No Bake Millionaire Cheesecake Recipe

Let’s talk all things cheesecake! Whether it’s served as individual mini portions like these cherry cheesecake bars, an air fryer cheesecake or it’s made into a salad like our strawberry cheesecake salad, it’s always a popular dessert! There are so many delicious varieties to enjoy! Try all of our fabulous cheesecake recipes!

Millionaire Cheesecake Recipe

This Millionaire Cheesecake recipe features a velvety cream cheese filling sitting on a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust topped with gooey caramel and chocolate ganache. You’ll love biting through all of the contrasting layers of chewy, creamy, then into that crisp, buttery base. It’s perfectly rich and decadent but is relatively simple to make. And you don’t even have to turn on your oven! Cheesecake and shortbread are two of my favorite desserts. Millionaire cheesecake is the best combination of both! It’s one of my new favorite desserts because it’s great to serve for any occasion from Christmas to birthdays or Father’s Day, and it’s always a hit. If you adore the millionaire flavors like we do, try our Millionaire Shortbread Bars next!

Ingredients Needed

The ingredient list for this millionaire cheesecake recipe may look a little daunting, but one bite with chocolate, caramel, cheesecake and cookie crust, and you’ll see that’s it’s totally worth it! Plus, all of the ingredients are simple and easy to find. Many you probably already have in your pantry! Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Crust

Shortbread Cookie Crumbs: For 3 cups of cookie crumbs, you will need slightly more than 10 ounces of shortbread cookies. If you’re using Lorna Doone buy 2 packages, and you will most likely need to use about 50 cookies. Unsalted Butter: Melted butter helps the cookie crumbs come together while adding richness. Salt: Just a pinch is all you need to enhance the flavor!

Filling

Cream Cheese: For maximum richness, use a brick of full-fat cream cheese that is softened to room temperature. Powdered Sugar: Dissolves into the filling and adds sweetness. Pudding Mix: Stir in either vanilla or cheesecake flavored dry instant pudding mix for extra flavor. Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor to the filling. Whipped Topping: Thawed Cool Whip or another whipped topping will make the cheesecake filling wonderfully fluffy.

Caramel topping

Salted Butter: For salted caramel, we like to use salted butter. However, you can use regular, if preferred. Sweetened Condensed Milk: The base of the caramel making it rich, sweet and thick. Light Corn Syrup: For a glossy, silky smooth consistency. Sugar: Use both brown sugar and granulated sugar for the perfect sweetness. Vanilla Extract: For a warm subtle sweetness. Flakey Salt: Add 1 pinch of flakey salt for a salted caramel flavor.

Ganache

Chocolate: Use a semi-sweet or dark chocolate (50% cocao and above). Milk chocolate will overwhelm the other flavors too much. We like using semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heavy Cream: Combines with the chocolate to make a deliciously rich ganache.

How to Make a Millionaire’s Cheesecake

You are going to love this no bake millionaire cheesecake! Everything about it is incredible. There are quite a few steps, but they’re all easy and straightforward, there’s no baking involved, a shortbread crust, and a creamy filling layered with caramel and chocolate… what’s not to love?! Here’s how it all comes together:

Crust

Filling

Caramel

Ganache

Clean Slices: Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Cheesecake slices best when cut with a hot knife. Run a large chef’s knife under very hot water for 20 seconds, then dry with a clean kitchen towel or a paper towel. Slice into the cheesecake. Repeat before making another cut into the cheesecake. It takes longer, but will give you beautiful, clean slices! Room Temp Ingredients: Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you make your cheesecake filling! If the cream cheese into room temperature, the filling can end up lumpy instead of smooth and luscious. Heating the Caramel: Don’t overcook the caramel! The caramel might not turn a deep amber color and that’s alright. Simmer it for 10 minutes and remove it from the heat. Overcooking the caramel will make it set very hard and it will be very difficult to cut through, even with a hot knife. For the Crust: Use your favorite shortbread cookies for the crust! Lorna Doone, Walker’s Shortbread, or Keebler Sandies are great options. This crust uses a lot of shortbread, but this means you have an extra thick crust for the perfect Millionaire ratio.