Decadent cheesecake layered with Crème Brûlée!
This is one amazing cheesecake that you can’t go on without trying!
Delicious smooth cheesecake on top of the classic and elegant Crème Brûlée and some caramelized sugar on top!

Ingredients:
For Crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
For Cheesecake:
2 8-ounce packages of Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Crème Brûlée
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
4 tbs of sugar
1/2 cup of extra fine sugar for burning
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
~ Grease a 9-inch spring form, set aside. Preheat the oven to 300.
For crust:
1. Crush the graham crackers in the food processor. Mix in the sugar. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Mix very well. Press graham crackers into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
Cheesecake:
1. Start beating the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla extract and the heavy cream into the cream cheese. Add the eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition.
3. Add the sour cream, sugar, corn starch and vanilla extract. Make sure that all ingredients are well combined.
4. Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with crust. Place in the oven while making the Crème Brûlée custard. (about 13-15 minutes)
Crème Brûlée:
1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine heavy cream and 4 tbs of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until just starting to boil. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and light. Pour in hot cream very slowly (if you do it too fast, you will cook the eggs), a little bit at a time. Do not stop beating the mixture.
3. Pour the mixture over the cheesecake. Here is where it got really interesting for me! I guess, I poured it a little too heavy, the creme brulee custard broke through the center of the cheesecake and the layers literally switched places! The creme brulee ended up on the bottom and cheesecake on the top! It was AWESOME!
4. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
5. When chilled, take out of the refrigerator and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of extra fine sugar over the top. Using a cooking torch, move the flame continuously over the surface in a smooth and even motion until the sugar is melted and golden brown.


Layered Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Ingredients
- For Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 5 tbs butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- For Cheesecake:
- 2 8- ounce packages of Cream Cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoons corn starch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Crème Brûlée:
- 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbs of sugar
- 1/2 cup of extra fine sugar for burning
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- ~ Grease a 9-inch spring form, set aside. Preheat the oven to 300.
- For crust:
- Crush the graham crackers in the food processor. Mix in the sugar. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Mix very well. Press graham crackers into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
- Cheesecake:
- Start beating the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and the heavy cream into the cream cheese. Add the eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition.
- Add the sour cream, sugar, corn starch and vanilla extract. Make sure that all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with crust. Place in the oven while making the Crème Brûlée custard. (about 13-15 minutes)
- Crème Brûlée:
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine heavy cream and 4 tbs of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally until just starting to boil. Set aside.
- Beat the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and light. Pour in hot cream very slowly (if you do it too fast, you will cook the eggs), a little bit at a time. Do not stop beating the mixture.
- Pour the mixture over the cheesecake. Here is where it got really interesting for me! I guess, I poured it a little too heavy, the creme brulee custard broke through the center of the cheesecake and the layers literally switched places! The creme brulee ended up on the bottom and cheesecake on the top! It was AWESOME!
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- When chilled, take out of the refrigerator and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of extra fine sugar over the top. Using a cooking torch, move the flame continuously over the surface in a smooth and even motion until the sugar is melted and golden brown.
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Renuzit. All the photographs and opinions are my own! #CBias #SocialFabric #TemptYourSenses
thecreativeprincess
WOW! That looks AMAZING! I can not wait to try this recipe! I also can not wait until these awesome scents hit the market!
Apumpkinandaprincess
For the 18237194871349 time…you are an amazing photographer and cook, seriously one of the best out there! One day your amazing recipes will land you amazing opportunities and you’ll deserve every single one. 🙂
Mglawler
That looks incredible! I will definitely be trying this one.
Arlene @Flouronmyface
This is one awesome dessert!
Create With Joy
Oh my word – this looks amazing!
I would LOVE for you to share this at Inspire Me Monday at
Create With Joy
http://create-with-joy.com
Marie
Hmmm like at home! Your idea is very interesting, I can try this with my own recipe of crème brûlée. Don’t hesitate to burn the top, it’s so good when you can broke the top with your spoon. :p
Juggling Act
WOW- I mean – WOW! Can I come over for dinner some night? LOL!
Nicola Quinn
I don’t really care for creme brulee but this sounds amazing! Love the pictures, too. Pinned 🙂
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you so much! Muahaha, I might just turn you 🙂
Janice richardson
Mine was runny in middle…not cookedc enough ?
WillCookForSmiles
Of course 🙂 Thank you so much!
WillCookForSmiles
Thanks
WillCookForSmiles
:):) You make me blush
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you, Arlene!!
WillCookForSmiles
I hope you do! Thank you!
WillCookForSmiles
Awww, thank you, love!
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Amber @ The Cook's Sister
What a fantastic cheesecake! The combination of flavours sounds delicious!
Carla
Oh my, I want some of that!
Tonia@TheGunnySack
You are a true inspiration! I’ve got to try that cheesecake!!
R Dukes
Wow … that looks really great! I’m a huge Creme Brulee fan. Love your torch!
Crystalandcomp
Creme Brulee is AMAZING, but I have been intimidated to make it.
This cheesecake looks to die for!
Thefrugalette
I wish I could have a bite, I did the next best thing and pinned it!! Looks so fluffy and light too!
Chrissy
Yummmm! This looks amazing!!
Kristy
I could use a slice now!!
Nicole Brady
Nice tutorial. Wish I could cook! (Even more, I wish it wasn’t all fattening!)
Glenda Embree
First of all, your photos are gorgeous and secondly, I can’t wait to try and make this!
judy c
This looks so good! I love cheesecake, and may have to try this!
acook160
This looks delish !!! I found you over at Lady behind the Curtain
Misty @ Pocketful of Dreams
That looks awesome!
Kathryn Griffinn
Oh, my this looks delicious! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from Craftionary. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-7.html Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn at TheDedicatedHouse
Olga
“5 tbs cup butter” – so, how much butter is this?
Amomsimpression
This looks delicious! What a great idea.
Laura J. Latham
That looks absolutely heavenly! Both my husband and I LOVE creme brulee. Bookmarking this to try soon.
Tanyashcroeder
I may have to go out and buy a blow torch today!! This is wonderful! Very well done!
WillCookForSmiles
Guess!
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you so much! 🙂
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you 😉
WillCookForSmiles
I hope you do!! Let me know how you like it 🙂
WillCookForSmiles
Awww, thank you!!
Debi Bolocofsky
This is a great recipe. I am going to need to try it. I have a link party, and I would love it if you would link this post. You can find it at
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/07/face-cleansing-oil-and-wednesdays.html
It is called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party.
I hope to see you there. Have a great Day.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
ally
oh. my. goodness. this recipe fuses two of the best things – cheesecake & creme brulee! you’re genius. thank you!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.ca/
Toodie
Oh my goodness, I am drooling! This looks sooooooo sinful!
Jodi
Creme Brûlée and Cheesecake. Two of my favorite things I totally want to try this! Pinning it. Jodi @ http://www.meaningfulmama.com
WillCookForSmiles
🙂 Thank YOU!
WillCookForSmiles
Awww, here is a tissue and I wish I could give you a slice too!
WillCookForSmiles
Thank you! I hope you make it and enjoy it 🙂
Molly Toth-Thompson
This looks incredible! Can’t wait to see the Creme Brulee Martini!
Winnie Rottem
This is such an amazing cheesecake! Looks super beautiful and the recipe is quite unique.
I’m pinning this
Diane Balch
I can taste how light and delicious this is by looking at it. What a wonderful challenge to be involved with.
Nicole Harris
This looks divine. I love cheesecake! Visiting from Sundae Scoop
April Harris
What a fabulous dessert – a combination of two wonderful things – cheesecake and creme brûlée! It looks just gorgeous.
jahuston
I am inviting you to come and share this in my Show Your
Stuff blog hop:
http://juliejewels1.blogspot.com/2012/07/show-your-stuff-34.html
Sheryl Beyer
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your recipe was chosen to be on Today’s Feature Post from Cast Party Wednesday! Thank You for sharing your recipe with us! —Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain—
http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/?p=32231
cathy@My 1929 Charmer
Looking good, and wishing I had a piece right now. Cheesecake and brulee – oh my. So yummy.
So glad you shared your creative inspiration with Sunday’s
Best – your creativity helped make the
party a success!
clairejustineo
Oh wow this looks and sounds amazing,thanks for linking up to Creative Mondays,pinning this 🙂
Sarah @ callmefudge.com
cheesecake + creme brulee! Amazing!
marissa
holy moley that looks absolutely amazing!
marissa
rae gun ramblings
Deana @ CountryMommaCooks
Thanks for stopping by CountryMommaCooks and linking up at our Saturday Link and Greet Party…hope to see you again tonight : )
Deana @ CountryMommaCooks
Beverly
Lyuba this looks amazing!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait to give it a try!
Thanks so much for linking up – I featured you today!
http://www.flamingotoes.com/2012/08/crush-of-the-week-think-pink-features-59/
Honey
You had me at Creme Brulee! This is gorgeous yummy-ness!
Tara - A Spectacled Owl
That looks so delicious! I’m not a great baker or cook so if I could have someone make this for me, I’d be a happy camper 🙂
Amanda
Oh wow, this looks AMAZING! I love creme brulee, it’s my all time favorite dessert and I never ever ever get tired of eating it. I’ll have to give this a try!
I would love it if you would link up at Martha Mondays, open every Monday morning through Wednesday night!
http://www.watchoutmartha.net
~Amanda
Bluebell Woods
That looks awesome. Not sure I would have the patience but oh yum.
Sure looks worth it.
Janice
Jas
I am cream cheese anything cake fan plus creme brulee, are you kidding me? Brilliant!Thanks for linking up to Creative Mondays!
Lisa@hooplapalooza
OH MY! OH MY! OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :>D
lyuba
Awww, thank you Lisa!
Lea @ Lea's Cooking
This cream brulee cake looks absolutely amazing and dreamy!!! Can’t wait to try it.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
Lyuba! My mouth is watering! Creme brulee ON CHEESECAKE? Genius!
lyuba
Thank you, Dorothy 🙂 It was really good!
Mackenzie
Yum! That would totally make me want Creme Brulee too; food air scents are dangerous around here! 🙂
Kelly
I made this yesterday and enjoyed it today. It turned out very well. Mine also switched layers. The only modification I made was to cook the cake in a water bath as I do for all of my cheesecakes. I cooked it for 20 or 25 minutes before adding the creme layer.
lyuba
Wonderful, Kelly! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
KARACAKE
Hey there Lyuba! I had my first piece of creme brûlée cheesecake at a restaurant recently with my SIL & niece, we all proclaimed it was ridiculously good & that I HAD to make it for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Sure, no pressure. After much analyzing and researching, I landed on your fabulous recipe. Headed to BB&Beyond & bought a torch & a good double boiler pan. I made the cheesecake last night and this morning I bruleed the top. I made a few changes…I used sweet butter & crushed Nilla wafers for the crust based on that restaurant cheesecake. I found a few very minor corrections in your recipe..you mention to add the vanilla twice in the cheesecake part of the directions, make sure to wrap the bottom of the springform pan in foil or place it on a lipped baking pan or else your butter will leak out of the pan into your oven, leave the finished cheesecake in the oven with the door open to cool, then finish cooling it on a rack before placing it in the fridge to avoid cracks.
Now the review…omg..nom..nom!! It’s the real deal…I’m not changing anything else. The crispy burnt sugar top-crunch! The super creamy & fluffy cheesecake layer-mmm! The creamy-sweet creme layer-yummo! The cookie bottom-crunchy & candied! Wowee! Thank you so much for your hard work, beautiful pictures and finally for giving the world your recipe. I can now go to Thanksgiving at my SIL’s with my head held high and watch as the family scarfs down this masterpiece. If you can make a cheesecake and temper eggs, you can make this..it’s simply delicious. Now where is that crepe boston creme cake? You’re next on my list…
lyuba
I am so happy that you love it!! It truly is a great recipe and everyone who make it seems to enjoy it! You have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you for your tips! I will definitely try that next time I make a cheesecake 🙂
sarah hewitt
do you have any advice on how to make sure the creme brulee stays as the top layer? maybe make sure the cheesecake bakes a little longer before adding the creme brulee mixture?
•sorry, i originally commented on the caramel apple cheesecake, but i meant to leave the comment for this recipe!
lyuba
Hi, Sarah!
I can suggest pouring the creme brulee very slowly and may be over a spoon, that way it’s not a harsh stream coming down and breaking the cheesecake surface. You can also bake the cheesecake for a few minutes longer. Hope it will work!
Tanya
It’s in the oven as we speak. After being shafted once again by my mother in law… She Always does Christmas lunch and it’s always the same boring gammon and peas. This year I insisted on dessert. I actually had the idea of creme brulle and cheescake layered and searched for receipts. Yours is only one I found and by the pictures it looks amazing, I’m not going to do the burnt sugar on top, instead I have decided to do caramel swirls on top, looking forward to trying that now. I’ll post tomorrow with the verdict. So excited to blow mother in law out the park. (I love my parents in law, a lot, but when it comes to food, we have a major disagreement)
lyuba
I am so excited to find out how you liked it! This is the most made recipe on my site and so far I hear all good things. Merry Christmas and I can’t wait to hear how you liked it 🙂
Tanya
Hiya, sorry for the late reply.
The desert was amazing!! However I think I left it in the oven too long, I was worried that it was too wobbly, without realizing that it actually sets in the fridge. Everyone loved it. I didn’t get the caramel swirls right though..haha. That was tricky. So I just did caramel shards with silver balls to make it Christmassy. I will do this again and follow the recipient to a tee this time. Lovely dessert. Thank you for sharing all your amazing ideas with us.
lyuba
I’m so glad you liked it! It would be a little wobbly when you take it out and it sets on the counter and then the fridge. I am not sure what caramel you are talking about. Did you add caramel? How was it? It sounds like it would be good 🙂
lyuba
Oh, I see it in your original comment 🙂 How was it with caramel? It sounds good
T. Villeneuve
I tried this recipe on Sunday Jan 2014 . I cooked the chese cake for 25 mins rather then the 10-15 mins.. When I poured the creme brule over the top it didn’t reverse the layers. Which is what I was looking for . So I was actually able to tortch the creme brule like it should be. I brought it into work and everyone loved it. Once I poured the creme brule on the top of the cheese cake it took a good 3 hrs to bake at 300 degrees Fah. But it was worthi it.
lyuba
I’m so glad that you were able to make it the way you wanted it and liked it! Thank you 🙂
michael
Looks delicious! 🙂 Love cheesecake so I am going to give your recipe a try! I love Crème Brulee too, it is one of my favorites!
Michael 🙂
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/making-creme-brulee/
lyuba
Thank you, Michael!! I hope you enjoy it!
Joseph Rue
I made your Layered Creme Brulee Cheesecake for my wife and her co-workers. They absolutely loved it. I’m told the cheesecake was devoured in an hour and a half.
Thanks for sharing your recipe
Joe
lyuba
Yay!! That makes me so happy 🙂
I’m so glad that everyone liked it. I hope you will get a piece next time 🙂
Christale L.
This cake is AMAZING!!! <3 The only problem is, when I cut the cake to eat it, the cheesecake layer was liquidy (center part only). I don't know if it was because of the torch I used or if I didn't bake the cheesecake layer long enough. I've made this twice and it has happened twice. Please help! Thanks!
lyuba
Hi, Christale! I’m so happy that you like the cheesecake! It sounds like it’s not baking all the way through. I would suggest turning the oven off at the end and cracking the oven door open. Don’t take out the cheesecake yet but let it sit in the oven with heat turned off and door ajar for about 10 more minutes (you can even do 15 if you want to be sure). Hopefully this will take your cheesecake all the way to the right consistency.
JJ Cunningham
I made it yesterday for a potluck. I cooked it 40 mins. longer than you said, it was still wobbly in the center, but I finally took it out. I have a convection oven so maybe that was the problem???
When serving it I could not find the two distinct layers, it all just looked like regular cheesecake. I ref. it for 4 hours but it was not really cold. Next time, I will make it a day ahead so it chills longer. It was good for sure. Thanks for the recipe.
lyuba
Hi JJ. I haven’t heard of baking in a convection oven and I wouldn’t recommend it.
The batter may have mixed while you poured the creme brulee batter and it’s probably because the cheesecake part was still raw. Definitely try using a regular oven but I am so glad that you still liked the taste! Also, if you used an 8-inch spring form vs a 9-inch spring form, the cheesecake would have been thicker in size. That could alter baking and cooling time.
Thank you!
Trina
Baking in a convection reduces cooking time not adds to it. Baking with convection is the ultimate. Beautiful even heat and a lot of top chefs recommend baking with convection.
Rachel
I haven’t had creme brule in ages, but you’ve got me thinking!!!
lyuba
Awe, well I really hope you will try it! Thank you, Rachel!
Lynne
Howdy. just wondering if you have ever tried to freeze this cheesecake? I am wondering about baking it now for the holiday season.
Ruby
Thanks for sharing these useful information! Hope that you will continue doing nice post like this. The contents are very good and very informative.
– http://www.hotmail.com
– http://www.gmail.com
Lyuba
Thank you, Ruby!
Leslee McDonald
I would recommend using a ‘Bain marie’ or water bath for the Cheesecake while it bakes…especially when using a convection oven. I always use the bath for cheesecakes and Creme brulee, I am a baker for a living and all we use in restaurants are convection ovens. The bath prevents the cracking over the top, the mixing of layers, and helps bake evenly. Ifor the cakes are still.not baking completely, then it is an issue of too much mixture in the pan.
This recipe cheesecake sounds amazing.
lyuba
Hi Leslee!
I do use Bain Marie now. This was one of my early (very early) cheesecakes and I didn’t use that technique back then. I definitely love all the benefits from the water bath 🙂
Ridge
In my quest for the perfect cheesecake, I ran across this recipe. Like most people, here, I found this recipe to be enticing, but it does have some stiff competition; my last cake was a coconut/lemon cheesecake. It drove several people insane. So, I got up this morning and followed these instructions to a “T”. Right now, the cake is in the fridge cooling and waiting for the sugar and torch. (It took an extra 16 minutes to get the color and “done-ness” to where I wanted it to be.) It didn’t achieve the height that is apparent in the photo(s). But, I’m looking forward to serving it tonight.
Will let you know, ok?
Ridge
Okay. The deed was done. The overall response to this cheesecake produced more positive responses to its texture than its flavor, which was lacking, in spite of three doses of vanilla. I used a good, organic vanilla extract, but that didn’t do the trick. Using whole beans might have made a difference. Maybe not. Physically, as I stated above, it didn’t obtain the height seen in the photos. The Crème Brûlée did its job, but the cheese seemed to sink under the weight of the Crème Brûlée. As stated above, I had to add 16 minutes to the baking time to achieve the desired results, but some of that time could have been used in the first round of baking the cheesecake, only. This may have made it dense enough to withstand the weight of the top layer (which, by the way, stayed on top!). The most flavorful component was the caramelized sugar on top. The over-all cake needed an edge, flavor-wise. Now that the cake is baked and there’s some left from last night, I’m going to add an organic peach syrup. I’ll try this recipe again with the syrup infused and baked into the cake.
There’s potential, here…the kind that makes you dizzy and levitates you several inches above your seat. I think that, even if it was baked flawlessly, it would still have been flat, taste-wise. Am thinking that Peach in the cheese and lemon in the Crème Brûlée might do the trick.
I’m lowering the recipe to a “3”, leaving some room for improvement. Thanks. Was fun to make.
lyuba
Hi Ridge!
I just realized that I didn’t noticed your comment. I’m so sorry!
First, thank you for your thorough breakdown!
Vanilla and creme brulee are not a popping kind of flavors, I agree. It is a mild cheesecake. To add more flavor pops, you can absolutely add vanilla bean to both cheesecake and creme brulee parts. A caramel drizzle would be a nice compliment to this cheesecake as well. If you want to take in another way, you can make the cheesecake part lemon flavored and have a lemon/creme brulee flavor combination.
I agree on the improvement 🙂 It’s been quite a few years since I first made this cheesecake. Check out my newer cheesecakes for some that may interest you.
Janice
How do you make sure creme brulee is done?
lyuba
Hi Janice!
A couple of thoughts:
Did you try to cut it before it was cooled and refrigerated? 15 and then 45 minutes should be enough to cook through but you can absolutely try adding 10-15 more minutes. Then, turn off the oven and crack it open. Let it sit in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Definitely make sure it’s cooled on the counter for about an hour and then in the refrigerator for about 4 hours before cutting.
I hope it all works well!
Janice
In regular oven. Not convection oven
lyuba
I bake everything in a regular oven too. The original oven I made it in didn’t even have a convection setting 🙂
Chyral Blossom
Honestly speaking my mouth is full of water…..this cheesecake is absolutely outrages.
lyuba
I hope you will feel the same way after trying it, Chyral! 🙂