Creamy, rich and totally delicious, this Caramel Cheesecake – Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipe is one you will simply be so happy you found and added to your recipe box.
It’s {Crazy Cooking Challenge} time again and this month we are doing Cheesecakes. Setting out to find the best cheesecake recipe wasn’t easy. I really love cheesecake so I didn’t know how I’d ever settle on the perfect one.
I’m not super particular about my cheesecake either. I love them. All of them.
My favorite is chocolate cheesecake of any kind, but when setting out to do this challenge, I really wanted a simple, but amazingly flavorful plain cheesecake. The kind of recipe that can be a base for many different kinds.
I turned to the Cheesecake Factory for that.
After some research, I was able to find a recipe that claims to be a Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake recipe.
Is it? I have no idea. Is it a copycat recipe?
Maybe. What I do know, is that it’s GOOD! SO good. Just the cheesecake by itself was incredible. Creamy, rich and delicious.
It was the perfect basic cheesecake recipe – we tried several toppings to see if the flavor held – Caramel, Chocolate Ganache and Summer Berries. Our favorite cheesecake toppings.
All were amazing on top of this cheesecake.
I wound up settling on the caramel topping for this one though, because it really was the best (and we love caramel!)
Since we simply settled on a caramel topping for the cheesecake, we just used our favorite store bought caramel.
If you want something more homemade, there are recipes across the Internet for that.
We really wanted to keep this simple since cheesecake can be a bit tricky to begin with.
So store bought, with a trusted topping we already love, was the way to go.
Are you ready to try this Caramel Cheesecake – Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipe?
You will thank us, and let us know if you decide to try it with anything but the caramel.
More cheesecake recipes
- Chocolate Almond Cheesecake
- No Bake Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Caramel Cheesecake Recipe
Caramel Cheesecake – Cheesecake Factory Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ¼ cup pecans finely chopped
- ¼ cup almonds finely chopped
- ¼ cup walnuts finely choped
- ¾ cup vanilla wafers chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
For the Filling
- 1 ½ pounds cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or any flavor extract you’d like
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 16 ounces sour cream room temperature
Instructions
- In a food processor, mix up all of the nuts and the vanilla wafer crumbs. Add butter to the mixture and mix well.
- Press the mixture into a spring form pan… even out the crust so it’s the same height all around, going up the sides of the pan as well. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes and then allow to cool completely before adding the filling. Drop temperature of oven down to 325
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. On low, add the sugar, beating until it is creamy. I do all of this in my stand mixer, so I can add each egg individually. If you need to use a handheld mixer, beat well between each egg.
- Add the flour, the vanilla and the lemon juice and mix everything together really well.
- Add the sour cream and mix together well.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the spring form pan. Cook in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Open the door slightly and allow the cheesecake to “rest” in the oven for an additional hour with the oven OFF. Remove from the oven after an hour and allow to cool all the way to room temperature before you put it into the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
- Trust me, it needs to be refrigerated that long. It gives all the flavors a chance to marry each other and will make the cheesecake rich and full of flavor. Reserve some of the cheesecake mixture to decorate with if you’d like or simply use whipped cream or topping.
That looks divine!! I need to find a CF and go eat there because I’ve never been! I love your blog’s new look 🙂
Stopping by from CCC #18 – I pinned, tweeted, stumbled, and FB’d your cheesecake 🙂
This looks so good! I’d love for you to stop by – I’m #9 in the challenge. 🙂
Cheesecake Factory is the best~so I have no doubt that your cheesecake was amazing. I love the caramel topping!
Great CCC pick! I’m #16. 🙂
Caramel….swoon!!! It is all I need to see, hear, & taste. YUM
I’m about ready to lick my computer screen. This looks wonderful! We love the Cheesecake Factory so I can’t wait to make this!
Yum, I just want to run my finger through all that luscious caramel sauce. You are so right, If you have a good base to start with, anything else will complement it.
I was sold at the word caramel! This looks delicious….I am CCC #13…please stop by!
Oh, this looks amazing! So beautifully garnished, too. A classic cheesecake with a caramel topping would disappear quickly around here 🙂
Wow! Beautiful! I’ll definitely have to try this! Stopping by from the CCC, #66 🙂
Looks amazing as always Nicole. I need a good basic cheesecake recipe and I’m gonna give this one a try.
Nuts and caramel? Yes please!
Jen #73
The caramel drizzle on a wonderful cheesecake…yum.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my CCC entry: #6 Mini Cheesecake Bites.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Love the crust, doll. It is perfect! I’ve had Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake…yours looks yummier! 😉
What a fantastic cheesecake! I love all of the caramel! So beautiful!
Stopping by from Crazy Cooking Challenge #59 – I pinned and tweeted your cheesecake!
Amber
http://thecookssister.wordpress.com
I love the idea of putting nuts in the biscuit base, I’ll be trying that the very next time I make one!
That looks amazing, Nicole! I love how versatile the cheesecake recipe is, but then smothering it in caramel sauce? Oh my! I could just stick my face in it!
#4
What a fantastic cheesecake! I love all of the caramel! So beautiful!
Stopping by from Crazy Cooking Challenge #59 – I pinned and tweeted your cheesecake!
Amber
http://thecookssister.wordpress.com
Can you please make me one and bring me a piece next Thursday, when I come to your neck of the woods. 🙂 OMG – looks so good!
Thank you for being a part of the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE. Watch for upcoming details about the next years challenge.
Oh my! What a wonderful cheesecake recipe! It’s like sin but in the most positive meaning possible:) I must try it.
haha Thanks Petra… definitely sinful. 😉
What a fantastic cheesecake! I love all of the caramel! So beautiful!
Stopping by from Crazy Cooking Challenge #59 – I pinned and tweeted your cheesecake!
Amber
http://thecookssister.wordpress.com
where is the ingredients and directions for the caramel topping?
There isn’t an ingredient list or directions for the caramel topping since we used a storebought version, one we love. If you actually want to make your own caramel topping, an easy recipe is: 1 package (14 ounces) caramels + 1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk. In a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with evaporated milk over low heat; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Pour over cheesecake when serving.
Hope that helps.
Did I miss the caramel topping or are we supposed to buy store bought. Oh well…!
Sorry for the confusion. The actual post indicates that we used store bought caramel sauce. You can totally make your own caramel sauce that you love, but some people already have a favorite sauce, whether homemade or store bought. This gives you the choice. This was more about the cheesecake recipe and this particular cheesecake is divine.