Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Recipe
Rich, chocolate Cheesecakes topped with a milk chocolate ganache, caramel, and pecans! Next time you crave Cheesecake, try this Chocolate Turtle version!
Servings: 20 cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 9 honey graham crackers whole
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake:
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened 8 ounce each
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
For the topping:
- 2 cups milk chocolate morsels
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 16 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
- ¼ cup chocolate syrup
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs. Pulse in sugar. Using a fork, mix in the melted butter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of crust into the bottom of 20-24 paper lined muffin cups. Press into bottom of paper liner using a tart shaper or bottom of a cup. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on high for about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Beat in the cocoa powder. Spoon filling (about 2 Tbsp scoop) into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake cheesecakes in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
- When cooled, begin ganache and frosting. In a glass bowl, add heavy cream and microwave one minute, until warmed. Add chocolate, heat an additional 60 seconds. Whisk smooth.
- Spoon about 1-2 Tablespoons of ganache over each cooled cheesecake. Pipe some Cool Whip (or whipped cream) over the top. Drizzle with caramel sauce and chocolate syrup and top with a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
Notes
- For the crust: Use the food processor to make the graham cracker crust for turning the crackers into fine crumbs. Once you add the butter and sugar, press the crust into the muffin tins using a tart shaper. If you don't have a tart shaper, the bottom of a cup works just as well!
- For the cheesecake: Let the cream cheese soften for a few minutes on the counter so it's easier to beat with the eggs, sugar and cocoa. I recommend filling each muffin tin only about 2/3 of the way full with the cheesecake mixture so you leave room for the toppings!
- For the toppings: I use the microwave for melting the chocolate and the heavy cream, then whisk the ingredients together to form a smooth and silky ganache frosting.
- Add the ganache to the baked cheesecakes first, followed by the whipped cream (Cool Whip) caramel sauce and chocolate syrup. Finish off the Chocolate Turtle Cheesecakes by sprinkling chopped pecans before the chocolate sets.
- Store: Refrigerate cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze the cheesecakes without the topping for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cheesecake | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g