Salty Caramel Cheesecake Bars

Creamy caramel cheesecake over a pretzel crust is topped with a layer of dulce de leche and dark chocolate.  Sweet and salty perfection!

I’ve been craving caramel lately.  Maybe because it’s fall now and caramel seems to be a fall treat.  Whatever the reason, I went on a hunt for caramel cheesecake and found this one at Bon Appetite.  I wanted to add salty to the recipe, so I used a pretzel crust instead of grahams and added dark chocolate.  It is really good.  A subtle caramel flavor with just a hint of salt from the crust.

Want to know how these are made?  Here you go:  (Printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 24 cheesecake squares)

Crust:

• 3 cups of crushed pretzels
• 2 Tablespoons of sugar
• 1  stick (1/2 cup) of butter

Cheesecake:

• 3 packages of cream cheese (8 oz.), softened to room temperature.
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1 can (13.4 oz) of Nestle La Lechera Dulce de Leche (or 1 cup of your own- find recipe here)

Topping:

• 1 bag (10 oz.) Nestle Dark Chocolate Morsels.
• 12 Tablespoons of butter

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
• Make crust by combining crushed pretzels, butter and sugar together and pressing into a greased 9×13 pan.
• Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes.  Cool completely.
• In a large bowl, cream together sugar with cream cheese.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed between each one.
• Add vanilla and 1/2 of the can (about 1/2 cup) of Dulce de Leche.
• Beat on medium until completely combined.
• Pour cheesecake over cooled crust and bake at 325F for 45 minutes. (Until center is set)
• Cool at room temperature.
• Carefully spread remaining Dulce de Leche over the top of the cooled cheesecake.
• Melt 12 Tablespoons of butter with dark chocolate chips until smooth.
• Pour over top, carefully spreading chocolate to cover entire cheesecake.
• Carefully set pretzels on top of chocolate.  Each one will be in the center of one piece when it is cut, so place them according to how big you want your pieces.
• Lightly sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Before serving, allow cheesecake to warm a little and then using a sharp knife, cut into squares with a pretzel centered in each.
• Enjoy!

My thoughts:  These are really so yummy.  My only problem?  The crust was a little crumbly (you can see in the pictures).  I’m almost positive I didn’t get my pretzels chopped fine enough.  Make sure you chop/food process them into FINE bits- not coarse.

If you don’t want a salty crust just use graham crackers– or Oreos…oh my, caramel cheesecake over Oreos?  Yes, please!  The cheesecake is delicious.  It would be good over any crust.  I hope you enjoy trying it!!!  ~r

Other caramel desserts you might enjoy: