Caramel Brown Butter Cheesecake

This caramel brown butter cheesecake is a silky, ultra-creamy baked cheesecake layered with nutty brown butter flavor and topped with a thick pour of glossy maple salted caramel.

I made this Brown Butter Cheesecake because I've been dreaming about a cheesecake filled with tiny brown-buttery flecks that melt right into the batter and give every bite that warm, toasty flavor I love so much. And once I added the maple salted caramel on top, it became one of those desserts that tastes like fall, comfort, and a little bit of magic. If you love flavors like my Gingerbread Caramel Streusel Cookies, Caramel Apple Bars, or Biscoff Pumpkin Bread, you are going to fall in love with this one too.

Why You'll Love This Caramel Brown Butter Cheesecake

• A creamy cheesecake base made with full-fat cream cheese, dark brown sugar, and vanilla for the smoothest texture.
• Deep, nutty flavor from toasted brown butter bits baked right into the crust and filling.
• A thick layer of homemade maple salted caramel that tastes like warm brown sugar and butter.
• A buttery graham cracker crust that bakes up crisp and golden in the springform pan.
• Straightforward, reliable ingredients-nothing fancy, just a solid cheesecake recipe that works.
• A low-and-slow bake with a simple steam method for a crack-free, ultra-creamy cheesecake.
• Perfect for holidays, special dinners, or anytime you want a bakery-quality caramel brown butter cheesecake at home.
• A dessert that tastes even better the next day after resting in the refrigerator.

Ingredient Overview

Here's a quick rundown of the ingredients you'll need for this caramel brown butter cheesecake and why each one matters:

• Unsalted butter: Browning the butter gives the crust its nutty flavor and those gorgeous toasted brown bits.
• Graham cracker crumbs: Perfect for a classic cheesecake crust and easy to pulse in a food processor.
• Brown sugar: Adds moisture to the crust and deeper flavor to the creamy cheesecake filling.
• Full fat cream cheese: Room temperature cream cheese ensures a smooth mixture with no lumps. Philadelphia is my go-to.
• Dark brown sugar: Sweetens the filling and adds caramel notes that match the maple topping.
• Large eggs + yolks: Provide structure and help the filling bake into a silky texture.
• Sour cream: Keeps the filling smooth, soft, and tangy.
• Cornstarch: Helps prevent cracking and keeps the cheesecake creamy even after chilling.
• Pure maple syrup: The base of the salted caramel sauce-use the real stuff for the best flavor.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean: Adds warmth and enhances the brown butter flavor.
• Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all the caramel notes.

How to Make the Best Brown Butter

Brown butter is what makes this caramel brown butter cheesecake extra special. Start by melting unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. It will melt, then bubble, then foam. As it cooks, the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and turn a deep golden color. Once you see tiny brown bits forming and the butter smells nutty and caramel-like, pull it off the heat immediately so it doesn't burn. Use a wooden spoon to scrape everything into a bowl and let it cool before stirring it into the crust mixture. Those little brown butter bits bake right into the crust and create so much flavor.

How to Make the Cheesecake Batter

• Toast the milk powder: Start by tossing the milk powder into a little nonstick pan and warming it over medium-low heat. Keep it moving with your spoon so it doesn't scorch. Once it turns golden and smells caramel-y, scrape it into a bowl to cool.
• Make the filling: Add your room temperature cream cheese to a big bowl (or your stand mixer) and mix until it's super smooth. Take a second to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl - cream cheese loves to hide lumps.
• Sweeten it up: Add in the dark brown sugar and that toasted milk powder. Mix until everything is creamy and blended. Already smells amazing.
• Mix in the eggs: Add the eggs and yolks one at a time. Keep the mixer on low here - slow and steady helps keep this caramel brown butter cheesecake extra creamy with no weird air bubbles.
• Add the flavor: Pour in the honey, sour cream, and vanilla and give it a gentle mix until the batter looks silky. This is where everything starts coming together.
• Finish the batter: Sprinkle in the cornstarch and mix on low just until it disappears. If you see a couple tiny lumps, don't stress - they'll smooth out as it bakes.
• Fill the crust: Pour the filling into your cooled graham cracker crust and smooth the top. It already looks so good.
• Bake low and slow: Pop the springform pan on the middle rack of your oven and bake at 325°F. I like to put a pan of hot water on the lower rack for a little steam - it helps keep the cheesecake creamy and prevents cracking. Bake until the edges are set and the center still has that soft, jiggly wobble. Leave the oven door open and let the cheesecake cool for an hour. 

Tips for Making This Caramel Brown Butter Cheesecake

• Use room temperature cream cheese. It blends smoothly with the other ingredients and prevents lumps.
• Don't rush the mixing. Stir slowly and scrape the sides of the bowl often-overmixing adds too much air.
• Line the bottom of the pan. A round of parchment paper makes it easier to release the crust.
• Bake on the middle rack. It keeps the heat even so the cheesecake bakes perfectly.
• Use a steam method. A water bath or a roast pan of water in the oven helps prevent cracks.
• Let it chill completely. A full overnight chill in the refrigerator gives the cheesecake time to set.
• Pour the caramel on a cold cheesecake. It spreads smoothly and stays glossy.
• Warm your knife. Wipe between cuts for bakery-style slices.
• Top with whipped cream. Optional, but so delicious with the maple caramel.

How to Make Maple Salted Caramel

• Start the base: Add the maple syrup, water, and light corn syrup to a medium saucepan. Give it a quick stir, then set it over medium heat. Caramel bubbles up a lot, so make sure your saucepan isn't too small.
• Let it simmer: Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and let it cook for 5-7 minutes. You'll notice it go through stages: first lots of tiny fast bubbles, then it gets glossier and thicker, and finally the bubbles slow down and look heavier. It should smell sweet and caramel-y, not smoky.
• Warm the cream: While the syrup cooks, microwave the heavy cream for about 30 seconds. Warm cream helps everything blend smoothly without seizing.
• Add the cream: When the syrup is ready, carefully pour in the warm cream. It will bubble up big-time - totally normal. Stir until the bubbling settles and the caramel looks smooth. If it seizes into a clump, just keep it over low heat and whisk until it melts back down.
• Cook to thickness: Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until the caramel thickens and coats the back of a spoon. If you're using a thermometer, go for about 220°F for a pourable sauce or 225-228°F for a thicker texture.
• Finish it up: Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla and kosher salt until it all melts together. Taste and add another pinch of salt if you like it extra salty.
• Let it cool: Let the caramel cool for 20-30 minutes. It thickens a lot as it cools, and if it ever gets too thick, a quick 5-10 seconds in the microwave brings it right back.

Storing and Freezing

Store leftover caramel brown butter cheesecake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor gets even better as the cheesecake cools and the caramel settles. To freeze, wrap slices (or the whole cake without the caramel) in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add caramel before serving.

If you loved this recipe don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and a comment! I'd love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you have! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I post so many fun things on all platforms.

FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS HERE ARE MY FAVORITE

• Easy Brown Butter Maple Donut Bars Recipe
• Pumpkin Loaf Bread With Maple Glaze
• The Best Maple Old Fashioned Donut Recipe
• Salted Caramel Biscoff Cheesecake Bars
• The Best Ever Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Recipe

Caramel Brown Butter Cheesecake

Molly Murphy

This caramel brown butter cheesecake is a silky, ultra-creamy baked cheesecake layered with nutty brown butter flavor and topped with a thick pour of glossy maple salted caramel.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 3 tablespoon milk powder
• 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese 4 blocks room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolk room temperature
• 2 large whole eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup corn starch

Maple Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

 

Graham Cracker Crust Instructions

• Add the 12 tablespoons of butter to a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning. Once browned, immediately transfer the butter to a large heatproof bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• Once the butter has slightly cooled down, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and packed brown sugar until everything looks evenly sandy. Stir until every crumb is coated and it resembles wet sand.
  2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• Spray the sides and the bottom of a springform pan with cooking spray, dump the mixture into your springform pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it firmly into an even layer, making sure to go up the sides a bit for stability.
• Bake the crust at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, or until it looks set and smells nutty and caramelized. Let it cool completely before adding your cheesecake batter. While the crust is cooling, make the cheesecake batter.

For the cheesecake batter

• Add the milk powder to a small nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden and smells caramel-y (about 2-3 minutes). Immediately scrape it into a bowl to cool.
  3 tablespoon milk powder
• In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth and fluffy. Take your time here - smooth cream cheese = smooth cheesecake. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix for 30 more seconds.
  32 ounces full-fat cream cheese 4 blocks
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the dark brown sugar and the cooled toasted milk powder. Turn the mixer to medium speed until fully combined and no streaks remain.
  1 ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• Scrape down the bottom and the sides of the bowl. Add the 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until incorporated. You want everything blended, but not whipped - too much air can cause cracking. Pour in the honey, sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix until silky.
  2 large egg yolk room temperature, 2 large whole eggs room temperature, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup sour cream
• Gently mix the cornstarch on low until the batter is velvety and lump-free. (If you have a few lumps, that's okay!)
  ¼ cup corn starch
• Pour the cheesecake batter into your cooled graham cracker crust and smooth the top.
• Bake the cheesecake in a 325°F oven using a water bath or your preferred steam-method (pan of hot water on the rack below works perfectly). Bake until the edges are set and the center still has a soft wobble - usually around 80-90 minutes. It's okay if a few cracks form.
• Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool to room temp before chilling at least 6 hours or overnight. After the cheesecake is done, make the maple caramel sauce.

For the salted maple caramel

• Add the maple syrup, water, and light corn syrup to a medium saucepan (caramel bubbles up a lot). Stir to combine, then set the pan over medium heat.
  1 cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The syrup will move through stages: it will start thin with lots of tiny fast bubbles, then become glossier and slightly thicker, and finally darken one shade with slow, heavier bubbles. It should smell sweet and caramelized, not smoky. While the caramel is cooking, heat the cream.
• Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until steaming. Warm cream helps keep the caramel smooth and prevents it from seizing.
  ¾ cup heavy cream
• Once the sugar mixture is ready, carefully pour the warm cream into the bubbling maple mixture. It will foam up quite a bit - totally normal. Stir constantly until the bubbling settles and the caramel looks smooth again. If it seizes into a thick lump, simply keep it over low heat and whisk until it melts back down.
• Return the caramel to medium heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. For a pourable caramel, cook to about 220°F; for a thicker spoonable caramel, cook to 225-228°F.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and kosher salt until dissolved. Taste and add a pinch more salt if you want a stronger salted caramel flavor.
  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Let the caramel cool for 20-30 minutes. It will thicken significantly as it cools - if it gets too thick later on, microwave it for 5-10 seconds to loosen.
• Once the caramel is ready and the cheesecake is fully chilled, pour the caramel on top. Slice and serve chilled!

Keyword cheesecake, caramel, brown butter

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