This No Bake Caramel Cheesecake has homemade caramel sauce mixed into the filling and layered into the cheesecake, ensuring delicious caramel in every bite. Unlike my popular baked caramel cheesecake, this recipe skips the oven, reducing the prep time and making this cheesecake easy enough for anyone to make!
With my baked caramel cheesecake being so popular, I decided to make a no bake version for those times when you want something a little simpler and quicker. This no bake caramel cheesecake achieves that beautifully. It still has amazing caramel flavors, but there’s no need for baking and cooling, so it cuts prep time by more than an hour. You will still need to make time for chilling so that it can set in the fridge, though.
This no bake caramel cheesecake starts off with my graham cracker crust, which is a classic with great flavor. I also use my easy salted caramel sauce for this cheesecake. In the baked version, I use my homemade caramel sauce, but the dry method of making caramel can sometimes be a little challenging and is more likely to sieze. The easy salted caramel sauce uses the wet method, where water is combined with sugar to cook the sugar. Caramelizing the sugar with water makes it less likely to seize when you add the cream later, and less likely to burn. It’s simpler, more reliable, and leads to fewer wasted batches of caramel. And you can’t tell the difference between the final caramel sauce! So good! Just check out the reviews of the caramel sauce recipe.
Why You’ll Love No Bake Caramel Cheesecake
- Lots of caramel! This no bake caramel cheesecake is FULL of caramel. I actually doubled my caramel recipe and use just about all of it in the cheesecake – which is just a bit more than 2 cups of caramel sauce. The caramel sauce is added in the main cheesecake filling, AND layered into the cheesecake.
- No baking, no water bath, no fuss. One of the things I love about no bake cheesecakes is that they’re much simpler, more forgiving and require less time than baked cheesecakes. No need to worry about a water bath or cracks on the top.
- Ideal make ahead dessert. No bake cheesecake is the perfect solution when you need to make a dessert a day or so in advance because it’s best when it’s been chilled overnight. The caramel sauce can also be made up to a week in advance.
Ingredient Notes
Let’s take a look at the key ingredients of this cheesecake. Keep in mind that while it may seem like lot of ingredients, most ingredients appear in multiple parts of the recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Water – The addition of water is what makes this a “wet-method” caramel sauce. It helps keep the sugar from burning as it sits and boils.
- Heavy whipping cream – This makes the caramel sauce pourable and gives it the creamy texture. Do not substitute with milk or even half-and-half or the sauce will be too thin. For the cheesecake filling and whipped cream, be sure to keep it cold so that it whips up properly.
- Salt – I like to use around 1 teaspoon of salt in the caramel sauce for this cheesecake. Feel free to adjust the amount based on how salty you want the caramel to be.
- Graham cracker crumbs – While you can buy graham cracker crumbs these days, I prefer grinding my own from sheets of graham cracker. They truly just taste better.
- Cream cheese – Always use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for no-bake cheesecake. Low-fat and the kind in the containers will be too soft. It should be at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Light brown sugar – I use light brown sugar to sweeten the filling, as well as in the whipped cream, because it complements the caramel flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Keeps the whipped cream from wilting. Don’t leave it out!
How To Make No Bake Caramel Cheesecake
It takes about an hour to get this cheesecake prepped and ready to chill. The caramel sauce can be prepared in advance to make things even easier!
Make the caramel sauce
Heat sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add the butter and let it melt.
Bring to a boil until it turns a deep copper color and reaches 350°F on a candy thermometer.
Whisk in heavy whipping cream, then add vanilla extract and salt. Cool to room temperature.
Make the crust
Prepare for the crust by lining a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl.
Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill while making the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
Beat the cream cheese and caramel sauce until smooth.
Add the brown sugar and mix until combined.
Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 2-3 parts.
Add 1/3 of the filling to the crust. Top with 6 tablespoons of caramel sauce.
Add another layer of filling and caramel sauce.
Add the final layer of filling and swirl 4 tablespoons of caramel on top.
Refrigerate the cheesecake until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
Make the whipped cream topping
Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on high to form stiff peaks.
Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake.
Refrigerate the cheesecake until ready to serve. Keep in mind that this is a no bake cheesecake, so it’s not quite as firm as my baked caramel cheesecake.
Tips for the Best No Bake Cheesecake
- Stop whisking the caramel. Once the caramel sauce starts to boil, stop whisking. Whisking leads to crystallization, which you don’t want. Instead, gently tip the pan from side to side, or swirl it around, if you notice it browning unevenly.
- Room temperature caramel sauce. Whether you make it at the beginning and it needs to cool, or it was in the fridge and needs to warm up, the caramel sauce needs to be at room temperature when making the cheese. If it’s hot, it’ll melt the filling. If it’s too cold, it won’t be spreadable.
- Pay attention to ingredient temperatures. The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature to avoid a lumpy filling but the heavy whipping cream needs to be chilled to whip up properly.
- Fold gently. When combining the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream, add the whipped cream in 2-3 parts and fold it in gently. Stirring too much or too quickly can cause the whipped cream to deflate and result in a filling that’s too soft.
- Chill before serving. In an ideal scenario, this no bake caramel cheesecake would be prepared a night in advance. At the very least, it needs to chill for 5-6 hours. Otherwise, the filling will be too soft.
Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store no bake caramel cheesecake well-covered or in a cake carrier or another airtight container in the fridge. It’s best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Freezer: After the cheesecake has fully set in the fridge, freeze until solid. Then, wrap in two layers of plastic wrap. Individual slices can be frozen in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before using.
More Great Recipes With Caramel
No Bake Caramel Cheesecake
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Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 2 cups (414g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
Crust
- 2 cups (268g) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (26g) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter (melted)
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup caramel sauce (above)
- ½ cup (112g) light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- ½ cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Additional caramel sauce
Whipped Cream
- ¾ cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- ¼ cup (29g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar (packed)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the caramel sauce
- In a medium to large sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. I like to let it heat to 350°F on a candy thermometer. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side, or swirl it around, to help things cook evenly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt and whisk to combine. Add additional salt to your desired saltiness.
- Allow the caramel sauce to cool. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Bring it to at least room temperature before making the cheesecake filling. Or, store it in the fridge for up to one week prior to making the cheesecake. It will firm up in the fridge, so it will need to be warmed up a bit to be pourable before making the cheesecake.
Make the crust
- Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
- Place the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and caramel sauce until smooth and well combined. Add the brown sugar and mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 2-3 parts, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Add about 1/3 of the cheesecake filling to the cheesecake crust and spread into an even layer.
- Drizzle about 6 tablespoons of caramel sauce on top of the filling, then gently swirl the caramel into the filling.
- Repeat another layer of cheesecake filling and caramel sauce.
- Add the final layer (for 3 total layers) of cheesecake filling and spread evenly. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of caramel sauce on top, and swirl it into the cheesecake filling a bit. Reserve the remaining caramel sauce for serving with slices later.
- Refrigerate cheesecake until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
Make the whipped cream topping
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Remove your cheesecake from the springform pan and set it on a plate or serving platter, then pipe the whipped cream around the rim of the cheesecake. I used Ateco tip 847.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge until ready to serve. Cheesecake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
