This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.
Few desserts disappear faster than a cold slice of no bake salted caramel cheesecake. Between the buttery biscuit crust, silky cream cheese filling, and ribbons of homemade caramel sauce, my no-bake dessert tastes indulgent in the best way possible.
Creamy caramel desserts have always been popular in my house, but baked cheesecakes can sometimes be a little too heavy after dinner. Which is one of the reasons I started making this lighter no-bake version, along with my no bake chocolate cheesecake. If you are looking for a summertime dessert that has all the sweetness without any oven time, then this recipe is for you.
The first time I made this recipe, I served it for one of my best friends’ birthdays. It was an unseasonably warm day, and I decided against the baked cheesecake I had intended on making. Luckily, I had homemade caramel in the fridge, so all I needed to do was whip everything up and chill it overnight. The thing is, this particular friend stands firm in her belief that cheesecakes should be baked. Instead of blaming the heat, I told her that since she is another year older, it was time to be a bit more open-minded. Once she got a taste of that caramel sauce, her slice disappeared very quickly. I made sure to reward her with a more traditional passionfruit cheesecake the next year, for being such a brave girl. Ha!
Every bite of this no-bake salted caramel cheesecake tastes smooth, creamy, and slightly buttery thanks to the combination of whipped cream, cream cheese, and homemade caramel sauce. The caramel biscuit crust adds a crisp texture underneath the mousse-like filling, while the flaky sea salt keeps everything balanced. As a nutritionist, I love that I can use this exact recipe for individual mini cheesecakes, which gives me control over the portions of this indulgent dessert.
Building the layers for this cheesecake is surprisingly straightforward once the caramel sauce is finished. I start by dissolving my sugar and water until it becomes amber in color, then stir in the cream before adding the butter and sea salt. Then I press my biscuit crumbs firmly into the pan to create a crust, and chill it while I prepare the filling. I whip the cream separately, then blend the cooled caramel into the cream cheese mixture and fold everything together gently. Finally, I pour the mixture into the crust and chill overnight until firm.
Many, many years ago, I made this no-bake salted caramel cheesecake for my picky eaters for the first time. I really thought that since it is a dessert, there would be zero pickiness. Boy, was I wrong. As soon as they heard cheese and cake in the same sentence, they immediately thought I was trying to trick them into eating vegetables, like what they thought I did with carrot cake. But as soon as I took it out of the refrigerator, their pickiness ceased to exist. If baked desserts make you nervous, this no-bake cheesecake recipe is one you have to try.
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients I use to create a smooth filling, crisp crust, and rich sauce in this salted caramel cheesecake:
Caramel biscuits: I crush caramel biscuits into fine crumbs for a buttery crust with a slightly richer flavor than plain graham crackers.
Butter: I use melted butter to help the crust firm up properly once chilled.
Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese gives the filling its smooth texture and signature tangy flavor.
Heavy whipping cream: Whipped cream keeps the cheesecake light and airy instead of overly dense.
Sour cream: I add a little sour cream to soften the richness.
Powdered sugar: This blends smoothly into the filling without leaving a grainy texture behind.
Vanilla extract: I add vanilla to round out the caramel flavor and balance the cream cheese.
Granulated sugar: Sugar melts down to form the base of my homemade caramel sauce.
Heavy cream: I use this to transform the caramel into a silky sauce.
Butter: I stir a small amount of butter into the caramel for extra richness.
Sea salt: Flaky sea salt balances out the sweetness and gives the cheesecake its signature salted caramel flavor.
🔪 How To Make
I make this no-bake salted caramel cheesecake in stages. This is exactly how I do it:
Start caramel sauce: First, I heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. I do not stir this mixture after the sugar has melted.
Add cream: Once the sugar mixture turns a dark amber color, I remove it from the heat and quickly but carefully stir in the heavy cream.
Stir in butter and salt: Then I add the butter and sea salt, stirring until the entire mixture is uniform in color and consistency.
Prepare the crust: While the caramel cools, I crush the caramel biscuits into fine crumbs and mix them with melted butter. After pressing the mixture firmly into a springform pan, I refrigerate the crust until firm.
Whip the cream: In a large mixing bowl, I whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Mix the cheesecake filling: Next, I beat the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cooled caramel sauce until completely smooth and lump-free.
Fold everything together: Then, using a spatula, I gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined while keeping the filling light and airy.
Chill the cheesecake: Once the filling is spread over the crust, I refrigerate the cheesecake overnight so the texture firms up, enough for clean slices.
Decorate and serve: Right before serving, I drizzle extra caramel sauce over the cheesecake along with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
My #1 Secret Tip for this no-bake salted caramel cheesecake recipe is to let the caramel cool fully before folding it into the filling. Warm caramel softens the cream cheese mixture surprisingly quickly, which can prevent the cheesecake from setting properly overnight. I wait until the caramel feels completely cool to the touch so the filling stays thick, smooth, and stable enough for clean slices later on.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Whip carefully: I stop whipping the cream as soon as stiff peaks form since overwhipped cream can make the filling slightly grainy.
- Use room temperature cream cheese: Cold cream cheese takes much longer to smooth out and can leave little lumps throughout the filling.
- Chill overnight: A few extra hours in the refrigerator makes a huge difference for texture and flavor, especially once the caramel settles into the cheesecake.
- Press the crust firmly: I use the bottom of a flat-based measuring cup to really compact the biscuit crumbs so the crust holds together when sliced.
- Warm the knife: I run my knife under hot water and wipe it clean between slices so the caramel topping stays neat instead of dragging across the cheesecake.
📖 Variations
I have tested several versions of this cheesecake over the years, depending on the season and who I am serving:
Chocolate caramel: I fold 1/4 cup melted dark chocolate into the filling for a richer dessert. I have made this for my husband for his birthday many times. I serve it with an extra drizzle of healthy vegan chocolate sauce.
Apple topping: I spoon over a few slices of apples baked with cinnamon and brown sugar. This deliciously sticky topping replaces the surface drizzle of caramel. I love making this version during the fall and serving it with anything pumpkin-spiced.
Pecan crunch: I scatter 1/3 cup candied pecans over the top for extra texture. This has replaced a traditional pecan pie at quite a few Thanksgiving dinners. My kids always pick the pecans off the top and eat them if I am not watching like a hawk.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This salted caramel cheesecake is a great dessert option if you are hosting a dinner. You can make it the day before and then serve it decorated with a handful of vegan caramel popcorn. It also pairs really well with a warm spiced beverage like my Biscoff latte.
Last year, I held a small workshop at home for a few of my friends’ kids who were headed off to college. Apart from the healthy meal planning, I also showed them a few no-bake desserts that they could easily make in their dorm rooms. I made some no-bake cookies without peanut butter and healthy no-bake peanut butter bliss balls. This salted caramel cheesecake was definitely the crowd favorite, and when one of the teens asked how they were going to store leftovers in their small fridges, another asked her why there would even be leftovers. Ha!
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: Leftover cheesecake stays fresh covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: I freeze individually wrapped slices, stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Reheating: There is no reheating required. This cheesecake is best served chilled or at room temperature.
❓Recipe FAQs
If I do not have caramel biscuits, I use vegan graham crackers, digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, or shortbread cookies. These all work really well for the crust. I usually choose slightly crisp cookies that easily crush into fine crumbs.
Grainy caramel normally happens when sugar crystals form during cooking, or the caramel gets overheated. I avoid stirring the sugar mixture while it melts and remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches my desired color. If the graininess is related to sugar crystals, I recommend fixing this by pouring the caramel into a clean saucepan with 1-2 tablespoons of water, and stirring gently over a low heat with 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice. Always use a clean spoon and continue until the crystals are dissolved, then remove from the heat immediately.
Low-fat cream cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, or lighter whipped topping can work in this recipe, but the texture will usually turn out softer and less stable. Since no-bake cheesecakes depend heavily on fat for structure, low-fat ingredients can make the filling harder to set properly and slightly less creamy overall. If I do use lighter ingredients, I make sure to chill the cheesecake overnight or even longer so it has time to firm up before slicing.
Love this no-bake dessert recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page!
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!
📋 Recipe Card
No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Few desserts disappear faster than a cold slice of no bake salted caramel cheesecake. Between the buttery biscuit crust, silky cream cheese filling, and ribbons of homemade caramel sauce, my no-bake dessert tastes indulgent in the best way possible.
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 370kcal
- My #1 Secret Tip for this no-bake salted caramel cheesecake recipe is to let the caramel cool fully before folding it into the filling. Warm caramel softens the cream cheese mixture surprisingly quickly, which can prevent the cheesecake from setting properly overnight. I wait until the caramel feels completely cool to the touch so the filling stays thick, smooth, and stable enough for clean slices later on.
- Whip carefully: I stop whipping the cream as soon as stiff peaks form since overwhipped cream can make the filling slightly grainy.
- Use room temperature cream cheese: Cold cream cheese takes much longer to smooth out and can leave little lumps throughout the filling.
- Chill overnight: A few extra hours in the refrigerator makes a huge difference for texture and flavor, especially once the caramel settles into the cheesecake.
- Press the crust firmly: I use the bottom of a flat-based measuring cup to really compact the biscuit crumbs so the crust holds together when sliced.
- Warm the knife: I run my knife under hot water and wipe it clean between slices so the caramel topping stays neat instead of dragging across the cheesecake.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g