If you know, you know. Crumbl cookies have this way of taking over your brain, and these Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies are absolutely no exception. I first tried them on a whim and honestly stood in the parking lot eating mine before I even got back to my car. That’s when I knew I had to figure out how to make them at home. You get this thick, chewy graham cracker cookie base, topped with the creamiest cheesecake frosting, a zig-zag of caramel drizzle, and just a pinch of coarse sea salt to tie everything together. I tested this recipe more times than I’ll admit before getting it just right. Trust me, it’s worth every single batch.
Why You Will Love These Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Still on the fence? Here is why this recipe is going to become your new go-to:
- Bakery-quality results at home – These taste like the real deal, straight from your own oven.
- Super easy to pull together – If you can cream butter and sugar, you can make these.
- No fancy equipment needed – Just a mixer, some bowls, and a couple of pastry bags.
- That flavor combination is unbeatable – Sweet caramel, tangy cheesecake frosting, and that hit of sea salt all in one bite.
- Makes a big batch – You get 24 cookies, so there is plenty to share. Or not. No judgment here.
Equipment You Need for Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Before you start, grab everything you need and set it out on the counter. It makes the whole process so much smoother. Here is what you will want to have ready:
- Two large baking sheets
- Parchment paper to line them
- One large mixing bowl for the wet ingredients
- One medium mixing bowl for the dry ingredients
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk for combining the dry ingredients
- Pastry bags with large round tips for the frosting and caramel
- A cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients for Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Let’s talk ingredients. I want you to have everything measured and ready before you even turn on your mixer. Trust me, it makes the whole thing so much less stressful. Quick note for newer bakers: “room temperature” means your ingredient has been sitting out for about 30-45 minutes and feels neither cold nor warm to the touch. “Packed” means you’re pressing the brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup until it holds its shape when turned out.
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed firmly
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed to a fine crumb
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Frosting and Topping Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 7 oz marshmallow cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar, added gradually in 1/2 cup increments
- 1/3 cup caramel dip
- Coarse sea salt for finishing
Room temperature cream cheese is truly non-negotiable here. Cold cream cheese will leave you with a lumpy frosting no matter how long you mix it. Don’t skip that step.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
A few things I’ve learned from making these cookies more times than I can count. These notes will save you from some common mistakes and help you make smart swaps when needed.
- Salted butter versus unsalted: Salted butter is the right call here. It balances the sweetness from two types of sugar and the caramel drizzle. Unsalted butter makes the whole cookie taste a little flat.
- Store-bought caramel dip: Totally fine to use, and honestly what I reach for every time. It’s thick enough to drizzle without running all over the place. Homemade caramel can work but make sure it’s cooled and thick before piping.
- Marshmallow cream: This is what gives the frosting that light, fluffy texture. Don’t swap it for whipped cream or cool whip. The texture just won’t be the same.
- Full-fat cream cheese only: Please don’t use low-fat here. It makes the frosting too thin and watery.
- Pre-made graham cracker crumbs: Yes, you can use them. Just make sure they’re a fine crumb, not coarse chunks.
How to Make Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Okay, this is where the magic happens. I promise these are easier to pull together than they look. Just follow the steps in order and you’ll be golden. Literally.
Making the Cookie Dough
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Add your softened salted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Use your electric mixer to cream everything together until the mixture turns pale and looks fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush it.
Beat in your eggs and vanilla until fully combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, crushed graham crackers, baking soda, baking powder, and Kosher salt. Then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until everything is just blended together.
Now here’s the part that makes these cookies so thick and gorgeous. Divide your dough into 1/2 cup portions and roll each one into a ball. Place six balls on each baking sheet. Press each ball down with your hands until you have a circle about 1 inch thick. Don’t go thinner than that or you’ll lose that beautiful thick Crumbl-style texture.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms just start to turn golden. Pull them out even if they look slightly underdone on top. They firm up as they cool. Overbaking is the biggest mistake people make here. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Making the Frosting and Assembling Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
While your cookies are cooling, start the frosting. Beat your room temperature cream cheese in a mixing bowl until it’s smooth.
Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, mixing well between each addition. This keeps the frosting silky and lump-free. Once all 2 cups are in, fold in the marshmallow cream and mix until it’s completely combined and fluffy.
Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
Here’s an important timing note. Pipe the frosting while the cookies are still slightly warm, not piping hot and not fully cooled. That gentle warmth helps the frosting settle just a little into the cookie surface so it holds beautifully. If you wait until the cookies are completely cold, the frosting sits on top and tends to slide around.
Pipe in a spiral starting from the center and working your way out to the edge.
Next, load your caramel dip into a small pastry bag with a round tip. Drizzle it back and forth in a zig-zag pattern right over the frosting. Then finish each cookie with a pinch of coarse sea salt on top. That little hit of salt against the sweet caramel is everything.
Tips for Perfect Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
I’ve made these cookies more times than I can count, and these little details really do make a difference. Don’t skip over them.
- Bring everything to room temperature first. Your butter, eggs, and cream cheese all need to be at room temperature before you start. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and cold cream cheese turns lumpy fast.
- Don’t skip the 5-minute rest on the pan. Those cookies are still cooking during that time. Move them too soon and they’ll fall apart on you.
- Measure your flour the right way. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the cookies dense.
- Crush those graham crackers fine. Big chunks mess with the texture. You want a fine, sandy crumb throughout the dough.
- Don’t overbake. The pan keeps cooking the cookies after they come out of the oven.
- Use a kitchen scale if you have one. Portioning to exactly 1/2 cup per cookie gives you consistent size and even baking every single time.
Variations to Try
The original recipe is honestly perfect as it is, but if you want to play around a little, here are a few fun ideas worth trying.
- Swap the caramel for chocolate ganache. A simple drizzle of melted chocolate over the frosting gives these cookies a totally different but equally delicious feel.
- Add a spoonful of strawberry jam under the frosting. Just a thin layer spread on the warm cookie before you pipe adds a fruity twist that works really well with the cheesecake frosting.
- Mix mini chocolate chips into the dough. Fold in about half a cup before portioning and you get little pockets of chocolate in every bite.
- Try cinnamon graham crackers instead of plain. It adds a warm, spiced note to the base that feels extra cozy in the fall.
Storing Your Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
These cookies keep really well if you store them right. Pop them in an airtight container and they’ll stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. But here’s the thing – the frosting has cream cheese in it, so after day one I’d move them to the fridge. They’ll last up to a week in there with no problem.
Want to get ahead? Freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months. Just let them thaw completely at room temperature, then pipe on the frosting, drizzle the caramel, and finish with that pinch of sea salt right before serving. Good as fresh.
Nutritional Information
Here’s a rough breakdown per cookie based on my recipe. Keep in mind these are estimates and your actual numbers may vary depending on the brands you use and how you measure your ingredients.
- Calories: 250
- Total Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sodium: 150mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 18g
- Protein: 2g
Frequently Asked Questions About Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Can you make Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. Bake the cookies a day ahead and store them unfrosted at room temperature. Then make the frosting fresh and assemble right before you serve them. They taste just as good that way.
Can you freeze these cookies?
You can freeze the cookie bases without the frosting for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually and pop them in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature and frost when you’re ready to serve.
What makes these cookies taste like Crumbl?
It’s really the combination of the thick graham cracker base, that creamy cheesecake frosting, and the salty caramel drizzle on top. That balance of sweet, salty, and tangy is exactly what makes these Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies so recognizable.
Can you use homemade caramel instead of caramel dip?
Homemade caramel works great here. Just make sure it’s thick enough to drizzle without running all over the frosting. A thinner sauce will slide right off, so let it cool a bit first.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
This usually happens when the butter is too warm or the dough wasn’t chilled. Make sure your butter is softened but still cool to the touch. If your kitchen is warm, chill the portioned dough balls for 15 minutes before baking.
Share Your Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
I’d love to hear how yours turned out! Drop a star rating and leave a comment below telling me all about it. And if you snapped a photo of those gorgeous caramel drizzled cookies, please tag me on social media. Seeing your bakes seriously makes my day.
Print
Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delicious Crumbl Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies topped with creamy frosting and caramel drizzle.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 package, 8 oz, cream cheese, room temperature
- 7 oz marshmallow cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup caramel dip
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add butter, white sugar and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to cream them together until the mixture is light in colour and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, crushed graham crackers, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until completely blended together.
- Divide the cookie dough into ½ cup portions. Roll each into a ball.
- Place six balls on each of the two baking sheets. Using your hands press down each ball until they are a 1 inch thick circle.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they start to get a little golden on the bottom.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- To make the frosting, pour the cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing until smooth.
- Continue adding ½ cup of the powdered sugar at a time until the 2 cups of powdered have been mixed in.
- Add the marshmallow cream and mix until it is completely combined.
- Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag with a round large tip.
- Pipe the frosting in a spiral on each warm cookie.
- Add the caramel dip in a small pastry bag with a round tip.
- Zig zag the caramel dip on each cookie, and sprinkle the sea salt on top of the cookies.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container.
- Best enjoyed fresh but can be kept for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg