Spooky Caramel Cheesecake With Ghost Meringues

This Halloween cheesecake is the one dessert both kids and adults will fight over. A chocolate Oreo cookie crust holds a silky white chocolate caramel cream cheese filling, topped with the cutest (and easiest) homemade ghost meringues.

Why You'll Love This Halloween Cheesecake

• Rich caramel flavor. Homemade caramel and vanilla white chocolate go right into the filling.
• A chewy caramel top. A thin, chewy caramel layer forms on top as it bakes.
• Silky and creamy. Cream cheese and mascarpone make it super smooth.
• Make-ahead friendly. It freezes incredibly well, so you can get ahead of holiday baking.
• Feeds a crowd. It easily serves 12, and kids and adults both love it.
• Totally original. This is my own recipe, made spooky with ghost meringues for Halloween.

Ingredients

For the Oreo Crust

• Oreo cookies
• Butter

For the Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese
• Mascarpone (optional, or use all cream cheese for a slightly tangier filling)
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Salt
• All-purpose flour

For the White Chocolate Caramel

• Sugar
• Water
• Heavy cream
• Salt
• White chocolate

For Decorating

• Ghostbuster Meringues (one batch)
• 10-minute homemade "bloody" berry sauce (optional)

Not just for Halloween. Skip the ghost meringues and this makes a perfect fall or winter dinner party dessert.

Full ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Halloween Cheesecake

Step 1. Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Step 2. Make the Oreo crust. Remove the cream filling from the cookies (or see the recipe notes to leave it in), pulse the cookies into coarse crumbs, and mix in the melted butter. Press into the pan and bake 7 to 8 minutes, until set. Once cool, wrap the outside of the pan securely in heavy-duty foil for the water bath.

Step 3. Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese (and mascarpone, if using) with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and salt just until combined.

Step 4. Make the white chocolate caramel. Cook the sugar and water over high heat without stirring until it turns deep amber, about 10 to 11 minutes, swirling the pan once or twice near the end. Turn off the heat, whisk in the heavy cream, then stir in the white chocolate and salt.

Watch the color, not just the clock. Small bubbles mean it's not ready yet. Once the bubbles get bigger and the edges turn golden, it goes from amber to burnt quickly.

Step 5. Combine. Working quickly, whisk the caramel into the cheesecake filling, then gently fold in the flour.

Step 6. Bake and chill. Pour the batter over the crust, set the pan in a water bath, and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the edges puff slightly and the center only barely jiggles. Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate at least 5 hours, ideally overnight.

Step 7. Decorate. Top with decorated ghost meringues just before serving. Enjoy!

How to Store and Freeze Cheesecake

• Refrigerate. Store in an airtight container for 4 to 6 days, away from onions and other strong-smelling foods. [NEEDS: verify fridge time]
• Freeze a whole cheesecake. Leave it in the springform pan (or on a cardboard round), wrap in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze 1 to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Freeze ramekins or minis. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. I've kept them as long as 6 months and they taste freshly made.
• Freeze slices. Wrap 2 to 3 slices in parchment, then plastic wrap, and store in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter if you can't wait.
• Freeze before decorating. Add the ghost meringues after thawing.

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