No-Bake Caramelized White Chocolate Cheesecake

This cheesecake is one of the absolute best things you can do with white chocolate. There’s a few steps to it: you’ll make the caramelized white chocolate first (I recommend making more than you need because you’ll want it for snacking and making other things with!) but you can do this step months ahead of time. The actual no bake cheesecake itself is rather easy: grind cookies, mix with melted butter, press into a pan.

The filling is a combination of a ganache, whipped cream and whipped cream cheese. We’ll make them individually and slowly mix them together. On top, make another ganache – it’s going to really bring that caramelized white chocolate flavor to point.

Recipe Ingredients

White Chocolate: Use a good quality white chocolate – check to make sure the ingredients list cocoa butter. You’ll caramelize a little more than you need for the recipe as some of it is lost as we’re transferring it from pan to food processor to container. Feel free to use even more than what’s listed – you’ll want it for other things! Most of the flavor of the cheesecake comes from this. 

Cream Cheese: I like a firm cream cheese, especially for a no-bake cheesecake so I usually get Philadelphia. You’ll need two blocks or 16oz and they should both be at room temperature so they mix well with the sugar and won’t leave lumps. 

Heavy Cream: Whipped to medium/stiff peaks, this is what will help the cheesecake ‘set’. 

Powdered Sugar: I almost left this one out but found the cheesecake really lacked flavor and sweetness so don’t skip it! I like organic powdered sugars made with tapioca starch (not corn). Sift it before you mix it in. 

Butter: Unsalted or salted is fine, I don’t think it matters much here. Cold is fine too, you’ll melt it and immediately mix it with the crumbs. 

Cookie crumbs: I used chocolate sandwich cookies (the 365 brand) and remove the cream from them before I grind them into a powder. You can use oreos, or graham crackers. 

How to Make Caramelized White Chocolate 

Simply by breaking up pieces of good quality white chocolate (or using feves/wafers), spreading them on a clean metal pan (or you can use a silpat mat) and baking it on low for about 45 minutes, turning it every 10 minutes to get even browning. That’s it! What does this do? It caramelizes the sugar in the white chocolate giving it this intense, butterscotch-like flavor (but better – I’m not joking). 

I have a complete tutorial for you on this page with lots of step-by-step photos. This is the easiest, most delicious thing you can make in your oven and if you haven’t yet tried it, you absolutely must. 

How to make a No Bake Caramelized White Chocolate Cheesecake

Start by preheating the oven to 350 F and laying a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of a springform pan. Clip the ring over the paper.

Grind the cookie crumbs and stir together with the melted butter and powdered sugar. The crumbs should resemble wet sand and when you squeeze them together they’ll keep shape.

Spread half of the crumbs in the bottom of the pan and the other half up the sides. Use a measuring cup to help pack it in (for a deep pan I use my 1 cup measuring cup, a flat jar works too).

We’re baking the crust to just set it, that way it won’t be overly crumbly when we slice into it later.

Let the crust cool before adding the filling into it.

Make the Filling 

First the ganache for the cheesecake: have your caramelized white chocolate chopped up finely. Heat the cream until it’s steaming and bubbling at the edges of the pan. Pour it over the chocolate and stir it briefly. Leave it for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. Let it cool while you work on the other components.

The cream cheese should be at a warm room temperature, beat it with salt and vanilla until it’s fluffy

Then pour the cooled ganache into it and beat to just combine.

Separately, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks

Fold the cream cheese/chocolate mixture into the whipped cream by making big J shapes with a spatula (a whisk works too, just be careful not to overwhip it).

Then pour it into the baked shell and chill it in the fridge for a few hours to set.

When the cheesecake is set, make the ganache (repeat the steps above with the quantities listed in the ingredients for the ganache topping) and spread over the top. When it’s warm its still drippy but after a few hours in the fridge it will set too (note the difference in the photos).

Tips to make a perfect no-bake cheesecake 

• Cold whipping cream: the colder it is (don’t let it freeze solid but it should be quite cold) the quicker and better whipped cream will get to the necessary stiff peaks which help a no-bake cheesecake set. 
• Softened cream cheese: soft & at room temperature, the cream cheese blends more easily with the rest of the ingredients. You want to avoid overbeating the cream cheese (turns the texture kind of gummy) and avoid lumps which will affect the creamy texture you’re going for. 
• Allowing for chill time: If you slice into it the day of or even just a couple of hours into it’s chill time, you’ll have messy overly soft slices. Giving it time to set overnight ensures that the cheesecake sets up nicely. 

FAQ 

Can I make the Caramelized White Chocolate ahead of time? 

Yes you can and should. It takes awhile to make (about an hour) and it’s best to use it when it’s cool (it’s piping hot when it comes out of the oven). You can store it at room temperature or in the freezer. 

Can I make mini no-bake cheesecakes from this recipe? 

Absolutely. I’d venture this would make about 12 if using tall muffin liners and more if using regular. 

Can I leave off the ganache? 

I don’t recommend leaving it off because it really drives that cwc flavor home. Don’t skip it! 

My white chocolate didn’t caramelize correctly. What did I do wrong? 

If you used a good quality white chocolate and followed the directions exactly, chances are there’s nothing wrong with the chocolate. At some point it will be hard and crumbly, this is totally normal. Even if it doesn’t smooth out at the 45 minute mark, once you place it into the food processor it will turn into a smooth liquid. 

Can I buy the caramelized white chocolate (Dulcey feves)? 

Don’t be mad at me, but I’m going to say no because the flavor isn’t as strong. I think that dulcey feves are tempered with white chocolate (to make them smooth and snappy – all the things you want from a good chocolate bar). However this reduces the intense caramel flavor and since there’s already lots of creamy things that are going to mute it, we want to reduce that. Make your own – you won’t regret it! 

Do I have to bake the crust? 

Nope. You can make the crumb/butter mix, press it and freeze it. It will be more crumbly but that’s all. 

No-Bake Caramelized White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe 

No-Bake Caramelized White Chocolate Cheesecake

Light & creamy no-bake cheesecake made with white chocolate that’s caramelized for a toasty, caramel-like flavor. 

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Yields: 12

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

Caramelized White Chocolate

Crust

• 350g oreo crumbs cream removed
• 113g or ½ cup unsalted butter cold is fine

Caramelized White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• 200g caramelized white chocolate chopped or broken into pieces
• 360g or 1 ½ cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream divided
• 452g or 2 brick packages cream cheese at room temperature
• 30g or ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

• 150g caramelized white chocolate
• 100g heavy whipping cream

Method

Caramelize the White Chocolate

• To make the caramelized white chocolate: preheat the oven to 250 F. Break up the 400g white chocolate and spread onto a clean metal pan. Bake it for about 45 minutes, using a rubber spatula to stir it for even browning every 10 minutes. When it’s done, pour it into a food processor and process on high until smooth. Pour it into a parchment lined pan and let it cool then set it in the freezer, it will keep for 2 months.

Make the Cheesecake

• Prepare an 8 inch springform pan by lining it with parchment paper and clipping the ring around it.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Melt the butter and mix it with the cookie crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar if you have it, this helps set the crust. Press it into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Use the back of a measuring cup to get it into a packed, even layer.
• Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then let cool. Once at room temp, you can stick it in the freezer to firm up further.
• In a bowl, whip 240g or 1 cup of the heavy cream to stiff peaks and set aside.
• Very finely chop the caramelized chocolate for the filling and set in a heatproof bowl. Warm 120g or 1/2 cup of the heavy cream in a pot over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and mix until it’s smooth. If you have trouble getting all the chocolate to melt, stick it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
• In a bowl beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour the ganache over it and mix to combine.
• Fold the whipped cream with a rubber spatula, slowly so as not to deflate it.
• Pour filling into the prepared crust and set in the fridge for 4-8 hours (or overnight).

To make the caramelized white chocolate ganache:

• Finely chop the chocolate for the ganache and set in a heatproof bowl.
• Warm the cream until the sides begin to bubble and then pour over the chopped chocolate.
• Stir until smooth. Pour over the firm, chilled cheesecake and serve.
• Store leftovers in the fridge. Uncovered is fine.

Notes

Makes: One tall 8 or 9” round cake. Serves 10-12. 

Takes: 30 minutes, plus an overnight chill. 

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