Caramel Apple Cheesecake

If you like cheesecake and apple pie, you’re in for a treat! This lip-smackin’ caramel apple cheesecake recipe features the best of both, with a crumbly cheesecake base, smooth cream cheese filling, and an addictive caramel and apple pie topping.

Caramel apples are one of my favorite treats! I remember when my grandpa and I would split one and practically wrestle over who got to eat the gooey goodness that was still left on the stick.  My grandpa was funny as all get out and I cherish these memories of him.

I’m not gonna lie. This caramel apple cheesecake recipe takes a bit of time to complete but it takes me back to those good times and there’s no substitute for that. What I wouldn’t give to scuffle over the leftover caramel just one more time. But enough reminiscing, I hope you enjoy making this as much as your family will enjoy devouring every crumb on their plate.

The texture of this caramel cheesecake is out of this world. You have the buttery cheesecake base (no graham cracker crust today), which is topped with a smooth and creamy cheesecake filling. The final layer is a crumbly apple pie topping, made with apple pie filling, cinnamon, snickerdoodle cookie mix, and as much caramel sauce as your heart desires. It’s sweet, creamy, and incredibly addictive.

This caramel apple cheesecake would make a great Thanksgiving dessert. however, because it uses apple pie filling instead of fresh apples, you can truly enjoy it year-round, when you have a craving for apple pie but it’s not quite fall weather. 

Recipe Ingredients 

• Snickerdoodle cookie mix (sugar cookie mix will do as well)
• Unsalted butter
• Softened cream cheese (check out our easy recipe for homemade cream cheese here)
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Vanilla extract
• Egg
• Apple pie filling
• Ground cinnamon
• Caramel topping (or you could use our Dulce De Leche recipe here)

How To Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9-inch pie pan with coconut oil or nonstick spray.

Cheesecake Base

In a medium bowl, combine the snickerdoodle cookie mix, the cinnamon sugar packet that comes with it, and 1 stick of butter.

Cut the butter into the mixture so it’s all crumbly and combined as above.

Add about 2 cups of this cheesecake mixture to your pie pan and press along the bottom and up the sides as above.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and set aside.

Melt the 1 tbsp of butter and add it to the rest of your base mixture as above.

Mix it with a fork until well combined. Set aside.

Cheesecake Filling

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, and flour and mix until well combined and creamy as above.

Add the vanilla and egg into the cream cheese mixture and mix again until well combined.

Set aside.

Apple Pie Topping

In a small bowl, add the apple pie filling and cinnamon.

Mix together as above.

Now, let’s put it all together!

Pour the cream cheese mixture into your baked pie crust and spread along the bottom as above.

Then, spoon the apple mixture on top of the cheesecake batter and spread it so it covers the top entirely.

Sprinkle the remaining streusel-like crumble mixture on top of the apple mixture.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Allow the pie to cool for about 2-3 hours, then transfer it into the fridge and allow it to cool completely before cutting.

Note: you can drizzle the caramel on now or wait to you remove it from the fridge (or what the heck, you can drizzle away before the fridge and after). 

Remove from the fridge and drizzle some more caramel to your heart’s content! 

Serve and enjoy the cool cheesecake filling combined with the crumbly cookie texture.  

You, my friend, are about to share perfection on a plate.  

Storage

• Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container (or covered in plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is another reason why it’s a great holiday dessert, as you can make it days in advance.
• You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Notes

• If you like, sprinkle your cheesecake topping with chopped pecans, cinnamon almonds, or chopped walnuts before adding the caramel sauce.
• Don’t forget that the cream cheese must be softened at room temperature before adding to the cheesecake filling. Don’t skip this step! It also doesn’t hurt to allow the egg to reach room temperature while you’re at it.
• If you want to add extra spices for more flavor, mix 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and/or a 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger into the apple pie crumble topping.
• For something different, use salted caramel sauce instead.

You may also like delicious recipes:

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Caramel Apple Cake from Mama Reed

Freezer Apple Pie

Easy Apple-Caramel Pie

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider

Snicker Caramel Apple Salad

 

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God knows the number of apples in a seed. 

                                                                                                                                     ~Robert Fuller