This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Apple Pie Cheesecake is the ultimate fall dessert! A perfectly baked, creamy vanilla cinnamon cheesecake filling surrounds layers of caramelized apples, atop a crisp graham cracker crust. Top off this beauty with a layer of spiced apples, a buttery oat crumble, and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. It’s a delicious apple pie in cheesecake form – without any of the hassle of pie crust!
Why you’ll love this Apple Crumble Cheesecake recipe:
- Caramelized Apple Pie Filling & Topping – Sliced apples are quickly cooked on the stovetop with a little butter, brown sugar, and cozy spices until tender and caramelized. It’s the most delicious homemade apple pie filling you’ll ever taste!
- Creamy Cheesecake Filling- A creamy, baked vanilla cinnamon cheesecake is the perfect base for this fall treat.
- Crisp Graham Cracker Crust – Cinnamon graham crackers add just a bit of extra flavor to the perfectly crisp crust.
- Crumble Topping – A buttery oat crumble topping is sprinkled over the top of the cheesecake.
- Salted Caramel Sauce – A drizzle of salted caramel sauce finishes things off beautifully!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Apples – Use any good baking apple for the apple filling and topping. Don’t use soft apples like McIntosh as they will become mushy. Use something like Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji. Some people recommend granny smith but I personally don’t like the taste of those.
- Graham Crackers – Graham crackers are the base for our crust. You can use biscoff cookies or gingersnap cookies instead, for a fun twist.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese, in the block style. This needs to come to room temperature before using.
- Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Dairy-free – I have not tried a dairy-free version of this cheesecake. If you feel confident with dairy-free baking, you can try your favorite trusted dairy-free products to make this. Let me know how it turns out! If you’re not used to dairy-free baking, I would recommend finding a dairy-free or vegan base cheesecake recipe and then using that with my topping/fillings.
- Gluten-free – Use gluten-free graham crackers for the crust to easily make this entire dessert gluten-free!
- Peach – I have a peach version of this apple pie cheesecake! My popular Peach Cobbler Cheesecake recipe has over 110, 5-star reviews.
- Pineapple – I also have a pineapple upside down cake cheesecake – it’s similar to this one, with a layer of fruit in the middle and on top.
- Whipped Cream – Feel free to serve with freshly whipped cream. If you made thinner apple slices for the topping, you can spread them out in an even layer on your cheesecake, add the crumble and a drizzle of caramel, then pipe a whipped cream border or dollops around the edges. Use my easy whipped cream recipe!
How to Make this Apple Pie Cheesecake:
Step 1: Make the Apple Filling. Peel and slice fresh apples one quarter inch to one half inch thick, and cook them in a medium saucepan over medium heat for about 10-16 minutes, with butter, brown sugar, and spices. Set aside.
You’ll repeat this step again when ready to serve the cheesecake – I like to make the apple slices thicker for the topping, but you can make a double batch of thinner slices instead. Pictured below is the topping made with thicker apple slices (1/2 – 3/4 inch thick).
Step 2: Make the Crust. Stir together crushed cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and a pinch of sugar. Press this firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Cheesecake. In a large mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed with an electric mixer, until creamy.
Then, mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and cinnamon. You’ll have a silky batter. If there are a few tiny lumps, that’s ok.
Step 4: Assemble & Bake Cheesecake. Pour half of the cheesecake batter over the pre-baked crust. Spoon on the apple filling in an even layer, then pour on the remaining batter and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Bake as directed in the recipe card below. Let cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight before topping & serving.
Step 5: Make the Crumble Topping. Cut cold butter into a mixture of oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Bake and let cool.
Step 6: Make Salted Caramel Sauce. Melt sugar in a medium saucepan, then mix in butter and heavy cream. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. For full directions and troubleshooting, check out my salted caramel sauce recipe.
Serving + Storing:
Top the cooled & chilled Apple Pie Cheesecake with the second half of the apple mixture, and add a generous sprinkle of the crumble. (Place extra crumble on the table so people can add more to their slices!)
Drizzle with caramel sauce, slice, and enjoy! Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Then, make the most of apple season by making my Apple Upside Down Cake or my Apple Pie Bars!
Expert Success Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – It is imperative that you let your cold ingredients come to room temperature. Cold ingredients will create a lumpy batter.
- Don’t Over Mix – Over mixing the cheesecake batter when you’re adding the eggs can cause the cheesecake to rise up too much in the oven. This could lead to spillage, so be sure to follow the directions carefully.
- Don’t Over Bake – Follow the doneness cues given in the recipe card below to avoid over baking the cheesecake. Don’t panic if it browns the slightest bit on top – that can happen without it being overbaked.
FAQs:
Yes! Cut the recipe in half and bake in a 9×9 pan. I think a half quantity would still be a bit too much for a 6-inch springform pan. Start with 32-40 minutes, and add time as needed, checking for doneness in the same way as the recipe card states.
Yes. That’s the nature of cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temp after it’s baked, and then transfer to the fridge to chill at least 6 hours or up to 1 day before serving. This slight annoyance actually makes cheesecake the perfect dessert to make ahead!
The hot water produces steam that fills the oven, which helps the cheesecake cook evenly and remain nice and creamy, without cracking. It also helps prevent the edges from cooking at a faster rate than the center.
You have two options – place the roasting pan filled with water on the rack below your cheesecake, or place your cheesecake pan (still wrapped in aluminum foil) into a 10-inch cake pan inside of the roasting pan. Pour water into the roasting pan only. If you place the foil-wrapped cheesecake pan into the roasting pan and pour in water, it will almost always leak to some degree.
Special Tools:
- Springform Pan – This recipe uses a 9-inch springform pan. You must use this size pan, or even a 10-inch springform if that’s what you have. Anything else will be too small for the amount of batter!
More Cheesecake Recipes to Love:
- Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
- Classic Strawberry Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cheesecake
- Triple Nutella Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 medium apples, 588 grams sliced
- 3 tbsp salted butter, 42 grams
- 1-2 tbsp apple cider, or water if you don't have cider – apple cider vinegar is not the same thing, don't use it!
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed, 73 grams
- 1 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp water
For the Crust:
- 3 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, 300 grams. See note
- 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp salted butter, melted, 155 grams
For the Cheesecake:
- 32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, use the full-fat, block style
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 308 grams
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature, 180 grams
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Crumble Topping
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour , 33 grams
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats, 48 grams
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed, 55 grams
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold salted butter, cubed, 4 tbsp, or 57 grams
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar , 210 grams
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, 85 grams
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream, 135 grams
- pinch of flaky sea salt
For the Apple Topping:
- 4 medium apples, 588 to 625 grams
- 3 tbsp salted butter, 42 grams
- 1-2 tbsp apple cider, or water if you don't have cider – apple cider vinegar is not the same thing, don't use it!
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed, 73 grams
- 1 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp water
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep: Read through the recipe before you begin to ensure you have everything you need, as there are a few elements at play here. They can be broken down over multiple days to break things up! See make-ahead tips at the bottom of this recipe.
- Make the Apple Filling: See note below if you want to make this all in one batch! Peel & slice your apples between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Add all apple filling ingredients to a medium pan over medium high heat. Cook for 8-14 minutes, stirring lazily the whole time, until desired tenderness is reached. If the liquid all dries up at any point, add a splash more cider or water to keep things saucy. Once apples reach desired tenderness, if the filling isn't thickened like in my photos, thicken by stirring together 2 tsp cornstarch and 2 tsp water until dissolved. add to the apple filling over medium heat, and cook, stirring, for 30-60 seconds. This will thicken the juices.Transfer apple mixture & thickened juices to a medium bowl to cool (at room temp or in the fridge if making ahead).4 medium apples, 3 tbsp salted butter, 1-2 tbsp apple cider, 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed, 1 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp cornstarch , 2 tsp water
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 10 minutes. Set aside. Keep the oven on at 350. Fill a large pot with water and set it on your stove, and get out a large roasting pan – you'll need this for your water bath later.3 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp salted butter, melted
- Make the Cheesecake: Remember that your cold ingredients need to come to room temp before you start or the filling won't turn out. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar & mix until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each until just incorporated. Add the vanilla, corn starch, sour cream, and spices, and mix until just incorporated. Start your pot of water boiling on the stovetop before you start assembling the cheesecake into the crust. Pour half the batter into the baked crust, then spoon the apple filling over the top of the batter in an even layer. Pour on the remaining batter and smooth with an offset spatula.32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, at room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1 and 1/2 tsp corn starch
- Prep Water Bath: Set your pan of cheesecake on a rack positioned in the center of the oven, and place the roasting pan on the rack below, or wrap the base of the cheesecake pan in foil and place it inside a 10-inch cake pan inside of the roasting pan (this one is ideal – having the cheesecake surrounded by water helps protect it from the oven's heat and keeps things extra creamy). Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan in both scenarios. Both of these methods ensure no leaks. Note: I do not recommend placing your cheesecake pan (even if wrapped in foil) directly into the water bath as it will always leak to some degree and you'll have a soggy crust.
- Bake: Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 to 1 hour and 50 minutes. When done, the edges of the cheesecake will be slightly raised, the top will appear matte, and it will have only a slight wobble in the center. A knife inserted into the edge will come out with a small amount of thick batter, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway down into the center should read 150 to 155℉. If the top of the cheesecake appears a bit puffy and browns during the bake, that's normal. It is not over baked – the top browns more with this recipe because of how full this pan is. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour before removing it.
- Cool & Chill: Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven. It should be cool enough to handle, but be careful. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely at room temp, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours or ideally up to 12 hours to 1 day before removing from the pan & serving.Time Saving Tip: Make the elements below – the crumble, caramel, and apple topping – while the cheesecake bakes or while it cools and chills.
- Make Crumble Topping: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the cold butter into chunks, then add to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two forks until you have a crumbly mixture. Spread into an even layer on your prepared cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add more time as needed – mine took 25 minutes, but other folks have said theirs was done faster. Let cool completely.1/4 cup all-purpose flour , 1/2 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 cup cold salted butter, cubed
- Make Salted Caramel Sauce: Make the caramel sauce according to my 10-minute Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe. This blog post includes step-by-step photos & troubleshooting tips along with the recipe. Let cool before using on the cheesecake.1 cup granulated sugar , 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream, pinch of flaky sea salt
- Make Apple Pie Topping: Peel & slice your apples between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick. Add all apple filling ingredients to a medium pan over medium high heat. Cook for 8-14 minutes, and repeat all the steps from the apple filling section above, just like you did for the filling. Transfer apple mixture & thickened juices to a medium bowl to cool (at room temp or in the fridge if making ahead).4 medium apples, 3 tbsp salted butter, 1-2 tbsp apple cider, 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed, 1 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp water, 2 tsp cornstarch
- Serve + Store: Top the cooled cheesecake with your apple pie topping, a generous layer of the crumble topping, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Slice the cheesecake and enjoy!
- Make-Ahead Tips: –Apple Filling/Topping: This can be made up to a day ahead. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. –Caramel Sauce: Make up to 5 days in advance. Cool and store in a mason jar in the fridge. -Crumble: This can be made 2-3 days ahead. Let cool and store in an airtight container at room temp.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have a puppy and toddler so I can NOT let my cheesecake cool in the over cracked open. Would it be fine if I just let it cool for an hr on the counter?
I think that would be ok, since it sounds like it’s your only option haha. ☺️ let me know how you like the cheesecake! Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I substitute the sour cream?
Hi Tiaunna! You could use full fat plain yogurt instead. Hope that helps! Let me know how you like the recipe!
Oh, be sure to let it cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge, like the recipe says.
I’m making this right now and my cake has been in the oven for 50 min so far. It has definitely raised a bit over the pan but the top also is golden already. I worry about another 45 minutes in the oven.
Hi Nikki! This is totally normal. The cheesecake will be very underbaked if you don’t let it go an additional 30-45 minutes. When in doubt, use an instant read thermometer to check the temp halfway down in the center – it should be at about 150-155 degrees F. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Well I waited the full 1 hour and 35 minutes and it is brown on top and has expanded so much that it cracked.
It sounds like the batter may have been overmixed. I’m sure it will still taste good even if it doesn’t look the prettiest. It should settle down as it cools and chills in the fridge, and the crack will be hidden by toppings.
Writing to add that I was able to salvage the cake and the toppings all covered everything beautifully. The cake came out great and the taste was amazing!!!! Was a huge hit!
Glad to hear that, Nikki! Thanks so much!
I’m in the same boat as you, except I turned the oven off with 20 minutes still on the clock. I poked the cake as it says and it came out clean, yet it jiggled slightly. The brown top can be peeled off from my quick Google research, so I’m hoping I can salvage this!
Hi Brittany! I would not recommend peeling the top of your cheesecake off, it will be very messy and is unnecessary. It’s perfectly fine for the top to be browned – it’s because these filled cheesecakes make the pan so full, so the top will brown a bit more. It should still be nice and creamy inside! Please let me know how it tastes. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello! I’m so excited to make this. If I bought a premade crust does that change the whole recipe? Thanks!
Hi Chelsea! Unfortunately that won’t work for this recipe – my experience with pre made grahams cracker crusts is that they are usually made in the size of a 9-inch pie plate and this batter will only fit in a 9 inch springform pan, it’s far too much for a 9 inch pie plate. You could fill two or three 9-inch pie plate sized graham cracker crusts with a single batch of this recipe. A 9×13 pan would be another option as it would hold all the batter, if you don’t have a 9-inch springform pan.
Okay! Thank you for such a quick response, Stephanie! Happy thanksgiving!
Thanks, Chelsea! Happy Thanksgiving! Let me know how you like the cheesecake.
THANK YOU Stephanie! Just tried your Dutch Caramel Apple Pie recipe and let me tell you 🤌🏽🥧 everyone LOVES. This is only my second apple pie that i’ve made from scratch and it is so good! I knew that I would love your recipes when I started following you on Instagram last week 😍 thank you!
Thanks so much Jade! It looks like you left this review on the apple pie cheesecake instead of the apple pie, though. 🙂
I made this cheesecake recently and I have to say, it is by far the best cheesecake I’ve ever had! I make cheesecakes all the time and I know they can be time consuming but I love that I can make the apple filling, crumble topping and caramel ahead of time which makes it so much easier! You out did yourself on this one!!! I highly recommend this recipe to anyone looking to impress your guests/family! They will LOVE it!!!
Thanks so much for your kind review, Keila! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe adn that the make ahead tips were helpful. Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this cheesecake for my Friendsgiving last Saturday and everyone’s raving about it. They all love it so much that they are paying me to make some for their thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. Haha
I enjoy making cheesecakes but never have I thought about incorporating apples into a cheesecake. This recipe is incredible and I will always make this whenever I have any gathering again. Wish I had made more than one of them.
Thanks so so much for this recipe. Can I give it 10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m so glad to hear that this cheesecake was a hit! Thanks so much for your kind words. Happy Thanksgiving!
So, my 9 inch pan is at my daughter’s. I only have my 8 inch and 10 inch. Would it be horrible to make in the 10 inch?
As long as it’s a 10-inch springform with the tall sides (not a 10-inch cake pan) that would work just fine! Please let me know how you like the recipe!
It is springform!! I’m so excited to make this. I will comment back with my results.
Thanks so much, Jennifer! Happy Thanksgiving!
I only have a convection oven – I read on other cheesecake recipes they recommend lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and needing 10-15 mins less bake time. Do you agree?
Hi Dee! I do not have experience with convection ovens, but if that’s what other reputable websites say I would say that’s a safe bet. There’s likely no harm in starting with a lower temp and less bake time – you can always add more if needed. Please let me know how you enjoy this recipe!
Hi Stephanie! I’m going to make this for thanksgiving and was wondering if the cornstarch in both the filling and topping recipe is only used if it’s not as thick?
Also, to make in one batch, would I just double the ingredients for filling and topping?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Amira! I don’t recommend skipping the cornstarch – it thickens the juices in the filling so it doesn’t add too much moisture to the cheesecake. And yes, you can double that to make the filling and topping all at once! You’ll want to make sure you slice all of your apples between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Please let me know how you enjoy the recipe!
Thank you for such a quick response! Okay perfect will do. I’ve just finished making the caramel—super easy! Will update once it’s all put together!
Sounds good! 🙂
Hi again! So I made it and it turned out AMAZING!!! Everyone loved it—even my SIL who never eats sweets lol.
I made some substitutions based on my family’s tastes. I didn’t add the spices to the actual cheesecake and only put half of the apples in the center. I also made it a couple days in advance so the cheesecake had time to fully settle. It was super creamy and still very flavorful even without the additional spices.
Thank you for this great recipe!!
Glad to hear everyone enjoyed this, Amira!
The most amazing cheesecake ive EVER had!! The fact you write so much useful tips and tricks annoys some people but i find it so helpful <3
Thanks so much Chloe! I appreciate your kind words more than you know 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!