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Delight in pure dessert heaven with this No-Bake Millionaire Cheesecake! It has four amazing layers that start with a shortbread crust, topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, then rich caramel and chocolate ganache to finish it off. And the best part? It’s so easy to make with no baking required!
Let’s talk all things cheesecake! Whether it’s served as individual mini portions like these cherry cheesecake bars, an air fryer cheesecake or it’s made into a salad like our strawberry cheesecake salad, it’s always a popular dessert! There are so many delicious varieties to enjoy! Try all of our fabulous cheesecake recipes!
Millionaire Cheesecake Recipe
This Millionaire Cheesecake recipe features a velvety cream cheese filling sitting on a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust topped with gooey caramel and chocolate ganache. You’ll love biting through all of the contrasting layers of chewy, creamy, then into that crisp, buttery base. It’s perfectly rich and decadent but is relatively simple to make. And you don’t even have to turn on your oven!
Cheesecake and shortbread are two of my favorite desserts. Millionaire cheesecake is the best combination of both! It’s one of my new favorite desserts because it’s great to serve for any occasion from Christmas to birthdays or Father’s Day, and it’s always a hit. If you adore the millionaire flavors like we do, try our Millionaire Shortbread Bars next!
Ingredients Needed
The ingredient list for this millionaire cheesecake recipe may look a little daunting, but one bite with chocolate, caramel, cheesecake and cookie crust, and you’ll see that’s it’s totally worth it! Plus, all of the ingredients are simple and easy to find. Many you probably already have in your pantry! Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Crust
- Shortbread Cookie Crumbs: For 3 cups of cookie crumbs, you will need slightly more than 10 ounces of shortbread cookies. If you’re using Lorna Doone buy 2 packages, and you will most likely need to use about 50 cookies.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter helps the cookie crumbs come together while adding richness.
- Salt: Just a pinch is all you need to enhance the flavor!
Filling
- Cream Cheese: For maximum richness, use a brick of full-fat cream cheese that is softened to room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar: Dissolves into the filling and adds sweetness.
- Pudding Mix: Stir in either vanilla or cheesecake flavored dry instant pudding mix for extra flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor to the filling.
- Whipped Topping: Thawed Cool Whip or another whipped topping will make the cheesecake filling wonderfully fluffy.
Caramel topping
- Salted Butter: For salted caramel, we like to use salted butter. However, you can use regular, if preferred.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: The base of the caramel making it rich, sweet and thick.
- Light Corn Syrup: For a glossy, silky smooth consistency.
- Sugar: Use both brown sugar and granulated sugar for the perfect sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: For a warm subtle sweetness.
- Flakey Salt: Add 1 pinch of flakey salt for a salted caramel flavor.
Ganache
- Chocolate: Use a semi-sweet or dark chocolate (50% cocao and above). Milk chocolate will overwhelm the other flavors too much. We like using semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Heavy Cream: Combines with the chocolate to make a deliciously rich ganache.
How to Make a Millionaire’s Cheesecake
You are going to love this no bake millionaire cheesecake! Everything about it is incredible. There are quite a few steps, but they’re all easy and straightforward, there’s no baking involved, a shortbread crust, and a creamy filling layered with caramel and chocolate… what’s not to love?! Here’s how it all comes together:
Crust
- Prep the Cookies: Prepare the shortbread cookie crumbs by pulsing your favorite shortbread cookies in the food processor until you have fine crumbs.
- Make the Crust: Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and salt until fully moistened. Press evenly into a 9 or 10-inch springform pan that has been sprayed well with pan spray. You can use your fingers or a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Chill: Cover and chill the crust while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- Make the Cheesecake Layer: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Chill: Add the whipped topping and fold it in. If it is not folding in smoothly, you may need to use a hand mixer to fully blend it in. Pour the filling on top of the chilled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Caramel
- Make the Caramel Layer: Add the corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a medium saucepan.
- Simmer: Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a large pinch of flakey salt.
- Let Cool: Set the caramel aside and let it cool for at least an hour before spreading it evenly over the cheesecake. You may make it in advance, cover it, and chill it in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before spreading on top of the chilled cheesecake.
Ganache
- Make the Ganache Layer: Add the chocolate to a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until it’s steaming, about 1 ½ minutes. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth. If there are still a couple of little unmelted pieces of chocolate chips, heat the ganache for 10 seconds before whisking again until it is completely smooth.
- Chill & Serve: Spread the ganache over the caramel and chill for 30 minutes before serving the millionaire cheesecake, to allow the ganache to set.
Tips and Tricks
Nothing too complicated about making a Millionaire Cheesecake, but here are our top tips, so it turns out perfect!
- Clean Slices: Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Cheesecake slices best when cut with a hot knife. Run a large chef’s knife under very hot water for 20 seconds, then dry with a clean kitchen towel or a paper towel. Slice into the cheesecake. Repeat before making another cut into the cheesecake. It takes longer, but will give you beautiful, clean slices!
- Room Temp Ingredients: Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you make your cheesecake filling! If the cream cheese into room temperature, the filling can end up lumpy instead of smooth and luscious.
- Heating the Caramel: Don’t overcook the caramel! The caramel might not turn a deep amber color and that’s alright. Simmer it for 10 minutes and remove it from the heat. Overcooking the caramel will make it set very hard and it will be very difficult to cut through, even with a hot knife.
- For the Crust: Use your favorite shortbread cookies for the crust! Lorna Doone, Walker’s Shortbread, or Keebler Sandies are great options. This crust uses a lot of shortbread, but this means you have an extra thick crust for the perfect Millionaire ratio.
Storing Leftover Cheesecake
Keep Millionaire Cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more the caramel will weep, so keep that in mind when you are preparing it in advance.
More Amazing Desserts
A homemade dessert is the perfect way to end a meal. Here are a few more dessert recipes that you will love! They’re all absolutely irresistible!
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No-Bake Millionaire Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 cups shortbread cookie crumbs
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2-3 dashes of salt
Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons dry instant pudding mix, vanilla or cheesecake flavored.
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 8-ounce container whipped topping, thawed
Caramel topping
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large pinch flakey salt
Ganache
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare the shortbread cookie crumbs by pulsing your favorite shortbread cookies in the food processor until you have fine crumbs.
- Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and salt until fully moistened. Press evenly into a 9 or 10-inch springform pan that has been sprayed well with pan spray. You can use your fingers or a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Cover and chill the crust while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the whipped topping and fold it in. If it is not folding in smoothly, you may need to use a hand mixer to fully blend it in. Pour the filling on top of the chilled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Caramel
- Add the corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a large pinch of flakey salt.
- Set the caramel aside and let it cool for at least an hour before spreading it evenly over the cheesecake. You may make it in advance, cover it, and chill it in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before spreading on top of the chilled cheesecake.
Ganache
- Add the chocolate to a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until it’s steaming, about 1 ½ minutes. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth. If there are still a couple of little unmelted pieces of chocolate chips, heat the ganache for 10 seconds before whisking again until it is completely smooth.
- Spread the ganache over the caramel and chill for 30 minutes before serving, to allow the ganache to set.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
