Caramel Cheesecake Bites are little individual cheesecakes with a buttery graham cracker crust, a smooth, velvety cream cheese filling and a glossy spoonful of caramel on top. They bake in an ordinary muffin pan, chill ahead of time and disappear fast from a party dessert table or a holiday cookie tray.
How to make caramel cheesecake bites: press a graham cracker crust into 12 lined muffin cups, fill with cream cheese filling, bake at 300°F for 16 to 18 minutes until the centers barely jiggle, chill at least 4 hours and top with caramel.
Why You’ll Love It
- No springform pan. A standard 12-cup muffin pan and paper liners do the job.
- Already portioned. Nothing to slice, and every guest gets a neat little cheesecake.
- Made for planning ahead. Bake them days before the party and add the caramel at the end.
- Creamy with a crisp base. A buttery crumb crust under a soft, rich filling and sticky caramel.
Ingredient Notes
Cream cheese. Use full-fat block cream cheese at room temperature. Set it out about an hour before you start so the filling mixes up smooth and creamy.
Eggs. These should be at room temperature too. To warm cold eggs quickly, set them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for a few minutes.
Heavy cream and sour cream. Both go into the filling for a rich, soft texture. Bring them out of the fridge with the cream cheese.
Graham crackers. One cup of finely crushed crumbs, about 7 full rectangles, makes the crust for all 12 cups.
Caramel. Any pourable caramel sauce works. Plan on about 1 tablespoon per cheesecake, warmed just until it spoons easily. A pinch of flaky sea salt on top turns them into salted caramel bites.
Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed (about 7 full sheets)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 3/4 cup caramel sauce, warmed until spoonable
- Flaky sea salt, optional
How to Make Caramel Cheesecake Bites
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 300°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Make the crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Divide the mixture between the 12 cups and press it down firmly into an even layer.
3. Beat the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch on low speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the cream. Mix in the heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla on low speed until combined.
5. Add the eggs. Add the beaten eggs in two additions on low speed, stopping to scrape the bowl in between. Do not overmix.
6. Fill the cups. Spoon or pipe the filling into the cups until they are mostly full, about 3 to 4 tablespoons each. Tap the pan on the counter several times to bring air bubbles to the surface.
7. Bake. Bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still jiggle slightly when you nudge the pan.
8. Cool and chill. Let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature on the counter, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. Top and serve. Lift the cheesecakes out of the pan with an offset spatula or a knife. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of warm caramel over each one and finish with a pinch of flaky salt if you like.
Smooth, Crack-Free Bites Every Time
A perfect cheesecake bite has a flat, creamy top and a filling so smooth it almost melts. The details below are about gentle mixing and a short, low bake.
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before you start | Cream cheese, eggs, heavy cream and sour cream at room temperature |
| Mixing | Low speed only; eggs in two additions; stop as soon as it is smooth |
| Filling | 3 to 4 tablespoons per cup, then tap the pan to release bubbles |
| Baking | 300°F, middle rack, 16 to 18 minutes |
| Done when | Edges set, centers still slightly jiggly |
| Cooling | Room temperature on the counter, then at least 4 hours in the fridge |
The jiggle is the cue that matters most. If the centers look firm all the way across in the oven, they have gone too long. Pull them while the middle still wobbles a little; the long chill gives the filling time to firm up.
That long chill also makes the bites easy to lift out of their liners, and it is why the caramel goes on last. Topping them right before serving keeps the caramel glossy.
Tips for Success
Why are my cheesecake bites lumpy?
The cream cheese was still cold. Room-temperature cream cheese mixes up smooth and creamy, so give it about an hour on the counter before you start.
Why do they stick to the liners?
They were not chilled long enough. After at least 4 hours in the fridge, the filling is firm and the cheesecakes come out cleanly.
Why does my crust crumble apart?
The crumbs were not packed down. Press the crust firmly into each cup until it is an even layer.
Variations
- Whipped cream and fruit. Top each bite with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry instead of caramel.
- Caramel from candies. Melt 12 soft caramel candies with 1 tablespoon of milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water, stirring until smooth, and drizzle it over the bites.
Storage & Reheating
Keep the cheesecake bites covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; laying a paper towel over them under the plastic wrap catches condensation. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours, as USDA FSIS advises for perishable food. To freeze, pack the fully chilled bites without caramel in an airtight container for up to 1 month, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then top. Serve them cold or after about 10 minutes on the counter.
What to Serve With It
Set these out with coffee, or build a dessert table around them. For a full-size caramel cheesecake, try the caramel brownie cheesecake, and for a pan you can cut into squares, the pecan cheesecake bars. If you want to skip the oven, the no bake mini egg cheesecake is just as easy. Caramel lovers can round out the table with a homemade caramel cake, a slow cooker pot of gold caramel dip or a loaf of salted caramel banana bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cheesecake bites ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and chill them 2 to 4 days ahead, keep them covered in the fridge, and spoon on the caramel shortly before serving.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Freeze them fully chilled and without the caramel in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add the caramel.
Can I make them in a mini muffin pan?
Yes. Press the crust into 24 paper-lined mini muffin cups, add about 1 tablespoon of filling to each and bake at 325°F for about 15 minutes, until the centers are almost set.
Final Notes
I always pull these while the centers still wobble, because that slight jiggle is what keeps them creamy after chilling. If you make a batch, tell me in the comments how they turned out or which topping you chose.
Caramel Cheesecake Bites
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Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs finely crushed, about 7 full sheets
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese full-fat, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature, beaten
- 3/4 cup caramel sauce about 1 tablespoon per bite, warmed
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Divide between the 12 cups and press down firmly into an even layer.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch on low speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl.
- Mix in the heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla on low speed until combined.
- Add the beaten eggs in two additions on low speed, scraping the bowl between them. Do not overmix.
- Fill each cup mostly full, about 3 to 4 tablespoons, then tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still jiggle slightly.
- Cool to room temperature on the counter, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Lift the cheesecakes out with an offset spatula. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of warm caramel over each and add a pinch of flaky salt if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
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