These no bake salted caramel cheesecake bars are easy to make, so delicious, packed with salted caramel, and have no bake time. They are the perfect cozy treat for the Fall season, although I have a feeling you will be making these all year round.

Why you will love these no bake salted caramel cheesecake bars

  1. The flavors. The flavors in this no bake cheesecake are my absolute favorite. There is so much salted caramel in the filling, paired with a tang from the cream cheese, buttery goodness from the graham cracker crust, and an optional pumpkin whipped cream. They are just *mwah* chef’s kiss!
  2. No bake time. No bake recipes are my FAVORITE – they are just so easy. It takes about 25-30 minutes to prepare the caramel, graham cracker base, and filling. Then all you need to do is just wait for it to set in the fridge (but I know – waiting is hard).

Key ingredients

  • Butter: we use both salted and unsalted butter in this recipe. The salted butter is for the caramel and the unsalted butter is for the graham cracker base.
  • Sugar: granulated sugar is used in the salted caramel and graham cracker base, while powdered sugar is used in the filling and whipped cream.
  • Graham crackers: graham crackers add the perfect texture and flavor as the base for the crust.
  • Heavy cream: heavy cream is used in the salted caramel, the filling, and the whipped cream, so make sure to splurge on the good quality stuff!
  • Cream cheese: use full fat cream cheese to ensure a fluffy and smooth cheesecake filling.
  • Pumpkin puree: if you love all things pumpkin like me, you’re going to want to make this pumpkin whipped cream. But if you’re not a pumpkin fan, you can just leave the pumpkin puree and cinnamon out of the whipped cream for regular whipped cream.

Steps

  1. Make the caramel. Make the caramel over the stovetop and let cool while you prepare the base for the bars.
  2. Make the graham cracker base. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until it resembles wet sand. Press into the bottom of an 8×8 inch pan.
  3. Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese alone until light and fluffy. Add the caramel and beat. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese/caramel mixture. Layer on top of the graham cracker base.
  4. Chill. Set the pan in the fridge to chill for 5 hours or overnight.
  5. Make the whipped cream. Once your cheesecake bars have set, make the whipped cream and pipe on the bars. Enjoy!

FAQ

Why isn’t my heavy cream forming stiff peaks?

Heavy cream needs to be cold. If it’s warm or room temperature, the fats in the cream will not emulsify and therefore it can’t hold any air.

Why is my cheesecake not smooth?

The cream cheese needs to be completely at room temperature in order to have a smooth cheesecake. If the butter is cold, it will be harder to beat out cream cheese chunks. I also like to beat the cream cheese by itself on high speed for at least 5 minutes to ensure it’s smooth.

How do I get perfectly clean slices?

To get those smooth cheesecake slices, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, then use the warm knife to cut slices. The warm knife will cut nicely through the cheesecake filling and the graham cracker base. Wipe the knife clean and repeat this process with the rest of the bars.

How do I store the cheesecake?

Store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge so the bars stay set and fresh. They will keep for 3-5 days.

To freeze, place the bars on a plate and put in the freezer for three hours until firm. Remove from the freezer and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bars back in the freezer. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to eat them.

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Yield: 8 bars

No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Author: Jess Italiano
These no bake salted caramel cheesecake bars are easy to make, so delicious, packed with salted caramel, and have no bake time. They are the perfect cozy treat for the Fall season, although I have a feeling you will be making these all year round.
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Ingredients
 

Salted Caramel

  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted butter, room temperature, cubed
  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Graham Cracker Base

  • 3 cups (360 grams) graham cracker crumbs, about 23 full sheets
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

  • 2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
  • salted caramel sauce
  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream, cold

Pumpkin Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream, cold
  • 1/3 cup (40 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) pumpkin puree, optional

Equipment

Instructions
 

Salted Caramel

  • Add the sugar to a medium-large sauce pan. Place the pan on the stove on low-medium heat while continuously stirring and moving the sugar around the pan. The sugar will clump up before it completely melts.
  • Once the sugar completely melts, it will be a smooth amber/caramel colored liquid. It can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes to completely melt.
  • Once completely melted, add the cubed butter. It will bubble up. Whisk vigorously until the butter is completely melted into the sugar and they are homogeneous. Let the mixture sit and bubble for 30 seconds to one minute without stirring.
  • Slowly add in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up again. Whisk until the heavy cream is combined. Allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds to one minute without stirring. During this time, it will rise in the pan – let it!
  • Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool and thicken while you make the base of the bars.
  • The caramel sauce needs to be cool when we make the filling. It doesn’t need to be completely cold, but it just can’t be too warm otherwise it will melt the cream cheese.

Graham Cracker Base

  • Line a 9×9 or 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper so there is enough hanging over the sides. This will make it easier to pull out the bars when they are finished.
  • In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they turn into fine crumbs. Add the granulated sugar and salt and pulse a few more times so they are mixed together.
  • With the food processor running on low, add the melted butter and process until the mixture is combined and sandy.
  • I prefer to do this in a food processor, but you can also do it by hand if you don't have a food processor/blender. To make the base by hand, put the graham crackers in a zip lock bag and gently hit them with the back of a wooden spoon until they are crumbs. Then, in a bowl, mix the crumbs with the granulated sugar, salt and unsalted butter until combined.
  • Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan – you can do this with an offset spatula or the back of a measuring cup. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

Filling

  • In a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until it is fluffy and creamy, about 5 minutes. It needs to be completely at room temperature to get it smooth, otherwise there will be bigger chunks of cream cheese.
  • Add all of the cooled caramel and beat on medium-high speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat on low speed for 10-15 seconds, then turn up to medium speed and beat until combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form – about 3-4 minutes.
  • Fold half of the whipped cream into the caramel/cream cheese mixture until incorporated, then fold in the other half.
  • Take your pan out of the fridge and pour the cheesecake filling on top of it, making one smooth and even layer. 
  • Place back in the fridge and let chill for 5 hours or overnight, until the filling has set. 

Assembly

  • Once the cheesecake has set, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board.
  • Using a sharp knife, trim any uneven edges and cut into 8 bars (all measuring 4×2 inches). Make sure to wipe the knife clean after each cut.

Pumpkin Whipped Cream

  • You can make pumpkin whipped cream or regular whipped cream. If making regular whipped cream, do not include the ground cinnamon or pumpkin puree.
  • In a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon (if using) on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Do not just turn on your mixer and walk away – this will lead to over whipping. Fold in the pumpkin puree (if using).
  • Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M) and pipe swirls on top of each bar. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve. 
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