Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars are a rich, creamy make-ahead dessert with a graham cracker and pecan crust, smooth vanilla cheesecake filling, and homemade salted caramel topping finished with flaky sea salt.
Easy Overnight Dessert
I like this recipe because it delivers everything you want from a cheesecake without the springform pan and water bath. This is also a make-ahead dessert by design. The bars need to be refrigerated overnight before slicing, which makes them ideal for entertaining.
Note that the flaky sea salt garnish is not added until just before serving. The reason for this is that salt draws moisture overnight and will dissolve into the caramel, losing both its texture and its appeal. Save the final flourish for the last minute.
How to Make Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars
Prep: 20 min | Bake: 50 min | Cool: Overnight | Servings: 24 bars
Cuisine: American
STEP ONE: Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil, pressing it carefully into the corners and up the sides.
STEP TWO: Make the crust. Place the graham crackers and chopped pecans in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the melted butter and vanilla bean paste and pulse until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly to form an even crust.
STEP THREE: Make the filling. Place the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix just until combined.
STEP FOUR: Bake. Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 50 minutes. When the baking time is up, turn off the oven and open the door. Leave the cheesecake to rest in the open oven for 15 minutes. This gradual cooling prevents the top from cracking.
STEP FIVE: Cool completely. Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature before adding the caramel topping. The cheesecake must be fully cooled and set before the caramel goes on, or the heat from the sauce will soften the filling and prevent clean slicing later.
STEP SIX: Make the caramel. Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar and butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add the condensed milk, corn syrup, and vanilla bean paste. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously, until a candy thermometer reads 220°F. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Allowing the caramel to cool slightly before pouring prevents it from melting into the cheesecake filling and keeps it as a distinct, defined layer on top.
STEP SEVEN: Add the caramel and refrigerate. Pour the caramel evenly over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. The overnight rest is essential. It allows the caramel to fully set, the flavors to develop, and the bars to firm up enough to slice cleanly. Bars sliced before fully setting will not hold their shape.
STEP EIGHT: Slice and serve. Just before serving, sprinkle each bar with flaky sea salt. Serve chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Parchment paper works well and is a fine substitute. Non-stick foil is recommended because it is easier to press into the corners and up the sides of the pan, creating a cleaner liner, but parchment paper will give you the same non-stick result.
Overnight refrigeration allows the caramel topping to fully set and the cheesecake filling to firm up completely. Bars that are sliced too soon will not hold their shape, and the caramel will not have set properly. The overnight rest is what makes these bars clean to slice.
Pouring hot caramel directly onto the cheesecake can melt the surface of the filling and prevent the caramel from sitting as a clean, defined layer on top. Five minutes of cooling is enough to bring the temperature down without the caramel thickening too much to pour.
Salt draws moisture. If the flaky sea salt is added before refrigerating overnight, it will dissolve into the caramel, losing both its texture and its visual appeal. Adding it just before serving keeps it flaky, visible, and present in every bite.
Yes. Wrap the fully set bars tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Add the flaky sea salt after thawing, just before serving.
Storage
Store the cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Add flaky sea salt to each bar just before serving.
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Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 sleeves 10 ounces each graham crackers
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Cheesecake Filling:
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Caramel Topping:
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil, pressing it carefully into the corners and up the sides.
- Place the graham crackers and chopped pecans in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the melted butter and vanilla bean paste and pulse until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly to form an even crust.
- Place the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix just until combined.
- Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 50 minutes. When the baking time is up, turn off the oven and open the door. Leave the cheesecake to rest in the open oven for 15 minutes. This gradual cooling prevents the top from cracking.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature before adding the caramel topping. The cheesecake must be fully cooled and set before the caramel goes on, or the heat from the sauce will soften the filling and prevent clean slicing later.
- Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar and butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add the condensed milk, corn syrup, and vanilla bean paste. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously, until a candy thermometer reads 220°F. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Allowing the caramel to cool slightly before pouring prevents it from melting into the cheesecake filling and keeps it as a distinct, defined layer on top.
- Pour the caramel evenly over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. The overnight rest is essential. It allows the caramel to fully set, the flavors to develop, and the bars to firm up enough to slice cleanly. Bars sliced before fully setting will not hold their shape.
- Just before serving, sprinkle each bar with flaky sea salt. Serve chilled.
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