Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
A creamy cheesecake swirled with slow-cooked caramel, topped with more Dulce de Leche and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Prep Time
- 25 min
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total Time
- 5 hr 40 min
- Servings
- 12 servings
I'd heard the words "Dulce de Leche" a hundred times but never actually cooked with it until my husband asked what it was and I realized I couldn't answer him. Off to Google I went — turns out it's slow-cooked caramel, and it's every bit as good as that sounds.
The consistency is much thicker than regular caramel, so I spent some time figuring out the right split between the filling and the topping. Half a cup swirled into the batter with the rest spread on top, finished with a little sea salt, turned out to be exactly right.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 14 oz. can Dulce de Leche, divided
For the Topping
- Dulce de Leche
- sea salt
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Double-wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and place inside a 12 inch cake pan.
- 2Toss the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar in a small bowl, add the melted butter, and mix with your hands until combined. Press evenly along the bottom of the springform pan.
- 3Bake the crust for 7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- 4In a standing mixer, beat 8 oz. cream cheese, the cornstarch, and 1/3 cup sugar at medium speed until smooth. Add another 8 oz. cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup Dulce de Leche, and beat until smooth. Add the remaining cream cheese and sugar and beat until smooth.
- 5Slow the mixer to stirring speed, add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides between additions.
- 6With the mixer on stirring speed, slowly add the heavy cream, mixing just until combined — do not overmix.
- 7Spoon the batter into the springform pan on top of the crust and spread into an even layer.
- 8Pour warm water into the larger cake pan to create a water bath, coming up at least 1 inch around the springform pan (this prevents cracks).
- 9Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
- 10Remove from the oven, pull the springform pan out of the water bath, and cool on a rack for about 4 hours. Remove the foil.
- 11Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
- 12Release the springform sides, flip the cheesecake onto a flat surface to remove the pan bottom, then flip back onto a serving plate.
- 13Spread the remaining Dulce de Leche on top in a smooth layer, sprinkle with sea salt, and return to the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
- 14Cut into slices with a sharp, straight-edged knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Storage & Reheating
Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Over 75 New York–style cheesecake recipes, from classic flavors to fun, happy-hour-inspired twists. Beginner-friendly and dangerously easy to fall in love with.
