Apple crisp cheesecake has a thick graham cracker crust, tangy vanilla cheesecake, cinnamon apples and oatmeal crumble on top. It's extremely creamy with the perfect apple cinnamon flavor. Top with a drizzle of salted caramel for the ultimate fall dessert.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Crisp Cheesecake, Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or 160C on a fan-forced oven).
Wrap the outside of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan in tin foil so that the bottom and sides are covered. Wrap it at least 3-4 times so that all the seams are covered too. Lightly grease the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Crust
Mix the graham crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then mix in the melted butter
Press the mixture into the bottom and about ½ way up the sides of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep the oven turned on.
Cinnamon Apples
Peel and core the apples. Slice into very thin slices.
Toss the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in the fridge until you'll need them later.
Crisp Topping
Stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl until no lumps remain. Then mix in the oats.
Stir in the melted butter. It should look like damp sand and form clumps/crumbles if you squeeze it in your palm. Set aside until you'll use it later.
Cheesecake Filling
In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugars until smooth and creamy. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Mix in the corn starch and cinnamon. Then mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Again, turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl to ensure there are no lumps of cream cheese.
Mix in the eggs 1 at a time. Stop mixing as soon as the eggs are combined. You should no longer see pieces of egg yolk or egg white.
Assembling & Baking the Cheesecake
With the pan still wrapped in foil, pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and smooth the top.
Place sliced apples on top of the cheesecake in an even layer. Do not add any juice/liquid from the bottom of the bowl of your apples. You may not quite need all the apples to form an even layer.
Sprinkle the oatmeal crumble mixture over the sliced apples. It may look like quite a bit, but it really isn't after the cheesecake is baked.
Place the cheesecake inside a large roasting pan (the pan should still be wrapped in foil).
Pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that there's about 1 inch of water in the pan.
Place the roasting pan in the oven. Bake the cheesecake for about 50-60 minutes. When it's done baking, there should be a very slight wobble if you gently nudge the pan.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Cool in the roasting pan until it reaches room temperature.
Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan. Cover the pan with tin foil and place in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Serving
When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the fridge.
Trace around the edges with a sharp knife. Then unclamp the outer ring of the springform pan.
Slice the cheesecake using a thin, sharp knife (not a table knife). Be sure to slice all the way through the crust. This recipe can be a little messy to slice, so don't worry if your pieces don't look perfect.
Optionally, drizzle each piece with a little salted caramel.
Notes
Graham Crumbs: You can substitute graham crumbs for digestive biscuit crumbs if needed. When measuring, measure 3 cups of crumbs - after the graham crackers or digestives have been crushed.
Apples: I typically use Granny Smith apples. They will sweeten as they bake. You can also use crispy Galas or Ambrosia apples. I do not recommend using Red Delicious or McIntosh. You'll need 2 large apples or 2-3 medium apples.
Cream Cheese: Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything that's low fat or comes in a tub.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before getting started.