You'll love this decadent apple crisp cheesecake! It's creamy, smooth, and topped with the most amazing apple crisp topping. It's perfect for fall and holiday baking season!
6tablespoonsunsalted butterslightly softened and cut into small cubes
Apple topping
2cupspeeled and small-diced honeycrisp applescut into about ½ inch cubes
2tablespoonslight brown sugar
¾teaspoonsground cinnamon
Cheesecake filling
32ouncesfull-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature(four 8-ounce blocks)
1cupgranulated sugar
⅔cupfull-fat sour cream, at room temperature
4large eggs, at room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
Instructions
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, especially the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs. This is important to ensure a smooth batter.
Make the graham crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until you get fine crumbs. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse a few more times. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse until moist crumbs form. It should feel like wet sand.
Transfer the graham crust mixture onto a 9-inch springform pan (locked). Press it tightly and firmly until you form a compact crust on the bottom and slightly up the sides.
Pre-bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool. Do not turn off the oven.
Make the crisp topping:
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and oats. Add the butter and work it with your fingers until you get pea-size crumbs. Set aside.
Make the apple topping:
In a bowl, combine the apples with the 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
Make the cheesecake filling:
Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar over medium-high speed until smooth and creamy for 2 minutes. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Don’t overmix.
Reduce mixer to medium speed. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Again, don’t overmix, or the cheesecake will crack or sink in the middle. Give it a final mix with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed. Set aside.
Assemble and bake in a water bath:
At this point, boil water, enough to cover about 1 inch of a large roasting pan (for the cheesecake water bath). The roasting pan should be large enough to fit the springform pan.
Tightly wrap the exterior of the prepared 9-inch springform pan (bottom and sides) with 4 layers of aluminum foil to prevent any water leakage from the water bath. Pour the cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust.
Remove any excess liquid from the prepared apples. Top the cheesecake with the apples and the crisp/crumble topping evenly. Tip: Make sure to remove excess liquid from the apples to prevent a pool of water from forming. I drain the prepared apples through a colander and pat it dry with paper towel.
Transfer the assembled cheesecake to a large roasting pan and place it in the oven. Then, pour the hot boiled water into the roasting pan to cover about ¾ to 1 inch.
Bake for 70-75 minutes at 325 degrees F. Don't open the oven until time's up, otherwise the heat and moisture will escape. The cheesecake is ready when a thermometer inserted in the middle reads 150 degrees F. Note: I usually do the wobble test to check if it’s ready (edges set but wobbly still in the center), but you can’t tell with this one because of the topping. Use a thermometer instead - it will look jiggly in the center and set around the edges.
Turn the oven off and crack open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 1 hour. Then, remove it from oven and run a knife around the edges to slightly loosen up the edges. Let it cool completely on the counter. Cover the top with foil and refrigerate overnight or at least 5 hours, don’t remove it from the springform pan yet.Tip: Cooling down the cheesecake inside the oven helps prevent further cracks. Cheesecakes don’t like drastic changes in temperature.
Once it’s fully chilled, run a knife around the edges again. Release the cheesecake from the springform pan. Slice and serve. If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce or serve with whipped cream.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients to prevent lumps and over-mixing. You’re looking for a smooth and glossy batter.
What kinds of apples to use: Use firm apples, such as Honeycrisp, Fiji, or Gala. Don't use Red Delicious apples.
Make-ahead: The cheesecake can be made 1 day in advance. It needs to refrigerate overnight anyway.
Storing: Refrigerate for up to 3 days, covered.
Freezing: You can freeze it, but the topping will not be crispy anymore though. Wrap the completely cooled cheesecake with layers of plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until defrosted.
Water bath: Another alternative to a water bath is placing a large pan of water, filled to about 1 inch, in the lower rack of the oven. This way, the cheesecake won't sit directly in the hot water. This is a great option if you're nervous about water leaking into the pan. My preference is to let the cheesecake sit directly in the water bath though - as long as you tightly wrap the springform pan with multiple layers of aluminum foil, no water should seep in.