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slice of vegan salted caramel cheesecake

Easy Vegan Salted Caramel Cheesecake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Cheesecake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This is the most silky, rich, and ultra creamy salted caramel cheesecake to ever exist, and it’s all unbelievably vegan (and dairy free and no eggs!). It has a crisp, ‘buttery’ graham cracker crumb, lush caramel vanilla cheesecake batter, and topped with a thick layer of gooey salted caramel that pulls just like caramel. This is a must bake cheesecake.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramel:

Graham Cracker Crust:

Caramel Cheesecake Batter:

  • 36 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 mL) vegan heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 7 tbsp (70 g) cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) dairy free yogurt or vegan sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) vegan salted caramel from caramel above
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Optional topping:

  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prep: Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the edges of the pan with a bit of cooking or coconut oil as well, and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Make the caramel: Prepare the salted caramel per the instructions, and pour it into a square baking pan to cool more quickly. Set aside in the fridge while you make the crust.
  3. Make the crust: Add the graham crackers or cookies to a food processor, and pulse until you reach a fine crumb. Then add in the melted vegan butter, and pulse again until you get a wet crumb. Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of your cheesecake pan, working up the sides of the pan as well. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 7-8 minutes to par-bake. While the crust is baking, make the filling.
  4. Make the caramel cheesecake filling: In a large food processor, stand mixer with whisk attachment, or large bowl with hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and dairy free yogurt until smooth. Add in the sugar, heavy vegan cream, caramel, vanilla extract and paste, and cornstarch. Cream together again until smooth. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, and smooth the top. Place the cheesecake pan onto a baking sheet (SEPARATE from the baking sheet used for the water bath- this cheesecake baking sheet just helps to transport the cheesecake to and from the oven).
  5. Reduce the heat of the oven: Reduce the heat to 350F.
  6. Create the water bath: Be ready to move to the next step immediately after finishing this step. Make sure that you boil the 3-4 cups water prior to pouring the water into the pan. Pour the boiling water into the pan.
  7. Bake the cheesecake: Carefully place the water bath baking sheet into the oven on the low rack. Then place the cheesecake baking sheet onto the middle rackand quickly close the oven to bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the the top of the cheesecake lightly golden. The center is set but still wiggly. Turn off the oven, and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for 1 hour with the door slightly cracked. The water should also be completely dissolved. Please see the video tutorial. The cheesecake should still be wiggly. This is completely fine and should be that way. This cheesecake will not seem cooked at all when you first turn off the oven.
  8. Cool for one hour in the oven: Turn OFF the oven, and crack the oven door. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the turned off oven for 1 hour.
  9. Chill the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then cover and place the cheesecake into the fridge to chill for 4 hours, or overnight.
  10. Serve and enjoy! When ready to serve, top with the remaining salted caramel, sprinkle with additional sea salt, and enjoy! Store any leftover cheesecake in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Gluten free: Use gluten free vegan graham crackers or homemade gluten-free graham crackers.

Nut free: I like Oatly or Tofutti for vegan cream cheeses. My homemade cream cheese is also nut-free and a great substitute. I often bake my cheesecakes with my homemade cream cheese.

Find it online: https://thebananadiaries.com/vegan-caramel-cheesecake/