Are you looking for a deliciously sweet dessert to try? This is a salted caramel cheesecake with a buttery biscuit base, a layer of sweet and salty caramel!

a slice of no-bake salted caramel cheesecake drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with popcorn on a white plate

This amazing no-bake cheesecake has a creamy, rich vanilla and white chocolate filling. Topped with an extra drizzle of salted caramel, the added caramel popcorn brings the crunch.

over head view of a slice of no-bake salted caramel cheesecake drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with popcorn on a white plate and a fork cutting a piece away.

Here's how to make this incredibly decadent salted caramel cheesecake.

a slice of no-bake salted caramel cheesecake drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with popcorn on a white plate and a fork cutting a piece away.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the caramel

225 ml (⅔+¼ cups + 1 tsp) double cream (heavy cream) plus a couple of tablespoons set aside
140 g (1 stick + 2 tbsp) salted butter
140 g (⅔ cup + 1 tbsp) demerara sugar (turbinado sugar)
½ tsp salt

For the biscuit base

100 g (7 tbsp) salted butter melted, plus a little to grease
250 g (18 sheets) digestive biscuits (graham crackers)

For the cheesecake filling

600 g (2½ cups) full fat cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 g (¾ cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
300 ml (1¼ cups) double cream (heavy cream)
100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate

To finish

30 g (⅔ cups) caramel popcorn

Equipment

Instructions

Prepare the caramel

Put the cream, butter, sugar and salt in a pan over a medium heat.

cream, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan with ingredients in bowls around the pan.

Bring to a simmer, stirring regularly. After a few minutes, it will look frothy.

cream, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan that has bubbled with ingredients in bowls around the pan.

Dip your spoon in, then rest it out of the pan so it cools for a minute until safe to touch. Draw your finger through it and if it leaves a line, it’s ready.

overhead view of creamy caramel sauce in a saucepan with a hand holding a spoon over the top.

Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Prepare the biscuit base

Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or food processor until you have a coarse crumb.

overhead view of a clear bowl with digestive biscuits in surrounded by ingredients in clear bowls.

over head view of crushed digestive biscuits in a clear bowl in the centre of the table surrounded by ingredients in more clear bowls.

Add the melted butter.

over head view of crushed biscuits and melted butter in a clear bowl surrounded by other ingredients.

Mix it through the crushed biscuit.

over head view of crushed biscuits and melted butter combined in a clear bowl surrounded by other ingredients.

Grease a 23cm springform tin well and then tip the biscuit crumb into it, pressing gently until you have a flat surface.

over head view of crushed biscuits and melted butter combined in cake tin surrounded by other ingredients.

Place in the freezer for 10 minutes, then remove.

Add the caramel layer

Pour the cooled caramel into the tin, keeping a couple of tablespoons back.

over head view of the biscuit base topped with smooth caramel in a cake tin.

Shake gently on the countertop to level off.

Return the tin to the freezer while you make the filling (this ensures the caramel layer firms up enough to hold its during assembly shape).

Prepare the filling

Beat the cream cheese to loosen.

beaten cream cheese in a clear bowl surrounded by ingredients.

Add the cream, vanilla and icing sugar.

beaten cream cheese with cream, vanilla and sugar in a clear bowl.

Beat until very thick.

Tip the melted, cooled chocolate into the cream cheese and fold through.

whisked cream cheese, cream, sugar and vanilla in clear bowl topped with melted white chocolate

Add the filling

Remove the tin from the freezer, the caramel should feel firm if you press gently with your finger in the centre.

frozen cheesecake base topped with caramel in a cake tin.

Spoon the filling on top.

frozen cheesecake base topped with caramel and whipped cheesecake mixture in a cake tin.

Use a silicone spatula to gently work the filling to the edges and level off.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish

To serve, run a little hot water around the outside edges of the tin, then release – it should come away easily. Neaten the edges if necessary by running a warm, dry knife around the outside.

Use last bit of caramel you saved from earlier together to drizzle over your cake.

Scatter the popcorn generously over the top and serve. Popcorn softens in the fridge, so if preferred, keep it in its packet and just add it to the individual portions before you serve them.

What's your favourite flavour of no-bake cheesecake?

Some helpful hints for making the perfect no-bake cheesecake.

Why did my no-bake cheesecake not set?

If your ingredient quantities are correct and your fridge is suitably chilled the most common answer is 'because it hasn't been long enough'. Give it several more hours in the fridge, and preferably overnight, and it should set.

If you've left it overnight and it still hasn't set there's a good chance you didn't beat the cream mixture enough. It should be very thick once whisked, and even stiffer once the melted chocolate is added.

Why is my no-bake cheesecake lumpy?

Usually, this is a result of not beating the cream cheese enough first to loosen it properly. You can also give the cream cheese a few minutes to rest and come up to nearer room temperature first which should help get the lumps out.

Will no-bake cheesecake set faster in the freezer?

Possibly, but you'll run this risk of freezing the outside of the cheesecake if it's in there for several hours, which will negatively affect the texture.

My base fell apart, how can I make it stick together more?

The most common cause is the biscuit base was not packed down firmly enough, or a too big a tin was used, making the base too thin.

Another tip is to make sure your quantities of biscuit and butter are correct and that your biscuit crumbs are the right consistency. If they're too big there will be too much space between the crumbs, which will make it crumbly (hah!), and if they're too small the base will be too dense and difficult to cut without applying a lot of pressure and running the risk of cracking.

Will no-bake cheesecake set without gelatin?

Yes, absolutely, and for the best possible texture I would recommend not using any.

Why did my no-bake cheesecake stick to the pan?

Running a little hot water around the outside of the tin will work wonders when it comes to releasing it neatly from the base. If you're worried about getting water on your cheesecake you can also run hot water over a clean tea towel and wrap it around the outside of the cake for a minute.

If you're having trouble getting it off the base of the tin a warm, dry palette knife slid underneath will help. And remember to slide the cheesecake gently onto the plate (a large spatula can help here).

If you used a fix bottom rather than springform tin you will be in trouble though! Your best bet is to cut it into slices inside the tin and try to carefully lift it out with a spatula a slice at a time.

Can no-bake cheesecake be made in advance?

Yes, making the cheesecake the day before won't impact the flavour or texture and will give it plenty of time to set overnight.

Can no-bake cheesecake be left out of the fridge? Will cheesecake melt?

As it's a dairy product it should be refrigerated as soon as it's been made and eaten as soon as it's out of the fridge. It will not be safe to eat if left out of the fridge for more than two hours. Leaving it out of the fridge will also affect the texture negatively.

Can you freeze no-bake cheesecake?

Yes, although you'll lose a little of that rich, creamy texture, it will work. Slicing the cheesecake first and carefully placing the sections a centimetre or so apart will let you only take out and defrost only what you need, and take a lot less time to defrost. Make sure to defrost in the fridge overnight and eat the next day.

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5 from 14 votes

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

A buttery biscuit base, a layer of sweet and salty caramel, a creamy rich vanilla and white chocolate filling, all topped with an extra drizzle of salted caramel, while caramel popcorn brings the crunch.

Prep Time30

Cook Time5

Chill8

Total Time35

Course: Desserts and sweet treats

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 16 slices

Author: Emily Leary