This cinnamon toast crunch cheesecake has the nostalgic cinnamony cereal in the crust, filling and on top for maximum flavor. A crunchy cereal base is filled with creamy cinnamon cheesecake batter with a swirl of the cinnamon toast crunch crust inside. A special butter-soaked crunchy cereal topping rounds out this creamy, one-of-a-kind cheesecake.
This cheesecake really is unique! I use my classic cheesecake filling and amp up the flavor by adding warm cinnamon notes. The real magic though, comes from the butter-laden cinnamon toast crunch cereal crust.
For an extra dose of flavor and texture, that same crust is layered with the cinnamon cheesecake filling(inspo taken from this cheesecake from Butternut Bakery!). The crowning glory of this cinnamon toast crunch cheesecake is the cereal topping with a special ingredient to keep it extra crunchy. Read on for all the details!
Ingredient Highlights
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch- the beloved cereal of our childhood. Still crispy, still with warm, sweet cinnamon flavor. You will use a lot of cereal for this recipe so you might as well buy the big-sized box so you can enjoy a bowl for breakfast the next day!
- Butter- I use unsalted butter here and in most of my recipes and then add salt so I can control how much is added
- Granulated Sugar- Granulated sugar obviously sweetens the crust, filling and the crunchy cereal topping but due to having less moisture compared to brown sugar, it also helps with the crispy, crunchy texture of the crust and topping
- Cinnamon- The obvious spice of choice to add to amp up the cinnamon flavor of the cheesecake filling
- Cream Cheese- Please use full-fat cream cheese. It creates the best texture for a creamy, smooth cheesecake. I prefer the Philadelphia brand if you are in the United States.
- Eggs- standard large eggs are added to the cheesecake filling to thicken it, make it extra smooth and bind all the ingredients together.
- Heavy Cream- I use heavy whipping cream in my cheesecakes for added richness. Of note, I did test soaking the cereal in the heavy cream and then straining it (for those of you familiar with cereal milk-flavored goods) however due to the small amount of cream compared to the rest of the ingredients, it didn't add much to the flavor.
- Salt- I always use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in all my baking/cooking. If you use regular table salt, cut the salt in half. I buy a 3 lb box of the salt and refill my salt container and it lasts for a long time.
- Non-fat Dry Milk Powder- the secret ingredient to the crunchy cereal topping. More on that below!
Special Equipment for Cheesecakes
- 9-inch springform pan- You need the deeper sides of the springform pan as well as the removable ring to make the cheesecake.
- Heavy-duty foil- Heavy-duty foil is the best insurance to protect against a leaking water bath. I use 2 layers to be extra careful.
- Stand-mixer with the paddle attachment- This one is not absolutely necessary but the paddle attachment usually only found on stand mixers is the best way to prevent whipping too much air into the cheesecake. This is my favorite stand mixer.
- Roasting pan- A large roasting pan is needed for the water bath. It needs to be large enough for the 9-inch springform pan to fit into.
Tips for a perfect cheesecake
- Room Temperature Ingredients: This is so important! Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing it. If it is still cold, you will likely have little lumps of cream cheese throughout your cheesecake filling and will incorporate too much air trying to beat it. You also want your eggs to be at room temperature before adding them as well.
- Water Bath!! This is one of the most important parts of making a cheesecake and can seem fussy but it's how to keep cheesecake from cracking. It's also super easy to do as well. To see how to set up a water bath to cook your cheesecake in, check out my bourbon eggnog cheesecake post. A water bath will provide a moist environment for the oven and allow the cheesecake to cook more evenly. Cooking without a water bath will almost ensure you end up with a cracked cheesecake.
- Slow Cooling: To cool your cheesecake properly, when it is done cooking, turn the oven off and crack the door open. Let it cool for 1 hour in the water bath in the turned-off oven. Then, remove it and let it cool for another 30 minutes to an hour on the counter before placing it into the fridge to finish chilling for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. This will prevent it from cooling too quickly and cracking.
- Paddle Attachment: If you have a stand mixer with a stand attachment, opt for using it. Using the paddle attachment at a lower speed prevents too much air from being whipped into the cheesecake. If you don't have a stand mixer, just beat it at a lower speed with a hand mixer.
Cereal Crunch Topping
Sure, I could have gone the easy route and just piled some cinnamon toast crunch on top of the cheesecake or sprinkled it over each piece. And that would be delicious too! But, let's take this cheesecake to the next level and make a special topping. If you are familiar with Christina Tosi's Milk Bar, they make a well-known cornflake chocolate chip cookie. To keep the cornflakes crispy once they're baked into the cookie, she uses dry milk powder and bakes the concoction separately before adding it to the cookie dough.
I thought this was the perfect time to use that technique on the cinnamon toast crunch to add another textural element to the top of the cheesecake. Simply combine lightly crushed cinnamon toast crunch with a little sugar, non-fat dry milk powder, salt and melted butter. It bakes for about 25 minutes and once cooled, forms a perfectly crunchy, sweet and salty topping that makes this cheesecake divine.
How to tell when a cheesecake is done
Knowing when to take a cheesecake out of the oven can be intimidating. You just spent all of that time and money on this glorious cheesecake only to cut into a soupy mess or saw through an overbaked cheesecake. No one wants that!
All ovens are different so one of the most important things is to check it early to make sure you don't have an overbaked cheesecake. Begin checking the cheesecake for doneness around 75 minutes.
When you give the cheesecake pan a slight jiggle, you should see that the edges (about 1-2 inches) of the cheesecake are set and don't move. The middle part of the cheesecake should slightly jiggle but should not move like it is still liquid.
If you still can't tell by the jiggle test, you can also test it with an instant-read thermometer. Check in the middle of the cheesecake for a temperature of 150 degrees to 155 degrees F.
FAQ's
Cool the cheesecake completely in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Once completely cooled, remove it from the springform pan. Place it on a round cardboard cake circle or a heavy-duty plastic plate. Freeze the cheesecake for about an hour uncovered. It needs to be cold enough to wrap tightly without squishing it. After an hour or so, remove the cheesecake and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It should last at least 1 to 2 months if wrapped properly.
If you don't have a large roasting pan for the springform pan, a little cheat to a water bath is to place a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake. This will create a steamy environment for baking. This won't entirely be the same as cooking it in a water bath and you may still get a small crack but it is better than cooking it without one!
More Cheesecake Recipes!
Tag me on Instagram @themarblekitchenblog if you make this and leave a star rating and comment below! Thank you and enjoy!
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 6 cups (246 grams) cinnamon toast crunch cereal
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (112 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 32 oz cream cheese full fat, softened
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream
Topping
- 1 ½ cups (62 grams) cinnamon toast crunch cereal
- 2 tbsp (12 grams) nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 tbsp (14 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tbsp (42 grams) unsalted butter
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Crush the cereal using a food processor or place in a zip top bag and crush it finely using a rolling pin.6 cups (246 grams) cinnamon toast crunch cereal
- Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter and pulse or stir well to combine.⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, Pinch of kosher salt, 8 tablespoons (112 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- Reserve 1 cup (about 125 grams) of the crust mixture for later.
- Pour the crumbs into a 9 in springform pan and press into the bottom and about one inch up the sides of the pan using your fingers or the bottom of a glass to press it down firmly.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
Cheesecake Filling
- Prepare the springform pan for a water bath. Once the crust has cooled, wrap the springform pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil, wrapping and folding the edges at least ¾ up the sides of the pan. For an extra barrier, if desired, place an oven bag around the foil and tie it around the foil to secure it.
- Combine the softened cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer) and mix on medium until smooth, about 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.32 oz cream cheese, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, and mix until incorporated.4 large eggs
- Add the vanilla, cinnamon and salt and mix well.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the heavy cream mix until combined, about 30 seconds.½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved cup of crust mixture over the entire surface evenly and then gently pour or spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, covering the crust mixture completely.
- Place the springform pan into a roasting pan and place in the oven. Carefully pour very hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the springform pan being careful not to get any water between the pan and the foil.
- Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 80 to 90 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature should be about 150-155 degrees F when tested in the middle of the cheesecake. The cheesecake is done when the middle is still slightly jiggly but the edges are fully set.
- Turn the oven off and slightly prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon if it won’t stay open on its own. Allow to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and remove the cheesecake from the water. Remove the foil. Cool for another hour on a wire rack.
- Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator and chill at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Topping
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the cereal in a zip-top bag, seal it and lightly crush it with your hands. There should still be larger pieces of cereal so don't crush it finely like the crust.1 ½ cups (62 grams) cinnamon toast crunch cereal
- To the bag, add the dry milk powder, sugar and salt and shake it well to combine.2 tablespoon (12 grams) nonfat dry milk powder, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the melted butter into the bag and shake or massage the bag to make sure all the pieces are coated.3 tablespoon (42 grams) unsalted butter
- Pour the topping onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring one time halfway through.
- Let the topping cool on the sheet pan and then top the cooled cheesecake just before serving with the topping, piling it in the middle. Serve or top with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- The cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 5 days. Avoid topping it with the cereal topping until just before serving or it will get soggy. See the post for freezing instructions.
- To serve or top with whipped cream, whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extra until soft peaks form.
- If desired, you can skip the topping and just add lightly crushed cereal to the cheesecake.
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