With a graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and caramel topping, this Salted Caramel Cheesecake in a Jar recipe is a lovely handheld dessert that can be made in advance and perfect for summer entertaining since there’s no baking required.
Easy Salted Caramel Cheesecake in a Jar Recipe
Cheesecake jars are a favorite no-bake treat, especially when you’re craving the creamy texture and tangy flavor of cheesecake, but don’t want to turn on the oven or prepare a water bath. I love turning my favorite cheesecake recipes into these no-bake jars, as I did with my Biscoff cheesecake jars and cherry cheesecake jars.
Today’s cheesecake in a jar recipe includes salted caramel, so it’s already a winner, right? The salted caramel pairs so well with the tangy cheesecake filling. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and tangy. Not to mention, it is incredibly easy to make without any cooking and great for summer entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Quick & Easy Dessert
- No baking required. These cheesecake jars require no baking at all – all you need is a hand mixer to blend the cheesecake filling. Perfect for those hot summer days when you’re craving dessert but don’t want to heat up the kitchen.
- Smooth, creamy texture. The filling is made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream which combine to make a smooth, creamy, and light texture. If you eat these immediately, they’re even a bit mousse-like!
- Can be prepared ahead. I love a make-ahead dessert to cut down on prep the day of, and this fits the bill. They store in the fridge for several days and can even be frozen – see below for instructions on how.
What You’ll Need
These caramel cheesecake jars begin with a simple graham cracker crust and cream cheese filling, both requiring just a few common ingredients.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and precise measurements.)
- Graham cracker crumbs – The base of our cheesecake crust.
- Sugar – Sweetens the crust.
- Butter – Helps hold the crust together.
- Salt – Balances out the sweetness.
- Cream cheese – The base of the filling. Be sure to soften it to room temperature to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the cheesecake filling.
- Vanilla extract – For added flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream – Gives shapes to the filling. Be sure to keep it cold until you’re ready to use it!
- Salted caramel – Grab a jar at the store or use my caramel sauce recipe.
- Flaky sea salt – Optional, but finishes off the dessert nicely.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few fun ways to customize your caramel cheesecake jars to your tastes and preferences.
- Try different cookie crumbs. You can change the flavor of the cheesecake by using cookie crumbs like crushed Oreos or crushed vanilla wafers.
- Make them gluten free. If you’re trying to make this a gluten-free recipe, you can use a gluten-free graham cracker and still end up with a very similar cheesecake jar.
- Use Cool Whip. If you’re a fan of Cool Whip, you can forgo the heavy cream and fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture. You will need one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip, thawed.
How To Make Salted Caramel Cheesecake in a Jar
It doesn’t take long to make this salted caramel cheesecake in a jar recipe – and you’ll never need to turn on the oven!
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and precise measurements.)
- Make the crust. Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup into each glass jar, pressing down with the back of a spoon.
- Make the filling. Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy with no lumps remaining. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula.
- Assemble the jar. Pipe the cream cheese mixture evenly into the jars. Top with caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things I’ve found helpful when making these cheesecake jars.
- Making the graham cracker crumbs. You can place graham crackers into a food processor or blender and pulse until you get fine crumbs. You can also put them into a freezer Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. For ultra convenience, the crumbs are now sold at stores, but I find they don’t taste as good.
- Make more layers. You can layer this recipe if you want the perfect bite in every spoonful. You will want to put half of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of all the jars, half of the filling, and half of the topping, and then repeat this one more time.
- Pipe, don’t spoon. While you can spoon the mixture into the jars very carefully, I highly recommend transferring the mixture to a piping bag instead. If you pipe the mixture into the jars, it doesn’t make any mess on the sides, and they come out evenly.
- What mason jars should I use? I am using the 8-ounce mason jars with lids, which you can get at most grocery stores or big box stores. You can also get them here on Amazon. For smaller servings, you can also use 4 ounce mason jars by cutting all the ingredients in half or by making 12 jars instead of 6.
- Make them in other glassware. You can make these in any glassware you would like. I’ve even served them in no-stem wine glasses for a fancy look.
Serving Suggestions
Depending on the texture you’re after, you can serve right away or chill first. If you want it to be more light and fluffy, like a mouse, I would eat them right after you make them. If you’re looking for a denser texture like a cheesecake, I would refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Seal your salted caramel cheesecake in a jar with the lids and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. These can be frozen (without the caramel topping) for up to 2 months. When you want to enjoy your cheesecakes, place them in the refrigerator to thaw overnight, then finish with the caramel topping and serve.
More Easy Cheesecake Recipes
- Mint Chocolate Chip No Bake Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake Mousse
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Mini Cheesecakes
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Salted Caramel Cheesecake in a Jar
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
- 1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 8 ounce package cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
FOR THE CARAMEL
- 3/4 cup salted caramel
- flaky sea salt , optional
Instructions
- Set out 6, 8 once glass jars.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Transfer a 1/4 cup of the crust mixture into each jar. Press down with the back of a spoon to compact.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla using an elective mixer until fluffy and no lumps remain.
- In a separate bowl, add the heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks are reached. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold together gently using a spatula.
- Place the cream cheese filling into a piping bag and pipe the mixture evenly into the jars over the crust (approx. a 1/3 cup each)
- Top each jar with 2 tablespoons of caramel and a sprinkle of salt.