Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe with Streusel Topping

Caramel Apple Cheesecake captures the flavors of two classic fall treats in one spectacular apple dessert!! It’s a creamy, smooth baked cheesecake with a mountain of tender apples, sweet caramel sauce, and a crisp crumbly topping. This impressive dessert will wow your Thanksgiving guests!

I absolutely love making apple recipes in the fall — sweet and savory dishes, it doesn’t matter!

There are hundreds of great varieties to choose from, and many are available all year long. 

If you love baking this time of the year, you need to add this easy baked apple cheesecake recipe to the list!!

This is one of those cheesecake recipes that screams fall desserts. It’s not only the perfect dessert for apple fans, but it’s also the perfect addition to any holiday table.

Forget about pumpkin pie this year, and give this caramel apple cheesecake recipe a try.

The creamy cheesecake filling paired with the buttery graham cracker crust are what dessert dreams are made of! 

You’ll be thinking about all that cream cheese filling and caramel topping for a long time after eating it.

It’s perfect to make any time of year, so I find myself making this delicious cheesecake recipe all the time. It’s a given for fall recipes, but it’s also fun at other times, too!

The recipe card below shows you all the steps and simple ingredients needed to make the cream cheese mixture and golden brown crust.  

Forget about hitting up the grocery stores for cheesecakes, and make your own! 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Chopped apples and caramel sauce are mixed into the filling, which is then poured into a simple graham cracker crust.

A spiced crumble topping adds extra flavor and texture and gets lightly browned when baked.

Then, more caramel is drizzled on before serving to put this apple caramel cheesecake over the top!

Want to make something savory instead? How about a scrumptious dinner? An Apple Butter Pork Loin is a show-stopping meal that’s great for Sunday supper and holidays!

This apple crisp cheesecake doesn’t take too long to prep, but for a quicker sweet treat, whip up a batch of Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies. They’ll be ready in 20 minutes!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Cream Cheese – For the creamiest cheesecake, be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. 
  
  It’s also very important that it be a good quality brand because budget brands tend to have more water in them.
  
• Caramel Sauce – You really can’t have a caramel apple cheesecake without the caramel sauce! If you prefer not to use it, no worries — you’ll still have a delicious apple dessert.
  
  I use homemade caramel sauce for the cheesecake; it’s easy to make and tastes so much better.
  
  Of course, your favorite brand of jarred caramel sauce will work just as well.

Best Apples for Baking

There are literally hundreds of apple varieties, but some are better for baked apple desserts than others. 

The color doesn’t matter too much — what you want is something with firm flesh. 

As the apple cheesecake bakes, the apples will cook down. 

So, if you start with a soft flesh variety, you could end up with applesauce instead of a wonderful apple crisp dessert!

The best apples for your baked apple crisp cheesecake include:

• Gala
• Honeycrisp
• Golden Delicious
• Braeburn
• Granny Smith – This green variety has a tart flavor, which I think balances the sweetness of the caramel apple cheesecake filling really well.

You can really choose any type of apples for the apple filling – so have fun with the process.

All types of varied sweetness pair really well with the graham cracker crumbs and you can add other types to the top of the cheesecake, too.

The apple layer and apple slices add so much great flavor! 

Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake Recipe Notes

• Plan ahead!!

Because it needs time in the fridge to set up, it’s best to make this caramel apple crisp cheesecake a day before you plan to serve it. 

Chilling the cake gives it a firmer consistency and makes slicing easier too.

• Use room temperature ingredients.

The cheesecake batter ingredients will be easier to combine if they aren’t cold straight from the fridge. 

Just pull everything out and set it on the counter about 30 minutes before you start making the recipe.

• Avoid overmixing.

You want to combine everything, but it’s okay not to have every speck of flour incorporated.

The eggs are added one at a time — just mix until the yolk disappears into the batter, then add the next egg.

Also, be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl after the addition of each ingredient. This helps keep the filling for your caramel apple crisp cheesecake smooth and creamy.

Pro Tips for Preventing Cracks in Apple Cheesecake

• Cool it in the oven. 

Allowing the dessert to cool in the oven with the door cracked open is the only way I have been 100 percent successful in creating a smooth texture without any cracks in a baked cheesecake.

• Use cake pan wraps.

Many bakers like to use insulated baking wraps. They fit around the outside of the springform pan to help keep the heat in. 

This helps prevent cracks and also ensures that the apple cheesecake bakes evenly.

• Bake it in a water bath. 

Another option to prevent cracks in cheesecake is using a water bath. This involves wrapping the springform pan in aluminum foil (to prevent water from getting in).

Then, the pan of batter is set inside a large roasting pan and hot water is poured around the cheesecake pan.

Storing and Freezing Apple Crisp Cheesecake

Refrigerator – Cover your dessert in a container, or wrap it loosely with plastic wrap or foil. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezer – If you want to freeze the caramel apple cheesecake, do so without the crumble topping and caramel sauce. You can add those just before serving. 

I also recommend chilling the cake first to prevent ice crystals from forming in the freezer.

You can wrap the whole unsliced cheesecake, or wrap individual slices for easier snacking. 

I like to use a double layer of wrapping — plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil over that.

In the freezer, the flavor and texture will be great for up to one month. Before serving, thaw the apple caramel cheesecake in the fridge.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

---

Other Easy Apple Recipes

Originally published October 2020. Updated and republished October 2024

Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.