I am one of those dinosaurs that still enjoys leafing through magazines. (I know. Shut up.)Recently, Lucy and I were sitting in my living room perusing my stack of magazines with Max and Logan happily playing at our feet.
Full disclosure: it was Lucy who saw an add in one of the magazines. “MOM! Maria Cookie Crust!” She declared authoritatively.I did a “Wait. What?” Double take and we decided to give it a go.
I’m excited to share this with you today. Lets just call it what it is:
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with a Maria Cookie Crust.
Lets start baking! 
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg. Maria Cookies (7 oz.)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 pkgs. cream cheese / 8 oz. each. (softened)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (room temperature)
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Vanilla extract
- Bottled caramel (dulce de leche) sauce – I like Ghirardeli
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 325ºF.
- Place cookies in bowl of food processor. Pulse 30 seconds, or until finely ground. (Or, crush them by hand by placing cookies in zip-top bag and using the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound cookies until finely crushed); transfer cookie crumbs to bowl.
- Add softened butter, stirring until combined.
- Transfer cookie mixture to 9” spring form pan. Using your fingers, press cookie crumbs evenly onto bottom and sides of pan. Bake until firm and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool.
- Set electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add condensed milk; beat until smooth, 1 minute.
- Beat in eggs, vanilla and 3 tbsp. dulce de leche (caramel) until combined, 3 minutes.
- Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake until golden brown and set, but still a little wiggly in the middle, 45 – 55 minutes.
- Turn off oven; partially open oven door.
- Let cheesecake sit in oven until it come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Transfer cheesecake to refrigerator; cool completely, at least 4 hours.
- Remove cooled cheesecake from sprigform pan.
- Place remaining dulce de leche in ziplock bag.
- Using scissors, snip small hole in corner of bag. Applying even pressure on “pastry bag,” paint stripes on your finished cheesecake.
Thank me later.
Proud Cuban over here! Would love to make soe of your delicious recipes!!
Are the 4 packages of cream cheese 8 ounces each?
That’s exactly right. 4 pkgs. 8 oz each. I’ll amend the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out.
xo,
Marta
Marta you talk about dulce de leche in the lemon pie recipe but there is no dulce de leche in the list of ingredients
Love this story! I printed your recipe and will make it!
Love you!
I want to make this but you mention a dulce de leche and even have a picture of the ingredients, but you don’t say which dulce de leche I have to buy. Please respond I want to make it tomorrow.