This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
I can’t get enough of these salted caramel cheesecake cookies! They’re even better than Crumbl’s to-die-for version. Giant graham cracker cookies are topped with a tangy cheesecake topping and finished with salted caramel sauce. Such an amazing cookie!
Have you ever tried Crumbl’s incredibly soft, chewy cookies? They are always topped with some sort of gloriously tasty confection that takes them one (or five) steps beyond your average cookie. This salted caramel cheesecake cookie is my take on one of their classics.
The massive chewy graham cracker cookie base is full of graham cracker crumbs and is coated in them, as well. They are also made with some brown sugar for extra flavor and softness. The cheesecake topping is similar to a cream cheese frosting, but with less powdered sugar and no butter. The cookies I had from Crumbl recently just had the cheesecake topping spread on top, but you could also add their signature swirl. I do find that the caramel sauce spreads on and stays in place better when the topping is spread, instead of swirled. Since I love caramel sauce, I advise going with spreading it to allow for more of my amazing salted caramel sauce. The smooth, tangy cheesecake topping, the rich, velvety caramel, and the chewy graham cracker cookie make for the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
You’re about to fall in love with these cookies. I can almost guarantee it. Here are just a few reasons why.
- Just like the original. But better. Crumbl makes an undeniably delicious version of this cookie. My version hits all of the nostalgic flavors of cheesecake, graham crackers, and salted caramel but takes the sweetness down just a notch.
- Irresistible flavor combination. The rich, tangy goodness of cheesecake paired with the buttery notes of graham crackers and the salty-sweet of salted caramel come together in this cookie in an unbeatable marriage of flavors.
- Texture. I love the chewy texture of the cookie base next to the smooth, creamy cheesecake topping and the silky caramel sauce.
What You’ll Need
Buckle up and head to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need to make salted caramel cheesecake cookies. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
Graham Cracker Cookie
- All-purpose flour – Se sure to measure this accurately to ensure your cookies aren’t too dry. I always use a food scale, but without one, you can also use the spoon and level method.
- Graham cracker crumbs – You can buy them already in crumbs or get your graham crackers and grind them into crumbs.
- Baking soda – This is my preferred leavening in most cookies. It gives you such a soft and chewy cookie.
- Salt – This amplifies the flavors in the cookies.
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature, otherwise, it won’t cream properly with the sugars.
- Sugars – This cookie uses both brown and white sugar for the best combination of flavor and texture.
- Egg – You just need one large egg.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
Caramel Cheesecake Topping
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Cream cheese – Make sure that the cream cheese is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, you’ll likely end up with a lumpy topping.
- Powdered sugar – This helps thicken the filling a bit. Reducing it will give you a thinner topping that may have trouble staying in place.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
Take your cookie-making skills to the next level with these cheesecake-topped, caramel-y cookies. Here’s a quick look at how to make them. For more detailed instructions, check out the recipe card below.
Make the cookies:
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream. Beat the butter and sugars together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Mix in the egg, followed by the vanilla.
- Put it all together. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don’t over mix.
- Form the cookies. Make eight 6-tablespoon cookie dough balls
- More graham crackers. Roll them in graham cracker crumbs to coat and arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Flatten the cookies. Press the balls down a bit with the underside of a cup.
- Bake. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the toppings and assemble:
- Make the caramel sauce. Make a batch of caramel sauce and allow it to cool to room temperature, or a touch cooler.
- Make the cheesecake topping. Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy and then mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Assemble. Pipe or spread the cheesecake topping onto the tops of the cookies and spread caramel sauce over the top.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making these cookies. Cookies are simple to make, but small differences can make a huge difference in the results. For the best results, follow these tips.
- Room-temperature ingredients. The butter in the cookie dough must be at room temperature, otherwise, it will not cream properly with the sugars. The cream cheese used in the cream cheese topping must also be at room temperature, otherwise, you might find yourself with a lumpy topping.
- Don’t skimp on creaming time. When beating together the butter and the sugars, it is important to do so until the mixture has become fluffy and has significantly lightened in color. This process adds air to the dough which helps keep your cookies from turning out overly dense.
- Use the right amount of flour. The biggest culprit to a dry cookie that doesn’t spread properly is using too much flour. I highly recommend checking out my post on how to measure your flour. I recommend either a food scale or the spoon and level method, but definitely don’t pack your flour into your measuring cup.
- Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. No more. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop can give end you tough, dense cookies.
- Space. These are huge cookies. You will not be able to bake them all on one sheet. I used 2 cookie sheets and baked 4 on each. Give them plenty of space to spread.
- Be gentle. When pressing the cookies down, be aware that they will spread a bit as they bake, so you don’t need to press them down too much. Just enough to give them a flat top for the cheesecake topping to sit on.
- Cool the cookies. Allow the cookies to cool completely before attempting to add the cream cheese topping. If the cookies are warm, the topping will slide right off.
- Cool the salted caramel. You will also want to allow the caramel sauce to cool completely before spreading it over the cream cheese topping. If it’s too warm, it will drip off of the cookies.
Because of their cream cheese topping, these cookies need to be refrigerated or frozen. They will spoil if left at room temperature. Here’s how to store them properly.
- Refrigerator. Arrange the cookies in an airtight container. Use parchment paper to separate layers if need be. Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Arrange the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. Once firm, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
Salted caramel cheesecake cookies are best enjoyed cool and on the softer side, not cold and firm. So allow them to sit on the countertop for at least 10-15 minutes before diving in.
Never underestimate the power of a cookie to put a smile on someone’s face. They really are a universal source of joy. These copycat Crumbl cookies are wonderful but here are a few of my other favorites to add to your cookie playbook.
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Copycat Crumbl Pecan Pie Cookies
- Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Copycat Crumbl Apple Crumb Cake Cookies
- Lace Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
I can’t get enough of these salted caramel cheesecake cookies! They’re even better than Crumbl’s to-die-for version. Giant graham cracker cookies are topped with a tangy cheesecake topping and finished with salted caramel sauce. Such an amazing cookie!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Cookie
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour (measured properly)
- 1 cup (134g) graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- ½ cup (112g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Additional 1/4 cup (34g) graham cracker crumbs, for rolling
Caramel Cheesecake Topping
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (201g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You should be able to see the change in color happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the egg and mix until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is well combined. It will be thick. Do not over mix. Once it’s combined, use a rubber spatula to help it come together to form a more cohesive ball.
- Create cookie dough balls of about 6 tablespoons (105g) of cookie dough per ball. You should get 8 balls. Roll each ball in the additional graham cracker crumbs to coat them.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets. I baked 4 cookies at a time. Press the balls down a bit with the underside of a cup or something similar. They will spread, so you don’t need to press them down too much. After pressing my cookie dough balls down, they were about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. They should crack a little around the edges.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies look done and are just starting to turn golden on the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely before adding the topping.
Make the toppings and assemble:
- While the cookies bake and cool, make the caramel sauce according to the directions. Set aside to cool to room temperature or a touch cooler. If it’s too warm, it will drip off of the cookies.
- Once the cookies and caramel sauce are cool, make the cheesecake topping. Add the cream cheese to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Pipe or spread the cheesecake topping onto the tops of the cookies, then spread or drizzle some caramel sauce on top.
- Store cookies in an air-tight container and refrigerate cookies until ready to serve. Serve cool, but not too cold. Cookies are best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 715
- Sugar: 64.6 g
- Sodium: 608.8 mg
- Fat: 31.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 101.3 g
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Cholesterol: 104.8 mg
