I was invited to a bridal shower honoring a sweet couple from our church. A dear friend was planning the shower and I offered to help with food. My friend graciously gave me creative freedom to make anything I desired (so long as it was dessert). With such a vast array of choices, how was I to choose? Well of course, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cheesecake! Sounds amazing if you ask me!
I asked the bride for her favorite sweet treats as inspiration. Her list included cheesecake, brownies and macadamia nut cookies. The cheesecake and macadamia nut cookies seemed like they were begging to be married (ha no pun intended) and thus White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cheesecake was born.
Prepare yourself for pure decadence with this White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cheesecake! It’s rich, creamy, and bursting with the sweet, smooth flavor of white chocolate. Topped with a crunchy macadamia nut brittle and a drizzle of caramel, each bite is a perfect balance of creamy, nutty, and caramel goodness. Plus, with no crust, it’s naturally gluten-free, so everyone can indulge guilt-free! This one’s a showstopper, ideal for any occasion where you want to impress with a little extra sweetness.
Ready to wow your taste buds with another favorite? Give our homemade baklava a try! It’s simpler than you’d expect and guaranteed to impress every time.
⭐ Crust Free Cheesecake
The cheesecake is white chocolate and just as cream and divine as the name suggests. The nut topping is essentially macadamia nut brittle and is so so good! The drizzle of caramel sauce, well why not? This cheesecake is crust free so it is naturally gluten free too!
This recipe turned out better than I had hoped. I cannot wait for an event lavish enough to merit such a rich and decadent desert so I can make these again. I'm thinking this may become a Christmas time staple.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
- spring form pan
- mixing bowl
- small saute pan for brittle
- medium sauce pan for caramel
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
- 2 cups white chocolate chips I prefer Ghiradelli
- ½ cup half and half
- 3 8 oz packages cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
For the Macadamia Nut Brittle
- 1 ½ cup roasted macadamia nuts
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 4 tablespoon butter
For the Caramel sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a spring form pan with non stick cooking spray. I prefer to use the kind that is specific for baking and has flour mixed in. This type of spray has never failed to release beautifully.
- Combine half and half with white chocolate chips in a large glass bowl or measuring cup. Microwave in 15-30 second increments, stirring between each. Microwave only until mixture is mostly melted. If the mix seems to seize up (thicken, harden or clump) this indicates that the temperature is too high. You can save it by adding a touch of cool heavy cream to bring the temperature back down and stirring until the mix becomes smooth and glossy again.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth and free of any lumps. You will need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl several times to fully aerate the cream cheese properly. This step is important in obtaining a creamy cheesecake filling.
- Add the sugar to the cream cheese and mix until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and melted white chocolate and mix to fully combine all ingredients.
- Pour cheesecake mixture into prepared spring form pan and place in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour. At the 1 hour mark turn the oven off and prop the door open slightly, leaving the cheesecake for an additional hour. At this point remove the cheesecake to a wire rack to cool to room temperature and then move to the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours or over night.
For the Macadamia Nut Brittle
- In a medium saute pan heat the sugar and water until dissolved and turns an amber brown color. Do not stir it at all during this time or you will create crystalized sugar that does not melt into your finished product. When sugar is amber in color remove from heat and add butter and macadamia nuts, stirring to fully mix.
- Pour the hot mixture onto a sheet pan lined with waxed paper and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, break into various shapes and sizes and store in an airtight container until ready to top cheesecake.
For the Caramel Sauce
- Place sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pan and heat over medium heat until dissolved and turns amber in color. Do not stir at all during this process or crystals will form and will not yield a creamy, smooth caramel.
- Once sugar is amber brown remove from heat and stir in butter. Return to medium heat and add heavy cream while stirring. Once the heavy cream is incorporated, stop stirring and allow to boil for approximately 1 minute or until a candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees.
- Remove from heat and add salt. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.
Assembling Cheesecake
- Once cheesecake is fully chilled remove the spring form from pan. Pour room temperature caramel sauce over top of cheesecake allowing it to drip down the sides. Arrange brittle on top of cheesecake according to your style. I like to stand up varying size shards all over the top but your could also lay the pieces and mound them. I like to return the whole thing to the refrigerator for a bit after it is assembled to allow the caramel to harden just a bit before serving.
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