Belula

Creamy Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Oreo Crust

A creamy cheesecake recipe made by adding dulce de leche and heavy cream in the filling for an 8-inch pan. It has an Oreo crust base and is topped with dulce del leche frosting.

Belula April 03, 2021
Closeup shot of the sliced cheesecake seeing the interior on a black plate over brown parchment paper and some flowers in the back.

I have been testing dulce de leche cheesecake for some time now. And I can say we have a winner! Not too sweet, and balanced out by the lemon juice, the dulce the leche makes this a very creamy cheesecake you are going to want to try. I made it for my 40th birthday when visiting Argentina, and my dulce de leche expert friends approved it 100%. I hope you love it as much as they did!

Ingredient notes

  • Eggs: must be at room temperature
  • Cream cheese: I prefer to use Philadelphia cream cheese. You can use the one you like most. And you can try this recipe with mascarpone cheese too, it is lovely.
  • Dulce de leche: I like to use Argentinean dulce de leche, being from Argentina and all. I like this one very much La Serenisima. You can make your own but have not found any good traditional recipes to share with you. Working on my own dulce de leche recipe as we speak!
  • Heavy cream: must have full fat content.
  • Oreo cookies: you can use store bought cookies or if you are up for it, I have a homemade Oreo cookie recipe that's wonderful. Only bake the cookies, no filling necessary to make the crust.

What is dulce de leche Cheesecake?

It is a cheesecake that mixes dulce de leche into the filling. This makes this cake creamier and even more delicious.

Closeup shot of the sliced cheesecake seeing the interior on a black plate over brown parchment paper and some flowers in the back.
The whole the sliced dulce de leche cheesecake with some blurry flowers on the background.

How to make this recipe

It is very straightforward. To make this easy homemade dessert you simply must:

  • Make the Oreo crust.
  • Then make the creamy dulce de leche filling and fill the crust.
  • Bake the cheesecake using a 20 cm / 8inch springform pan: this is the tricky part. See below for further ticks and tips!
  • Top with dulce de leche cream frosting. I love the touch it adds!
The cheesecake crust pressed into the springform cake pan.
Cheesecake batter in a bowl with a spatula inside.
Cheesecake batter in the springform cake pan before baking.
The dulce de leche cheesecake filling the springform pan covered in aluminium on a baking tray.
The baked cheesecake seen from above with a plate on the side filled with the cheesecake frosting.
The baked cheesecake seen from above topped with a dulce de leche cheesecake frosting.

How to make the dulce de leche filling?

This filling is somewhat different because it has dulce de leche in it. It is still simple to put together. You must:

  • Beat the cream cheese and the dulce de leche until the mixture is smooth.
  • Add the lemon juice and the sugar and mix until incorporated.
  • Add the corn-starch until there are no more lumps in the batter.
  • Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth.
  • Finally whisk in the heavy cream and mix for about 5 minutes.

Note: make sure to scrape de sides and the bottom of the bowl before adding in new ingredients.

Cream cheese and dulce de leche in a mixing bowl.
The mixed cream cheese and dulce de leche.
The mixed cream cheese and dulce de leche plus the sugar and lemon juice.
The dulce de leche cheesecake filling with the added whipped cream before mixing it in.

A few tricks to get that extra smooth filling

You don't want lumps in your filling. To avoid them:

  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. Remove from the refrigerator several hours before making your cheesecake.
  • When mixing the cheesecake and dulce de leche be patient. Stop from time to time and make sure to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl.
  • Eggs should be at room temperature too, and remember to add one a time, so let the mixture become fluffy.
  • Don't forget to add the heavy cream in!
The frosted dulce de leche cheesecake as seen from above with some forks on the side with a spatula slightly removing one slice of cake.
A closeup of one slice of dulce de leche cheesecake.

Baking: the importance of water bath and some other tips

To prevent cracks on top of your cheesecake you must:

  • Wrap the springform pan in 4 layers of aluminium foil (or more!) to prevent water going in a making your crust all the soggy.
  • Place the pan filled with the cheesecake filling over a baking tray with tall edges. Fill the tray with hot water. About 2 cm (about 1 inch) high.
  • Bake at 160 C°/320 F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can tell this baked cheesecake is done when the sides have turned a darker brown colour and the middle still kind of "dances" if you slightly move the springform pan.
  • Once the dulce de leche cheesecake is ready, remove from the water bath and place once again in the oven. Turn the oven off and let it cool down inside with the door slightly open until the oven is has completely cooled off.
  • Let it cool off completely at room temperature and then refrigerate overnight inside the pan.

How to remove from the pan?

To unmould this baked cheesecake, it must be cold. It's recommended that it spends the night inside the springform pan in the refrigerator.

The next day, run a knife or spatula between the sides of the pan and the homemade cheesecake before removing the sides of the springform pan. You can now place on a beautiful plate to serve.

If you want to go the extra mile and remove it from the bottom of the pan ass well, run a knife between the bottom of the dulce de leche cheesecake and the pan. Make sure to be delicate and work slowly, you do not want to break it now! Once it has detached from the pan, you can slide it onto a serving plate.

A part of the sliced dulce de leche cheesecake as seen from the front with some blurry flowers on the background.
The frosted dulce de leche cheesecake as seen from above with some forks on the side.

Dulce de leche cream cheesecake frosting: an extra indulgence!

A simple cheesecake frosting recipe to make this even a more decadent and indulgent dessert. Simply whisk the whipping cream soft peaks, add in the dulce de leche and continue to mix until smooth and firm. Top the cheesecake with this cream and enjoy!

If you want to avoid this step, there is no problem at all. Completely up to you!

Whipped cream in a mixing bowl and dulce de leche on the side in a small black container.
The whipped cream mixed with the dulce de leche in a bowl.
The cheesecake frosting on a grey plate with a spoon on the side.

Storing & freezing: some tips

  • You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days without the frosting. And for up to 2 days after you have topped it with the dulce de leche cream.
  • To freeze you must wrap the cheesecake (without the frosting) inside the pan with 2 or 3 layers of film wrap. Then place in a freezer bag. You can keep for up to 1 month.
  • To defrost, place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then unmould as instructed in the recipe. If you find that removing from the pan becomes tricky, heat the sides of the springform pan with a blow torch to loosen up the edges a little. Then try again. Cover with the frosting and you are good to go!

Variations to this recipe

  • Keep it simple: avoid the frosting all together and enjoy as is.
  • Make it extra indulgent: replace the dulce de leche cream frosting with a chocolate ganache one.
  • Balance it out: replace the frosting with a sour cream topping.
The ingredients used in all recipes on this site are measured using the metric system. I use a scale to be precise with my measurements and ensure good results. If you would also like to use a scale, here are some: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, France.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition: 531 cal
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Oreo Cookie Crust

  • Chocolate Cookies 200 g
  • Butter 75 g

Creamy Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Filling

  • Cream Cheese 350 g
  • Dulce de Leche 250 g
  • Eggs 4
  • Granulated Sugar 80 g
  • Heavy Cream 80 g
  • Lemon Juice 20 ml
  • Cornstarch 20 g

Dulce de Leche Cream Frosting

  • Dulce de Leche 100 g
  • Whipping Cream 100 g

Procedure

  • 1. Make de Oreo crust: Pre-heat the oven to 160 C°/320 F. In a food processor mix the cookies until you obtain a bread crumb consistency. Pour in the melted butter and continue to mix until combined. You should end up with a wet sand consistency. Press in the cookie crumbs with your hands onto the bottom and onto the sides (up to 2 cm) of a 20 cm/8 inches springform cake pan. Wrap the pan in 4 layers of aluminum foil and bake for about 10 minutes.
  • 2. Make the creamy dulce de leche cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese and the dulce de leche until the mixture is smooth. Add the lemon juice and the sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the corn-starch and mix until there are no lumps and its fully incorporated. Scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl and mix a little more if necessary. Add the eggs one by one and beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth. Finally whisk in the heavy cream and mix for about 5 minutes.
  • 3. Bake the dulce de leche cheesecake: Place the springform pan on a baking tray filled with warm water. Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled cookie crust. Bake for about 50 minutes. Until the sides are a darker colour and the middle still moves a little when you move the pan. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and place it in the oven once again. Turn the oven off and open the door. Leave the cheesecake inside until the oven has completely cooled off. About 1 hour and 15 minutes. Then let the cheesecake cool off completely at room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
  • 4. Prepare the dulce de leche frosting: Beat the cream to soft peaks. Add the dulce de leche and continue to whisk until the cream is completely smooth and firm.
  • 5. Unmould and frost the cheesecake: Pass a knife or a spatula between the pan and the cheesecake. Remove the sides of the springform pan, place on a serving tray and cover the cheesecake with the dulce de leche cream frosting. Drizzle with some melted dulce de leche. Drizzle with some melted dulce de leche.
If you made this recipe I would really appreciate it if you leave a rating or comment below! Also, if you share on social media please use #cookwithbelula, I would love to see what you create!
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2 Comments
Tania January 02, 2022

I’ve made and it’s perfect, everybody loved! Just could make this recipe because recently bought an scale.
I forgot to add the cornstarch, what difference it would’ve made?

Belén Gowland
Belula January 18, 2022

Hi Tania,
Ahhh so so happy you bought a scale :) And even more so that you enjoyed this cheesecake, and that your loved ones liked it too! Cornstarch is there to thicken the batter a little bit, so the filling would have been a little more set. The amount is not significant enough to make a huge difference. Glad to know it still works without it :)

Sol January 18, 2022

The cheesecake was a huge success! Not a single crumb left!
Thank you so much for the recipe :)

Belén Gowland
Belula January 18, 2022

Hi Sol,
What a great thing to read! So happy it turned out good!! I t my absolute pleasure to share my recipes!

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