Beautiful marriage between apple pie and cheesecake in one amazing Apple Pie Cheesecake dessert. Silky, creamy cheesecake is flavored with cinnamon and topped with homemade apple pie filling and some toffee crunch pieces.
Apple Pie Cheesecake
It’s that time of the year again, where most of the birthdays in our family come one after another.
My son and I are in August, my daughter and my father-in-law are in September, my mother-in-law is in October, and my sister is in November. My mom and my husband are the only ones separated from the group by several months.
This time of the year is when I make a lot of birthday cakes. It’s fun being the official cake baker for everyone because I get to come up with a new cake at least 8 times a year.
My baby girl just had her very first birthday and her very first birthday cake. I was so excited to give her the cake on her birthday and take those traditional “baby digging into the cake for the first time” photos. When I gave her the cake, I was just waiting for her to take that first bite and see her face light up with realization that what she just ate tastes amazing.
I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting, but that moment never came. She was not impressed with the cake, or the frosting.
She delicately took a piece of frosting and tasted it. Then, she took a little piece of cake and tasted it. After that, she looked at us, smiled, and decided it was more fun to play with her number 1 decoration rather that shoving cake in her face.
We just sat there shocked for a minute, making sure that it was our kid in front of us. Never have we ever passed on a slice of cake and I’m a big sucker for a cookie. But this little girl, is not a fan of sweets.
Same story was on her birthday party. She took a couple of bites of her cake and that was all. No sticking her face in the cake, no smearing frosting all over her face, just a couple of tiny little bites and nothing to clean up.
I’m just happy that everyone else at the party was happily stuffing their face with the cake. I was also happy to see everyone stuffing their face with this Apple Pie Cheesecake for my father-in-law’s birthday.
Can I make the cheesecake ahead of time?
Absolutely! The apple pie topping can be made ahead of time. You can make it a day before and store it in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container. When you’re ready to top the cheesecake with it, just heat it up in a microwave. Just to warm it up so it’s easier to spread. (Not hot.)
Do I have to do the water bath when baking cheesecake?
Well no, you don’t really have to do it but the result is SO much better. It’s worth the extra baking time and the extra step.
Bain Marie (or water bath) is a baking technique where you bake something inside a larger pan filled with water half way. It’s meant for cooking delicate desserts like custard, crème brûlée, cheesecakes, etc.
Simply, this technique is meant to keep direct heat away and to ensure even baking of these delicate desserts.
Baking the cheesecake in a water bath gives it a wonderfully smooth and silky texture.
SOME MORE RECIPES YOU WILL LIKE:
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie – a combination of a classic pumpkin pie with silky creaminess of a cheesecake. This easy dessert is perfect to serve at holiday dinners or just because you feel like having a pumpkin treat.
Christmas Cheesecake -this heavenly dessert is a vanilla bean cheesecake layered with an easy cranberry jam and smooth white chocolate mousse.
Creme Brulee Pumpkin Cheesecake – this smooth, silky pumpkin cheesecake is made with the ginger snap cookie crust, extra cookies on the bottom, heavenly pumpkin cheesecake and crunchy, caramelized sugar on top.
Apple Caramel Carrot Cake – This carrot cake is soft and moist, filled with caramel apples in the cake and in the filling. It’s frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with crushed pecans and more caramel.
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Apple Pie Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 5 Tbsp butter melted
- 2 tsp apple pie spice
Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese (3 packs) softened
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Apple Pie Filling:
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 2.5 lbs gala apples (or other sweet apples)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 Tbsp. apple pie spice
- 1/4 cup flour
Topping:
- 6 oz Toffee crunch pieces
Instructions
Apple Pie Filling:
- Apple pie filling can be done ahead of time. You can make it a couple of days before, or a few hours before you need it, or while cheesecake is baking.
- Peel, core and dice the apples.
- In a medium pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Add diced apples and stir well.
- Add brown sugar, apple pie spice, and vanilla, stir and cover with a lid.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples start to soften. Take off lid.
- Cook uncovered, until apples are soft and juices are mostly cooked down. Stir occasionally.
- Sprinkle flour over apples and stir well. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
- Take off heat and set aside until ready to use. (Or cool and refrigerate in a contained with a lid.)
Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan. You will need a large roasting pan that’s bigger and longer than the springform pan. (I usually use the aluminum foil disposable ones). If you are not sure about your springform holding up in water, you can wrap the outside of the springform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil from bottom up to the sides. (I recommend wrapping the outside of the springform in foil before adding the crust and cheesecake batter.)
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and apple pie spice. Stir very well, until all incorporated. Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
Cheesecake:
- Start beating cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream. Mix until combined.
- Add eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat until all incorporated.
- Lower speed to low and add corn starch and cinnamon.
- Bring the speed up a little and start to pour in heavy cream. Mix until all combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for another minute or so, until smooth.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan with crust and make sure it's spread evenly.
- Place roasting pan into the oven and place the cheesecake springform pan inside the roasting pan. Carefully add hot water to the roasting pan, about half way up the side of the springform.
- Bake for 70-75 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door half way. Let cheesecake rest for about 10 minutes and take it out of the oven (out of the roasting pan and carefully take off the foil).
- Let it rest for 20 minutes on the counter and then gently run a greased butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it. (You don't actually have to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to serve.)
- Cool cheesecake for an hour.
- While still in the springform, scoop warm (or room temperature) apple pie topping over the cheesecake and gently spread it evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- When you're ready to serve the cheesecake, spread toffee crunch pieces all over the top.
NOTE: don't add toffee crunch pieces ahead of time because they will soften. Add before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Helen says
I am about to try this amazing looking Apple Pie Cheesecake, but I live in Australia. I am not sure what I can substitute for the toffee crunch? Is it a toffee bar crumbled you have used? I would appreciate your input!
Thank
LyubaB says
Hi Hellen, do you have toffee baking bits there? If not you can use a crumbled toffee bar!
Paul says
I was wondering if this recipe could be made in the instant pot? If so, what modifications would need to be done to accommodate it?
LyubaB says
I have never made a cheesecake in an instant pot so I cant not be sure how it would turn out.
angela says
I actually used the same recipe, cut it in half because the instant pots are smaller and their spring forms are smaller. And I did the pressure cook for 32 minutes. Make sure you cover the top of the cheesecake in foil moisture doesn’t fall into the top.
Kaillaby says
This cheesecake is delicious, inventive, and perfect for the Fall! It caught my eye so I added it to my Thanksgiving menu and i didn’t regret it! I didn’t have a springform pan or the toffee coating but I supplemented with an aluminum pan and salted caramel drizzle. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Also, I found a baking tip that suggested covering the pan in aluminum foil before adding it to the roasting pan water bath.
LyubaB says
So glad you liked it! Yes, you should cover the pan in foil before baking, or water will get in and make it soggy.
Gina says
My apple pie filling got a tad too thick. Is there a way to thin it out some before putting on the cheesecake? I’m afraid it’s not going to spread well.
Laura says
I made this cheesecake but did an apple crisp topping instead of the apple pie. I put the apples and the crisp topping ontop of the cheesecake before baking and baked it together. The cheesecake was delicious but the center was a little bit too soft and goopy when cut into. My friends want me to make this cheesecake again for our dinner this weekend do you have any ideas where I can avoid the soft venter? Maybe keep it in the oven a little longer? Thank you!
Eulala says
Just made this recipe last night for my boyfriend’s birthday and it’s absolutely amazing! He and my children love it! Thank you for sharing.
LyubaB says
I love hearing this! I am so glad you liked it, Eulala!
Jessica says
Hello! I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving this year!! I plan on making it the day before. I saw that you said to put the toffee bits on right before you serve it rather than the day before. Could I put those on a couple of hours before I serve it??
LyubaB says
Hi Jessica, You will want to wait till right before, or they will soak up all the moisture and start to melt. I hope you enjoy it!
Deniss says
Tried this recipe for Friendsgiving and fell in love with it! Everyone liked it. Just changed the topping to a apple crumble as I already had the ingredients. Thank you for posting!
LyubaB says
Hi, Deniss! Thanks for the sweet comment! I am so glad you love it 🙂
Jennifer Hembree says
Can you use store bought apple pie filling instead of making it from scratch?
LyubaB says
Hi, Jennifer! The flavor may be slightly different but yes you can use store bought.
Jess says
I am horrible with making the crust. Can I use pie crust from the store?
LyubaB says
Jess, this is a graham cracker crust which is fairly easy. You could use a pre made but you would have to take it out of the shallow pie pan and put it in a spring form pan so it will be deep enough and you can get it out in one piece.
Ricki Dobrzensky says
Can you use plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream?
Thank you!
Joey says
does the crust get precooked before cooking the cheesecake? thanks
LyubaB says
Hi, Joey! No, the crust isn’t pre-baked. You cook it when you cook the cheesecake 🙂