My favorite cereal of all time is unquestionably Cinnamon Toast Crunch (a.k.a. CTC). I know it’s not the healthiest cereal choice, but boy does it satisfy my sweet cereal cravings. I’m also a huge fan of cheesecake, so I decided to try mingling these two loves of mine together to create a decadent dessert. Technically, it’s made with cereal so I suppose you can eat it for breakfast if your heart desires. 😉
I replaced the traditional graham cracker crust with a CTC cereal crust. The filling is ultra creamy with a surprise cinnamon sugar swirl in the middle. The cinnamon sugar element enhances the overall flavor without competing too much with the cheesecake filling. It’s the perfect cheesecake to try if you want something a little out of the ordinary, but nothing too drastically different from the traditional cheesecake.
INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
- CTC crumbs – basically just Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal blended to fine crumbs
- melted butter – binds the crumbs together to form a tight crust
- ground cinnamon – I have found that the cinnamon flavor can get lost with the much thicker filling, so I add extra cinnamon to amplify the flavor
- salt – just a little bit goes a long way
For the cinnamon swirl:
- brown sugar
- cinnamon – As I mentioned earlier, the cinnamon flavor can get lost in the rich cheesecake filling, so adding it here helps bring the cinnamon flavor forward.
- heavy cream – helps blend the brown sugar and cinnamon together
For the filling:
- cream cheese – I recommend using block cream cheese instead of the kind that comes in a tub; You want to use room temperature or softened cream cheese.
- white sugar – adds sweetness… after all, it is dessert!
- sour cream – adds a slight tangy flavor, but also enhances the creamy texture; use full-fat sour cream for the richest flavor
- vanilla extract – adds flavor
- eggs – help give cheesecake that custard-like texture; use room temperature eggs, lightly beaten
- salt – Again, just a little bit will do!
- fresh lemon juice – adds acidity to balance the richness
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH CHEESECAKE
Make the crust:
Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9-inch springform pan. It is important that you wrap the foil tightly around the pan so water does not leak into the cheesecake. (More on that later.)
Blend cinnamon toast crunch cereal in a food processor until you have fine cereal crumbs. Add melted butter, cinnamon, and salt to the food processor and blend with cereal crumbs.
Pour crumbs into the prepared pan. Spread into an even layer using your hands or a measuring cup.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the filling and cinnamon swirl mixture.
Make the cinnamon swirl:
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Mix well and set aside for now.
Make the filling:
Start boiling water in a small pot to be poured into the roasting pan for the water bath. The water bath will help the cheesecake cook gently and evenly. The water prevents the cheesecake from getting too hot in the oven, which can lead to cracks on the surface. Trust me–the water bath method is one of the best secrets for a perfectly baked cheesecake!
In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until the mixture is smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Add sugar to cream cheese and beat until creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and lemon juice. Mix on low speed until well combined.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed. Stir in sour cream. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure the filling is well blended. Mix batter until well combined, but do not over mix the filling. Using room temperature eggs and cream cheese will make it easier to blend, which means you won’t have to mix the filling as much.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour half of the filling over the crust.
Drizzle cinnamon swirl mixture on top of the poured filling. Use a fork or butter knife to create swirls. Pour the remaining filling mixture on top.
Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until water comes up 1-inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan. (This is why it’s crucial that you wrap the foil tightly around the pan so water doesn’t leak in.)
On the middle oven rack, bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The edges will have slightly puffed up, but the center should still be jiggly (like jello). The cheesecake will continue to set and firm up while it’s cooling. It’s actually pretty amazing how much the cheesecake texture changes once it’s cooled.
Try not to open the oven during baking, but if you don’t have an oven light to check on the cheesecake try your best to keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If the cheesecake is turning brown too quickly, loosely cover the top top with aluminum foil until it is done baking.
Let cheesecake cool in the oven with the door cracked open to let cheesecake cool gradually for 1 hour. Then let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature can result in the surface cracking.
Run a thin knife or spatula along the sides of the cheesecake to separate the crust from the pan. Cover cheesecake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to cool for at least 6 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to serve, remove the ring of the springform pan. Cut into slices and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Here’s a close up of this seductive beauty:
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cheesecake
Equipment
- Food processor
- 9-inch springform pan
- Roasting pan large enough to fit the springform pan
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Handheld mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2.5 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal crumbs 5 cups cereal, ground
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cinnamon swirl
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
For the filling
- 32 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the crust
- Blend cinnamon toast crunch cereal in a food processor until you have fine cereal crumbs. Add melted butter, cinnamon, and salt to the food processor and blend with cereal crumbs.
- Pour crumbs into the prepared pan. Spread into an even layer using your hands, fingers, and/or a spoon.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the filling and swirl mixture.
Make the cinnamon swirl
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Mix well and set aside for now.
- Adjust oven temperature to 325℉. Start boiling water in a small pot to be poured into the roasting pan for the water bath.
Make the filling
- In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Add sugar and beat until mixture is creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and lemon juice. Mix on low speed until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed. Stir in sour cream. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure the filling is well blended. Mix batter until well combined, but do not over mix filling.
- Place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour half of the filling over the crust. Drizzle cinnamon swirl mixture on top of the poured filling. Use a fork or butter knife to create swirls. Pour the remaining filling mixture on top. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until water comes up 1-inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- On the middle oven rack, bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The edges will have slightly puffed up, but the center should still be jiggly (like jello). The cheesecake will continue to set and firm up while it’s cooling.Try not to open the oven during baking, but if you don’t have an oven light to check on the cheesecake try your best to keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If the cheesecake is turning brown too quickly, loosely cover the top top with aluminum foil until it is done baking.
- Let cheesecake cool in the oven with the door cracked open to let cheesecake cool gradually for 1 hour. Then let it cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature can result in cracking.
- Run a thin knife along the sides of the cheesecake to separate the crust from the pan. Cover cheesecake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to cool for at least 6 hours or overnight.
To serve
- Remove the ring of the springform pan. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
- Use full fat cream cheese and full fat sour cream for the best, creamiest flavor.
- Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese. This will help the batter blend more quickly and prevent over mixing, which can lead to more cracks when baking
- The water bath is an important step that will also help prevent the cheesecake from cracking and cooking unevenly
- The cheesecake will continue to set and cook as it cools at room temperature. You won’t see the final texture of the cheesecake until it has cooled in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
- To hide any cracks or imperfections, top the cheesecake with sweetened whipped cream or dust with ground cinnamon or cereal crumbs.
- Cooked cheesecake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before freezing, cut cheesecake into slices and wrap in plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. Let frozen cheesecake thaw in the refrigerator overnight or for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
