

Those youngsters still have excellent metabolism and swarmed the dessert table! You’d think they hadn’t just eaten a huge dinner by the way they cleaned their plates of this ultra-rich, silky cheesecake with Caramel Topping!

Close view of caramel cheesecake on a white serving plate.

Why You Must Make

Over the holiday break, we gathered a bunch of Nick’s former classmates and their parents for a fun reunion. After one bite of this cheesecake, one jokester queried, “Do you have a patent on this?”

I could only laugh. The moms took slivers, the dads raved as they savored each decadent bite of this caramel cheesecake recipe, and the boys, who have all been cooking for themselves, did, too.

  • If you love caramel and toffee, you’ll be an instant fan of this cheesecake!
  • If you’re searching for a decadent dessert to serve a crowd, this cheesecake works perfectly.
  • The recipe makes 12 normal-sized slices of cheesecake, but it’s so rich it can easily serve 20.
  • It’s perfect for a pitch-in dinner or potluck as it’s unusual enough that nobody else will bring the same dessert.
Overhead view of caramel cheesecake on a white plate

Recipe Tips:

A few simple tips will take your cheesecake to the next level!! Make sure you read through these tips before you start baking so you will have the dreamiest cheesecake ever!

  • PRO-Tip: To keep your cheesecake smooth and dense, use the paddle attachment to mix the batter. The whisk will incorporate too much air.
  • PRO-Tip: Have all your ingredients at room temperature. This will ensure your cream cheese will blend in smoothly as well as the rest of the ingredients. If you’ve ever seen little bits of cream cheese in your batter, it was because your cream cheese was still too cold.
  • Add your eggs one at a time, mix until combined, then add the next egg. Be careful not to over-mix.
  • If your recipe calls for baking in a bain-marie, or water bath, make sure to wrap your pan in a couple of layers of foil so no water seeps inside.
  • When you have a topping like on this caramel cheesecake, you don’t have to worry as much about the top cracking as it will be covered with a caramel topping before serving.
  • PRO-Tip: Chill overnight before serving. The texture will be even better with a little patience! Cheesecakes also freeze well. Wrap in plastic, then foil before garnishing. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
  • PRO-Tip: Bring the cheesecake out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving. Getting the chill off makes the filling ultra-creamy.
  • Plus, check out all my Best Tips for Making Cheesecakes
Caramel cheesecake on a white serving plate with a slice removed

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make a Caramel Cheesecake?

With this recipe, 1/4 cup of homemade caramel sauce is mixed into the cheesecake batter. After the cheesecake is baked and chilled, a caramel topping is poured on to garnish.

How Do You Garnish a Caramel Cheesecake?

More Caramel is perfect! I added chopped Heath bars, which are toffee bars coated in chocolate to give the caramel topping some texture.
Rolo candies are ideal as they’re chocolate-covered caramel and echo both the caramel in the recipe and the chocolate layer on top of the crust. They’re perfect to top the whipped cream swirls I piped around the perimeter of the cheesecake.

How Long Does a Cheesecake Last?

A baked cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’s best to wrap it in plastic so that it doesn’t absorb any flavors from the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving for the best texture.

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Whole caramel cheesecake with caamel topping

Deluxe Caramel Cheesecake Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield 16 servings

An outrageously decadent cheesecake that will thrill both cheesecake and caramel fans!

Ingredients

Homemade Caramel Sauce:

  • ½ cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream

Crust:

  • 3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 packages crushed graham crackers)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 sticks butter (1 cup), melted
  • 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:

  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup caramel topping (recipe below)
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature

Toppings to garnish the cheesecake:

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ cup caramel
  • ½ cup chopped Heath bars
  • Rolo candies

Instructions

To make the caramel sauce:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and syrup. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
  2. Once it is caramel colored, remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until the butter is melted.
  3. Add the cream and stir until it's all combined. Bring it back to the heat if you get clumps and stir it until they're dissolved.
  4. Store in the refrigerator if not using right away. Makes about ¾ cup.

To make the crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300º. Combine crust ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Press into a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper. Push all the way up the sides and press in firmly.
  2. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
  3. Set the springform pan on a baking sheet (some butter will leak from the pan). Bake for about five minutes or until the chocolate chips are soft. Smooth them out with an offset spatula.
  4. Place your pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

To make the cheesecake:

  1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vanilla and caramel and mix well.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time and beat just until incorporated.
  3. Pour into chilled crust. Wrap the exterior of the pan in a double layer of foil and place in a larger pan (I use my roasting pan) filled with an inch or two of hot water.
  4. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the 300º oven. The center will still be wiggly, but it shall set in the end.
  5. Remove from the oven and cool.
  6. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

To garnish the cake:

  1. Beat the whipping cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside to garnish the cake after adding the caramel topping.
  2. Combine the caramel and ½ cup of toffee. Place small spoonfuls of the topping over the top of the cheesecake, then spread using an offset spatula.
  3. Pipe some of the sweetened whipped cream in dollops around the perimeter, press a single Rolo candy onto each dollop, and garnish with more toffee bits.
  4. Slice with a large wet knife for cleaner slices.

Notes

  • Make sure your eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature before mixing.
  • Overnight chilling is not included in the total time.
  • Bring the cheesecake out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving to make it extra creamy.
  • This recipe was adapted from Yammie's Noshery via Lick the Spoon

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 slice

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 700Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 420mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 1gSugar: 61gProtein: 7g

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