A while back, I wrote a guest post for CCU Uru of Go Bake Yourself, an Australian blogger. This week, when I remade this Caramel Toffee Cheesecake, I updated it with new photos and am reissuing this post here on my site. It is just so flippin’ good – make it, and you’re welcome!!! 🙂

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

This is a gorgeous cheesecake and absolutely fail-safe. It’s creamy, rich, and something everyone will love. And it’s completely customizable, as you’ll see below.

About Caramel Toffee Cheesecake:

The recipe was originally a Bon Appétit recipe, decorated with gumdrops, m&ms and sprinkles, and called Christmas Cheesecake with English Toffee Filling. It was delish but an absolute mess. I was embarrassed. The candies bled all over the topping.

I’ve been making my variation for years (and updating it in 2026). It doesn’t bear much resemblance to that original cheesecake, although the base recipe is mostly the same.

It’s a deep, rich cheesecake, made with a layer of crushed up toffee bars in the center (now we can buy those in bits). It has the old-school topping of creamy sour cream, baked right on top. (Not only is the topping delish, but you can also get by without a water bath because it will cover up any flaws or cracks.)

As you can see, I chose to top the Caramel Toffee Cheesecake with a gorgeous Salted Caramel Sauce and chopped up Milky Way Bars. I think it’s perfect, and echoes the flavor of the toffee layer. You have options, though! I’ve listed several below to get you started.

Making Caramel Toffee Cheesecake:

The recipe is straightforward to make, but follow good cheesecake procedures. Use room temperature cream cheese, eggs, and any dairy. Eggs go in one at a time, and the batter is scraped up from the bottom and incorporated before the next egg is added. This prevents lumps. Beat on low and only as little as possible after each egg & any ingredients after the eggs go in. It makes a big difference in how your cheesecake turns out.

Make Ahead:

• Cheesecake HAS to be made ahead. Never toss cheesecake into the fridge until it’s completely cooled. And don’t cover until it reaches fridge temperature. It will keep well for two to three days.
• Bring the cheesecake out about an hour before serving.

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

The Flavors:

Don’t use: any candy that will bleed into the topping. These are usually bright colors. m&m’s, skittles, sprinkles and so on. Use your judgment.

Anything used on top should be added last minute. Play with candy on top and pick something that goes with the toffee layer inside the cheesecake: Milky Way, Three Musketeers, Heath bars, maybe Snickers, and so on.

Or change up that center layer and match it with a different topping. Be careful what you put inside; nothing that will be weird once it’s baked, and nothing too melty. Maybe crushed cookies or candy (M&Ms will be good inside), and I’ve been thinking of crushed Butterfingers. And then choose something that will go with what’s inside for the final top garnish.

Then change up your drizzle to match. You might have guessed I’m a fan of the Salted Caramel Sauce. But choose your poison! Chocolate sauce, maybe melted peanut butter, or any favorite that will go with the cheesecake you’ve crafted. Check out ice cream and dessert toppings at the store if you don’t want to make anything.

Leftover Caramel Toffee Cheesecake:

• Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Cool before covering and add toothpicks to hold the plastic wrap so it doesn’t touch the surface. If you haven’t removed the cheesecake from the bottom portion of the pan, just fit the sides around it.
• Freeze, uncovered. Once frozen, wrap well, and it should last around three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Other Cheesecake Recipes You Might Like:

Two of my favorite Cheesecakes:

• Martin Sheen’s Pumpkin Cheesecake – this is one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever made, and often shows up for Thanksgiving. You’ll see that salted caramel again!

Martin Sheens Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Basque Cheesecake – no, it’s not burnt, although it’s often called burnt cheesecake. It’s fabulous and took the world by storm a while back.

Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.

Cream Cheese:

• Will be on sale before almost every holiday, especially the big “baking” holidays like Easter and the Winter Holidays. The discount stores, Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs, have great pricing and Holiday sales, too.
• Check dollar stores around Christmas; in the past few years, I’ve picked up packages for a dollar (as of 2024).
• Know your pricing:  the regular price, sale price, and great sale price. Don’t be afraid to stock up at rock bottom. Cream cheese keeps for weeks after the “best by” date. It can be frozen, but once thawed, it is best used in recipes.
• Neuchâtel is often less expensive than full-fat. Some brands rely on”gums” for thickening, which can affect no-bake items that need to set up w/o heat.

Sour Cream:

On sale often at the regular grocery store, especially before holidays. You’ll find great prices at the discount groceries.

• Unopened, it has a long shelf life and keeps for weeks.
• Once opened, store it upside down. If it separates, stir it back together.
• To make sure it lasts as long as possible, keep it clean, using clean utensils and covering between dips.

Graham Crackers:

• Boxed crumbs, even on sale, are higher than grinding up graham crackers. Use a rolling pin or food processor.
• Brand names are pricer, but generally better quality, with the expected taste. Buy them at a buyers’ club. Store brand and discount store options can be up to half the price of brand names. Making your own is a flex.
• Refresh any stale Graham crackers (just like other crackers or cereal) by placing in a 325 degree F. oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a rack means no need to turn over.

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

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Change this cheesecake up – that’s part of the fun!

• Author: adapted from Bon Appetit
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours + chill
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
• Category: Desserts Cheesecakes
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, about 5 ounces (or hard cookie of your choice)
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, very finely chopped (or another nut or pretzels)
• 1/2 cup English toffee bits (such as Shor or Heath)
• 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar (white sugar may be used)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, perhaps a bit more if using a variation in the crumb or nuts

Filling

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar (white sugar may be used)
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (may be omitted or another extract may be substituted to complement your variation)
• 8 ounces chocolate-covered English toffee (such as Skor or Heath bars), cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or another candy/crushed cookie of your choice

Topping

• 1 16-ounce container sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

• Assorted chopped up candies or cookies
• Drizzle of your choice

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Instructions

For crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180 degrees C).
2. Mix the crust ingredients in medium bowl.
3. Add butter and stir until moist clumps form – If variations in the crust have been made, a little more butter may need to be added, as little as possible.
4. Press mixture over bottom and 1 inch up sides of 10-inch-diameter springform pan. (A flat bottomed cup is very helpful to make the crust even and flat and work it up the sides of the pan.
5. Check the crust in good light to make certain there are no holes and gently nudge to cover them.
6. Bake crust until just set, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160 degrees C).

For filling

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar together in large bowl until just blended, stopping and scraping the sides once or twice.
2. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, until just mixed in. Scrape bottom and sides before adding the next egg.
3. Add both extracts and mix in.
   Note: Blend until just mixed, not to add in air, and as beat little as possible for the best textured cheesecake.
4. Pour half of mixture into prepared crust and level with a spatula; sprinkle with chopped up toffee bars or other candy/cookie of your choice.
5. Gently dollop the remaining mixture over. Use a spatula to carefully nudge the the cheesecake mixture over the toffee bars/candy until well covered, gently smooth the top. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but even and level is best.
6. Bake until edges are puffed and well set, but center still has a very slight jiggle. The top should be a nice golden brown, about 55 minutes (Don’t worry about any cracks that have formed on the top of the cheesecake as it will be covered by the topping)

Meanwhile, prepare topping

1. Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Again, try not to beat air into the mixture.
2. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, smooth with spatula if needed. If you see any bubbles, smooth them out. Bake cake until topping is just set, about 5 to 7 minutes. The topping should not be brown.
3. Transfer to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run knife between cake and pan sides. (This will prevent the cheesecake and topping from pulling as it shrinks in the pan while being chilled.)
4. Chill cake uncovered overnight.
5. Remove pan sides and place cake on platter. Garnish top with candies.

Helpful Hints:

• The bottom of a cheesecake pan has a lip on it – for easiest removal and cutting of a cheesecake when you put the pan together, put it together with the lip down. I know it is a bit more difficult and looks like there is a small gap on the inside of the pan between the bottom and the sides – trust me, the gap won’t be a problem and it will be much easier to cut and slice the cheesecake and remove a slice intact.
• When I place the cheesecake on a platter or cake stand, I often just keep it on the bottom portion of the springform pan. It doesn’t show until it’s time to cut.
• When cutting the cheesecake, use a long thin knife and a downward motion. Wipe the knife clean between slices.
• This is a great recipe to use up a little Halloween candy!

I’m posting Caramel Toffee Cheesecake at Fiesta Friday 99, co-hosted by Caroline @ Caroline’s Cooking and Linda @ La Petite Paniere.