This caramel apple cheesecake recipe brings together everything you love about a caramel apple in decadent cheesecake form. Enjoy!
The BEST Caramel Apple Cheesecake
It’s apple season, people! And let’s not forget about the caramel, too! This caramel apple cheesecake brings together these two deliciously autumnal flavors to make this ultimate decadent dessert. You’ll want to add this to your cheesecake recipe rotation 😀
why you’ll love it!
- Super creamy and decadent texture
- Delicious flavor made even better with a homemade crust
- Topped with more caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt
- Serves a crowd — this cheesecake recipe makes 8-10 slices
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Ingredients
for the Crust
- Graham cracker crumbs: Simply pulse whole ginger snap cookies in the food processor until they are the texture of sand.
- Crushed pretzels: We love the texture of crushed pretzels with this caramel apple cheesecake. Want to skip ’em? Simply sub 1:1 for more graham cracker crumbs.
- Granulated sugar: A little sugar goes a long way for the perfect level of sweetness in this crust.
- Butter: Butter holds the crust together and ensures that it isn’t too crumbly when sliced. Don’t skip the butter!
- Honey: Honey will also help bind the crust together + it adds great flavor.
for the Filling
- Caramel sauce: To save time, we opted for a store bought caramel sauce – feel free to use a homemade version if you prefer!
- Granny smith apples: Granny smith apples are great for baking! They’re tart and hold their shape when baked.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to buy full-fat cream cheese, and make sure it’s at room temperature to avoid any lumps in your cheesecake filling.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar is best in this recipe and we don’t recommend swapping it for anything else.
- Light brown sugar: This helps sweeten the cheesecake while giving it the depth of flavor that molasses offers.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves: This combination of spices gives this cheesecake an amazing autumnal flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla enhances the tang of the cream cheese and the sweetness of the caramel.
- Eggs: Eggs are used as a bind for cheesecake and give it its classic creamy texture. They are absolutely essential so don’t swap these or leave them out.
simple
spring form pan
Always have your cupboards stocked with a spring form pan incase of dessert emergencies!
How to soften cream cheese
Looking for a quick method to soften cream cheese? Check out our post – How to Soften Cream Cheese – 4 Ways! Here you’ll learn 4 unique (and quick!) methods to softening cream cheese the perfect amount for baking and cooking.
How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Make the Crust
Place a greased springform pan on top of tin foil and wrap the bottom securely so that no liquid will be able to get through the tin foil seal. Add crust ingredients to a bowl, and mix until the ingredients clump together.
Pour the mixture into the greased springform pan. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan pushing up the sides ½ an inch. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350ºF.
Make the filling
While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix using a whip attachment until the cream cheese is light and fluffy.
Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla to the whipped cream cheese and cream together. Then, add the eggs one at a time.
Assemble cheesecake
Pour 1 cup of the caramel sauce on top of the crust. Spread it around leaving a ½-inch border around the edge of the crust. Spread the apple slices out to evenly cover the crust, and pour the cheesecake batter over the apples.
Place the cheesecake pan onto a cookie sheet with sides and place in the oven. Pour 1 inch of hot water into the cookie sheet.
Should I do a water bath?
We recommend doing a water bath to help prevent your cheesecake from cracking and to ensure a smooooooth and creamy textured cheesecake.
Bake and cool
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 325ºF. When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to sit for 30 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 5 hours to set. Finish by spooning the remaining caramel sauce over the top before serving.
Top Tips for Perfect Cheesecake
Don’t over-mix: a good rule of thumb when it comes to baking, in general, is not to over-mix, especially over beat the eggs. This can cause cracking in your cheesecake.
Room temperature ingredients: Be sure your cream cheese and eggs are room temperature to avoid any lumps when you mix together the filling.
Slowly cool: you’ll notice we are taking precautions to slowly cool the cheesecake. Instead of removing the cheesecake from the oven immediately, crack the door open and let it cool for 30 minutes before removing from the oven.
FAQs
What is the point of a water bath for cheesecake?
A water bath protects your delicate cheesecake from cracking during baking. It also helps ensure the texture of the cheesecake remains creamy during the baking process.
What apples are good for baking?
We’re using granny smith apples for this cheesecake because they have a deliciously tart texture and hold their shape when baking.
Storage
To store this caramel apple cheesecake, cover the it with plastic wrap right in the spring form pan, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
How to Freeze Cheesecake
Freezing a cheesecake is very simple! If you’d like to freeze your caramel apple cheesecake for later, let the cheesecake cool completely in a springform pan. Wrap the cheesecake (and springform pan) in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw the cheesecake, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw completely before serving.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ cup crushed pretzels
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
Filling
- 13.5 oz. caramel sauce divided
- 3 cups sliced granny smith apples peeled
- 24 oz. cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a greased springform pan on top of tin foil and wrap the bottom securely so that no liquid will be able to get through the tin foil seal. Set aside.
- Add graham crackers, pretzels, sugar, butter, and honey to a medium-sized bowl. Mix together until the ingredients clump together.
- Pour the mixture into the greased springform pan. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan pushing up the sides ½ an inch.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350ºF. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix using a whip attachment for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cream cheese is light and fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla to the whipped cream cheese and cream together until well combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time until combined. Set aside.
- To assemble the cheesecake, pour 1 cup of the caramel sauce on top of the cooled crust. Spread it around leaving a ½-inch border around the edge of the crust. Add the apple slices, spreading them out to evenly cover the crust. Pour the cheesecake batter over the apples.
- Place the cheesecake pan onto a cookie sheet with sides and place in the oven. Pour 1 inch of hot water into the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 325ºF. When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open and allow the cheesecake to sit for 30 minutes. You do this to make sure the top of your cheesecake doesn’t crack due to a sudden change in temperature.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 5 hours to set.
- Spoon the remaining caramel sauce over the top before serving.
Tips & Notes
- Pretzels add a nice saltiness to the crust. They can be completely replaced with all graham crackers.
- It is important to use a softened cream cheese or the mixture will become lumpy when mixing.
