Brown Sugar Caramel Cheesecake with Oatmeal Cookie Crust
I love cheesecake just about any way I can get it, from the simple, no-frills varieties to the over-the-top wonders. This Brown Sugar Caramel Cheesecake falls somewhere in between, combining a few simple flavors in all of its layers of deliciousness.
Let’s start from the bottom and work our way up. First, the crust is much like an oatmeal cookie. It’s buttery and sweet and chewy and really just delightful. It also has just a hint of cinnamon to give it a little extra flavor that complements all the good stuff on top of it.
Next comes a layer of caramel. This is the quick and easy version of caramel that starts with a bag of soft caramels. I often make caramel this way in multi-step recipes because it takes a lot less time and attention than making caramel from scratch. It chills well without getting too hard to slice, and it gets nice and gooey after it’s plated and allowed to sit for a few minutes.
On top of the caramel is a variation of a classic cheesecake filling. But this one is made with all brown sugar to give it a little different flavor. If you’re a fan of brown sugar, then you’re going to be in dessert heaven. It’s sweet and has that hint of caramel-like flavor that brown sugar lends to baked goods.
To top it all off, there’s some simple sweetened whipped cream plus some chocolate toffee bits for garnish. The layer of whipped cream is a bit of an extra sweet indulgence on top of this fantastic cheesecake. I really like the crunch of the toffee bits to go along with this smooth, creamy cheesecake. You could also top it with something else, like toasted nuts or chocolate shavings, or just leave it unadorned if you like.
If you love caramel and brown sugar, then this is the cheesecake for you. The flavor is really just wonderful. All those layers work together perfectly! Even though making each layer takes a bit of time, this cheesecake is still simple to make. It’s just the kind of thing when you want an impressive, crowd-pleasing dessert without too much fuss.
This Brown Sugar Caramel Cheesecake has SO many delicious layers - oatmeal cookie crust, caramel, cheesecake, and whipped cream. A big-time crowd-pleaser! Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.Brown Sugar Caramel Cheesecake with Oatmeal Cookie Crust
Ingredients
For the crust:
For the caramel:
For the cheesecake filling:
For the topping:
Instructions
To make the crust:
To make the caramel:
To make the cheesecake filling:
To make the topping:
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22 Comments on “Brown Sugar Caramel Cheesecake with Oatmeal Cookie Crust”
Could I just use a jar of caramel sauce (Trader Joe’s salted caramel) or is the texture different when you melt the caramel. Do you have a brand you use? Thanks
Hi, Laurel. You can use a store-bought caramel. The consistency just may be different. I’d try for a thicker sauce versus a thinner one that’s mainly used for toppings. It’s been a while since I used Trader Joe’s, but I think it would be just fine.
Well this is a truly mega gorgeous cheesecake. Each layer and component sounds better than the next!
Have you ever tried making this recipe using muffin tins?
Hi, Maggie. I haven’t tried that with this recipe. The baking time would need to change. I’d suggest starting at 350° for 20 minutes and adjust from there.
Hi Jennifer! I just finished making the cheesecake in muffin tins and they worked great. Lined the 2 tins with the muffin paper. Followed all the measurements but I had to make a double batch of the crust for 24 muffins. Baked them in a convection oven at 325 for 20 minutes. They sat on my counter to cool for an hour then in the fridge for a few more before putting The later of topping. Thanks again! Happy Thanksgiving
Thanks for coming back to let me know how it worked! Happy Thanksgiving!
Just finished making this for Thanksgiving tomorrow! The caramel oozed a little so I’m super glad you recommended the cookie sheet underneath. Can’t wait to cut into this after dinner tomorrow. Thanks!
I hope you enjoy it! Happy Thanksgiving!
I just made this for Thanksgiving, and it was a real winner! I used turbinado sugar for topping the cheesecake because I didn’t have Heath bits. Thanks for a solid recipe!
I’m glad you liked it, Jenny!
Hi jennifer… Love you generosity… Love your recipe… Love you passion in baking… Keep it up..💋❤
Thank you, Jean!
I’m preparing sonething i can bake on my kid’s birthday this feb.. Your links help me a lot.. Thank you
Hi…can this brown sugar caramel cheesecake be made ahead and put in the freezer until thanksgiving which is about a month away?
Hi, Renee. It should freeze well, but I would wait to make the topping until it’s thawed and ready to serve.
I’m curious, why such a long bake time?
Baking cheesecake for a long time at a low temperature is the best way I’ve found to bake it thoroughly without it cracking.
Good Morning, loved the recipe but had a problem with the oatmeal crust getting hard. Tried with biscoff cookies with the same result. Any suggestions?
Hi, David. It’s possible that the crust baked too long or too fast. I’d recommend checking your oven’s temperature accuracy with an oven thermometer and using a light colored pan. Also, make sure your oven rack is in the top third of your oven.
I’d love to try making this but it seems like it’s an awful lot of sugar and I’m afraid it might be very sweet, which I definitely don’t want. Am I wrong? And if I wanted to go for a salted caramel taste, would you recommend adding some salt to the cheesecake layer or just sprinkle coarse salt on top?
Hi, Linda. For the most part, I tend to make things a little less sweet than most people do. I don’t find this cheesecake overly sweet, but that’s completely subjective. It might be simplest to add salt to the caramel.