Apple Crisp Cheesecake - Cinnamon spiced cheesecake on top of a biscoff crust, filled with apple filling, and topped with a buttery spiced streusel topping!
It's starting to slightly cool down and by slightly I mean its 2 degrees cooler which makes me pull out all my cozy spices to make my newest recipe! This Apple Crisp Cheesecake combines a creamy cheesecake filling with a crisp topping, tart apples, and a buttery biscoff cracker crust. Whether you're a seasoned baker or trying this for the first time, this recipe is sure to be a huge hit at your fall dessert table.
Why You'll Love This Apple Crisp Cheesecake
- Creamy Cheesecake: The full-fat cream cheese and sour cream make for an incredibly smooth cheesecake.
- Crisp Topping: A delicious crumble topping adds the perfect crunch.
- Perfect for Fall: With tart Granny Smith apples and a hint of cinnamon, it's an ideal dessert for the holiday season.
- Versatile: You can customize it with your favorite apple varieties, such as Golden Delicious or Pink Lady.
- Apple: I use granny smith, which makes the apples slight tart but sweetened with some sugar for a perfect sweet apple flavor!
For more apple recipes, here are some of my favorite!
Ingredients - Apple Crisp Cheesecake
First up, here's a list of some key ingredients you will need to pick up from grocery stores that are used in the Apple Crisp Cheesecake. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below!
- Large Granny Smith apples
- Lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Cornstarch
- Whole Biscoff cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Full-fat cream cheese
- Brown sugar
- Large egg yolk
- Large whole eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
Step-by-Step Instructions - Apple Crisp Cheesecake
Need some help making this Apple Crisp Cheesecake? Here's an idea of what the recipe entails. For a full list of instructions, check out the recipe card below!
For the Apple Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Place the apple mixture in a medium to large pot over medium-high heat. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- In a separate small bowl, create a slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water. Set it aside.
- As the apples release liquid and begin to soften, add the slurry to the mixture while stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken within about 30 seconds. If needed, prepare a bit more slurry to reach the desired thickness.
- Once thickened, remove the apple mixture from heat and transfer it to a container. Let it cool to room temperature. The filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
For the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the outside bottom with aluminum foil to prevent water from getting into the pan.
- In a large food processor, crush the Biscoff cookies until they are fine crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, combine the Biscoff cookie crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until the crumbs come together and resemble wet sand.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of a flat cup or your hand to create an even layer. Go halfway up the sides.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.
For the Streusel:
- In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This takes some time, so be patient. The mixture is done when there are no more flour streaks.
- When the streusel is ready, place it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake batter.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Pour hot water into a large roasting pan, filling it up a little less than halfway. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- While the mixer is on low speed, gradually add the brown sugar to the cream cheese, continuing to beat until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the room temperature egg yolk and whole eggs all at once and mix just until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Gently fold in the sour cream, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon with a rubber spatula until smooth, with no lumps remaining. Be careful not to overmix, as this can introduce excess air bubbles into the batter.
Assembling the Cheesecake:
- Carefully pour half of the cheesecake filling into the baked crust. Spread evenly across the top.
- Sprinkle half of the apple filling on top and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Pour the remaining half of the cheesecake batter on top of the apple filling. Spread evenly with the back of a spoon to create an even layer.
- Evenly spread the rest of the apple filling on top.
- Generously sprinkle the streusel on top of the apples.
- Place the cheesecake in the prepped water bath and bake for 85-90 minutes until the middle is barely set and slightly jiggly. If the cake is still jiggling, bake for 5 more minutes. Once the cheesecake has a slight jiggle, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open for an hour.
- Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
Serving:
- Once the cheesecake has set, you can make a glaze by combining powdered sugar and milk. Pour on top.
- Serve cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy your apple crisp cheesecake!
Tips and Tricks
- Best Apples: Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for a balanced flavor. Granny Smith and Golden Delicious work well.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth cheesecake batter.
- Water Bath: A water bath helps prevent cracks in your cheesecake. Make sure to wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil to keep water out.
- Cooling: Cool the cheesecake slowly in the oven with the door slightly open to prevent cracks.
Recommended Tools
- Springform pan
- Food processor
- Electric Mixer
- Paddle attachment for stand mixer
- Large roasting pan
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry cutter
FAQs - Apple Crisp Cheesecake
Can I use different apples?Yes, you can use your favorite apple varieties like Pink Lady or Golden Delicious.
How do I store leftovers?Store any leftover cheesecake in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze the cheesecake?Yes, you can freeze the cheesecake without the apple topping for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
What is the purpose of the water bath?The water bath helps bake the cheesecake evenly and prevents cracks by maintaining a moist baking environment.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- Store the Apple Crisp Cheesecake in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the cheesecake whole or wrapped in individual slices for up to 3 months, and thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving!
- Cinnamon Caramel Apple Cake
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- The Greatest Powder Sugar Apple Cider Donut Cake
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Recipe
Apple Crisp Cheesecake
Cinnamon spiced cheesecake on top of a biscoff crust, filled with apple filling, and topped with a buttery spiced streusel topping!
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 large apples thinly sliced (Granny Smith apples work well)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt about ⅛ teaspoon
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
For the Crust:
- 30 whole Biscoff cookies pulsed to a powder in a food processor
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
For the Streusel:
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed into pea-sized pieces
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese 4 blocks, room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 large whole eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Apple Filling:
- In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Place the apple mixture in a medium to large pot over medium-high heat. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, create a slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water. Set it aside.
- As the apples release liquid and begin to soften, add the slurry to the mixture while stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken within about 30 seconds. If needed, prepare a bit more slurry to reach the desired thickness.
- Once thickened, remove the apple mixture from heat and transfer it to a container. Let it cool to room temperature. The filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
For the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Spray a 9-inch springform cake pan with cooking spray, and line the outside bottom with tin foil to prevent water from getting into the pan.
- In a large food processor, crush the Biscoff cookies until they are a fine crumb.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the Biscoff cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Stir until all the crumbs come together and you can squeeze them with your hand and they stick together.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of a flat cup or your hand to create an even layer. Go halfway up the sides.
- Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.
For the Streusel:
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This takes some time, so be patient. The mixture is done when there are no more flour streaks.
- When the streusel is ready, place it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake batter.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Pour water into a sheet pan or roasting pan, filling it up a little less than halfway. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- While the mixer is on low, gradually add the brown sugar to the cream cheese, continuing to beat until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the room temperature egg yolk and whole eggs all at once and mix just until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Gently fold in the sour cream, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon with a rubber spatula until smooth, with no lumps remaining. Be careful not to overmix, as this can introduce excess air bubbles into the batter.
Assembling the Cheesecake:
- Carefully pour half of the cheesecake filling into the baked Biscoff crust. Spread evenly across the top.
- Sprinkle half of the apple filling on top and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Pour the remaining half of the cheesecake batter on top of the apple filling. Spread evenly with the back of a spoon to create an even layer.
- Evenly spread the rest of the apple filling on top.
- Generously sprinkle the streusel on top of the apples.
- Place the cheesecake in the prepped water bath and bake for 85-90 minutes until the middle is barely set and slightly jiggly. If the cake is still jiggling, bake for 5 more minutes. Once the cheesecake has a slight jiggle, turn off the oven and prop the door open for an hour.
- Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, then place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
Serving:
- Once the cheesecake has set, you can make a glaze by combining 1 cup powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of milk. Pour on top.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Anonymous says
This is one of the best cheesecakes I've ever made / had. Will be making it every year.
Thank you for sharing