BEST Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Not only is this the Best Salted Caramel Cheesecake, it is the best cheesecake I've ever had, period. Made with a Biscoff cookie crust, a salted caramel flavored cheesecake filling and topped off with a homemade salted caramel sauce, this cheesecake will render you speechless. It has a luxurious creamy texture and an incomparable, beautifully balanced flavor.

Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

WHAT MAKES THIS THE BEST SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE RECIPE

Let me preface by saying: I am a cheesecake connoisseur, and no one is as picky with cheesecake as I am. My Best New York Cheesecake Recipe, which I developed 2 years ago, has been tried and loved by hundreds of people, with countless reviews stating pure awe at how unbelievable it is. I have developed and shared many more cheesecake recipes since, and have made sure that each measures up to the same high standard.

So when I tell you this is the single best cheesecake I have ever had, I hope you can grasp the gravity behind that statement! And it is shocking (even for me), considering I am not generally a big fan of caramel.

So what exactly makes it so good? Let's dive in:

• The texture is sublime. For me, the texture of a cheesecake is the most important thing. I cannot stand most cheesecakes because I find their texture to be dry, crumbly, eggy, and dense. This one, though, is exactly how it should be: so silky and creamy that it feels luxurious in your mouth. It's a similar level of creaminess as ice cream, and what's better than that!?
• The flavor is to die for. The perfect amount of sweetness, the tangy richness from the cream cheese, and the deep, rich salty caramel flavor all come together to create a beautiful, sophisticated taste. And the Biscoff cookies in the crust with their own subtle caramel flavor are the perfect accompaniment
• The recipe is simple. Sure, it may be a little time consuming if you count the chilling time, but there aren't any complicated, fussy or unnecessary steps. Everything is straightforward as it should be in a good recipe!

COMPONENTS OF SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

This Salted Caramel Cheesecake has three simple components:

1. Homemade salted caramel sauce. This is a foolproof caramel recipe made using the dry method. It is added into the cheesecake batter and then also poured on top
2. Biscoff crust. Made with Lotus Biscoff cookies and butter, the crust is tightly packed in the bottom of a springform pan and pre-baked for an extra crispy texture
3. Salted caramel cheesecake batter. Lastly, the cheesecake batter is flavored with the salted caramel sauce and poured into the crust to bake to perfection

TIPS TO PERFECT THIS CHEESECAKE

Since cheesecake takes time to make, I want to help make sure you get the best possible outcome. Here are some important tips you should follow for this recipe:

1. Use high quality, full-fat ingredients. This is especially important for the cream cheese (I recommend Philadelphia block cream cheese), sour cream (full fat) and heavy cream (at least 35% fat)
2. Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Take everything out of the fridge at least 1 hour before baking, but ideally 2. This will ensure everything mixes properly and there aren't any lumps of hard cream cheese in the cheesecake
3. Never overmix the cheesecake batter. This is crucial to getting the silky creamy texture! We don't want to incorporate air into cheesecake batter, so when adding eggs and creams, make sure to mix only until the ingredients are combined
4. Scrape the bowl often. I recommend pausing and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl 2-3 times for each step of making the cheesecake batter to ensure everything is evenly combined
5. Do NOT overbake! This is the MOST IMPORTANT tip. I find that most cheesecake recipes overbake the cheesecakes, resulting in a more eggy consistency. We bake for only 75-80 minutes and remove the cheesecake from the oven while it is still quite jiggly in the middle
6. Don't rush the chilling process. Let the cheesecake chill in the pan overnight in the fridge (I recommend at least 12 hours) and it will set to perfection

NOTES ON EQUIPMENT

Weighing scale

I cannot recommend using a weighing scale enough! This one from Amazon is incredibly inexpensive (currently under $10) and has lasted me 3 years. It will help you measure the quantities much more accurately, especially since ingredients like cookies or cream cheese are not conducive to measuring with cups.

Best pan to bake cheesecake

You need to bake cheesecake in a 9" springform pan. It should have a tight seal, and I recommend one which is 3" tall (although 2" will also work) and has a wider base than the edges. Two options I like from Amazon are the Fat Daddio pan and the Nordic Ware pan.

To be safe, wrap 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on the outside of the pan, covering the bottom and sides. This will help ensure water doesn't leak in from the water bath.

Lining springform pan for cheesecake

While newer pans are usually quite nonstick and don't require lining, I have recently started using parchment paper for cheesecakes to prevent any kind of disasters and recommend you do, too.

The best way to do this is to cut a 9" circle for the bottom of the pan, and a 3" wide long strip which can be pressed against the outer edge of the pan (see images below). Spray oil or butter onto the pan and press the parchment paper against that so it sticks to the pan and does not move.

Stand mixer vs hand mixer

A stand mixer with a paddle attachment is ideal to make cheesecake batters. However, if you do not have one, use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer. It is best to keep the speed on medium to low so as to not whip air into the batter at any point.

VIDEO TUTORIAL

Here is a short video tutorial for this recipe that I recommend watching:

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PROCESS WITH PHOTOS

The detailed recipe is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Start by cooking the sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring occasionally to encourage it to melt:

Keep cooking and stirring until the sugar has melted and reaches a deep golden color:

Add softened butter and gently whisk it in:2

Add warm cream and whisk vigorously until combined:

Turn off the heat and stir in salt and vanilla. Then let the sauce cool down:

Crust

Grind the cookies and melted butter until they form a fine crumb, then press down tightly into the bottom of a pan. Bake:

Cheesecake batter:

Start by whipping the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until creamy:

Break the eggs in a separate bowl and slowly whisk into the cream cheese mixture until combined:

Whisk in the heavy cream, sour cream and cornstarch:

Lastly, whisk in the salted caramel sauce:

Pour the cheesecake batter into the baked crust and tap out any air bubbles. Bake:

Chill the cheesecake overnight, then remove from the pan:

Pour over the remaining salted caramel sauce and sprinkle over sea salt. Serve and enjoy!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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