Caramel Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are the ultimate indulgent treat that combines three heavenly flavors: buttery graham cracker cookies, tangy cream cheese frosting, and rich salted caramel drizzle all in one decadent bite. These show-stopping cookies feature a soft, chewy graham cracker base topped with luscious cream cheese frosting and finished with a swirl of homemade or store-bought caramel sauce and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. What makes these cookies truly irresistible is the perfect balance of sweet caramel, tangy cheesecake, and the subtle honey notes from graham crackers—it’s like eating cheesecake in cookie form.
Inspired by Crumbl’s viral version, these bakery-style cookies deliver gourmet flavor and impressive presentation right from your own kitchen. The best part is that you can customize them to your liking—stuff them with frozen cheesecake filling for an ooey-gooey center, or top them traditionally with frosting and caramel for easier preparation. Whether you’re making them for holidays, special occasions, or simply treating yourself, these cookies are guaranteed to become a new favorite.
Table of Contents
Recipe Quick Facts
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 12-16 cookies
Difficulty Level: Medium
Cuisine Type: American
Course: Dessert
Dietary Labels: Vegetarian
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Three classic flavors—graham cracker, cheesecake, and caramel—combined into one amazing cookie
- Bakery-style copycat of Crumbl’s popular salted caramel cheesecake cookies
- Impressive presentation makes them perfect for parties, holidays, and gift-giving
- Customizable with stuffed or topped versions depending on your preference
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full graham crackers, finely crushed)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4-8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1½-2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
For the Caramel Topping
- ½-¾ cup salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Flaked sea salt for garnish
Optional Stuffed Version Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Soft caramel candies (1 per cookie)
Ingredient Quality Tips: Use finely crushed graham cracker crumbs for the best texture—pulse whole crackers in a food processor for even consistency. Room temperature butter and cream cheese are essential for smooth mixing and proper texture. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese until completely smooth before adding other ingredients to avoid lumps.
Equipment Needed
Essential Tools
- Large baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- 3-tablespoon cookie scoop (for large cookies)
- Whisk
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Piping bag with round tip (optional, for frosting)
Optional Tools
- Food processor (for crushing graham crackers)
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula for spreading frosting
- Small saucepan (for homemade caramel)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl with a stand mixer or electric mixer, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until smooth and well combined.
- Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until combined and no flour streaks remain.
- Shape cookies: Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out large balls of dough. Roll each ball in additional graham cracker crumbs if desired for extra texture. Place 5-6 cookies per baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart as they spread.
- Flatten and bake: Gently flatten each cookie ball slightly with your palm. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown but centers still look slightly underdone. Don’t overbake—cookies will continue cooking as they cool.
- Press and finish baking (optional method): Some recipes suggest removing cookies after 12 minutes, gently pressing each with a flat glass, then baking 3 additional minutes for a flatter, chewier texture.
- Cool completely: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This is crucial—frosting will melt if cookies are warm.
- Make cream cheese frosting: In a clean mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, about 2-3 minutes. Add powdered sugar (½ cup at a time), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed first to prevent sugar clouds, then increase to high speed and beat 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Frost cookies: Once cookies are completely cool, pipe or spread cream cheese frosting generously on top of each cookie using a piping bag with round tip or an offset spatula.
- Add caramel and salt: Drizzle or swirl ½-1 teaspoon of salted caramel sauce over the frosting on each cookie. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaked sea salt on top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Alternative Stuffed Version: Make cheesecake filling by beating cream cheese, powdered sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Freeze tablespoon-sized dollops for 1 hour. Flatten cookie dough, place frozen cheesecake filling (with caramel candy inside if desired) in center, wrap dough around filling, seal, and bake.
Pro Tips for Success
- Don’t overbake—cookies should have golden edges but soft centers for the perfect chewy texture
- Beat cream cheese until completely smooth before adding other ingredients to avoid lumpy frosting
- Let cookies cool completely before frosting or the cream cheese will melt and slide off
- If caramel is too warm, it will drip off cookies—let it cool to room temperature or slightly cooler
- Use finely crushed graham crackers for the best texture and even distribution
- Room temperature butter and cream cheese are essential for proper mixing and texture
Substitutions & Variations
- Store-bought shortcuts: Use store-bought caramel sauce instead of homemade for easier preparation
- Gluten-free: Substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour in both cookies and filling
- Different cookie base: Use chocolate chip cookie dough or snickerdoodle dough instead of graham cracker base
- White chocolate drizzle: Add melted white chocolate drizzle alongside caramel for extra decadence
- Peanut butter version: Add ¼ cup peanut butter to cream cheese frosting for salted caramel peanut butter flavor
- Chocolate graham: Use chocolate graham crackers for a chocolate twist
- Lighter frosting: Replace half the butter with additional cream cheese for tangier, lighter frosting
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Room Temperature: Not recommended—cream cheese frosting needs refrigeration
- Refrigerator: Store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes before serving for best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cookies in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw and frost when ready to serve. Do not freeze frosted cookies as cream cheese frosting doesn’t freeze well.
- Make Ahead: Bake cookies 1-2 days ahead and store unfrosted in airtight container. Make frosting and caramel ahead; refrigerate separately and assemble just before serving.
- Component prep: Cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months
Serving Suggestions
- Serve on a decorative platter as the centerpiece dessert at parties and gatherings
- Package individually in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon for beautiful gifts
- Pair with hot coffee, cold milk, or dessert wine for adult gatherings
- Serve alongside vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence
- Create a cookie board with these as the star, surrounded by fresh berries and chocolate
- Serve slightly warm (10 seconds in microwave) for a gooey, melty experience
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 385 | Protein: 4 g | Carbohydrates: 52 g | Fat: 18 g | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 36 g | Sodium: 280 mg
Nutrition values are approximate and based on 12 large cookies with frosting and caramel
FAQ
1. Can I make these ahead?
Yes! Bake the cookies 1-2 days ahead and store unfrosted in an airtight container. Make frosting and prepare caramel, then assemble just before serving for best results.
2. Can I use store-bought caramel sauce?
Absolutely! Store-bought caramel sauce works perfectly and saves time. Just make sure to use salted caramel or add a pinch of sea salt to regular caramel.
3. Why is my frosting runny?
Make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature, not melted. Also beat the cream cheese until completely smooth before adding other ingredients. If too soft, refrigerate 15-20 minutes.
4. Can I stuff these cookies instead of topping them?
Yes! Make a cheesecake filling, freeze it in portions, then wrap cookie dough around frozen filling before baking. This creates a gooey center.
5. How do I prevent cookies from spreading too much?
Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking if it seems too soft. Also make sure your butter is softened but not melted when making the dough.
6. Can I freeze these cookies?
Freeze unfrosted baked cookies for up to 3 months. Do not freeze frosted cookies as the cream cheese frosting doesn’t thaw well and becomes watery.
Recipe Notes
Caramel Cheesecake Cookies gained massive popularity thanks to Crumbl Cookies, which features rotating weekly flavors including their iconic Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookie. The original Crumbl version inspired countless home bakers to create copycat recipes that replicate the bakery’s signature oversized cookies with gourmet toppings. The combination of graham cracker cookies with cheesecake and caramel pays homage to classic cheesecake flavors—graham cracker crust, creamy filling, and caramel topping—all reimagined in portable cookie form. The stuffed variation, which features frozen cheesecake filling inside the cookie, represents the trend toward “surprise center” cookies that became popular on social media in the 2010s and 2020s. Today, these cookies represent the evolution of American baking toward bakery-quality treats made at home, with emphasis on multiple components, bold flavors, and Instagram-worthy presentation.
