Apple crumble cheesecake is what happens when apple season and my love of cheesecake collide (apple pie, please step aside). This Apple Crumble Cheesecake Recipe has a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy baked cheesecake, spiced cinnamon apples, and a crumble that stays crisp. It's an impressive dessert that has always wowed our guests, and it is surprisingly easy to make!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Apple Crumble Cheesecake Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Optional Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Equipment You'll Need
- How to Make Apple Crumble Cheesecake
- Pro Tips
- How To Store & Make Ahead Apple Crumble Cheesecake
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Apple Inspired Fall Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- ⭐️ Leave a Review
Fall is the best time to dive into cozy, delicious desserts. These pumpkin spice scones are a recipe that is full of seasonal flavours. This delicious apple rum glazed monkey bread and old fashioned apple crisp make the most of apple season, and these perfect homemade cinnamon buns will fill you with warm and cozy vibes (and make your house smell incredible)!
Why You'll Love This Apple Crumble Cheesecake Recipe
- Two desserts for the price of one! Rich and creamy cheesecake topped with spiced apples and a crispy, buttery crumble, making it the ultimate fall treat!
- The crumble is piled high, and most importantly, it is crispy and not soggy!
- It is a show-stopping dessert that feels special but is simple and easy to make.
- Apple crumble cheesecake is the perfect recipe for fall and apple season!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: If you can't find graham cracker crumbs, use whole honey graham crackers and blend them in a food processor until they are a fine, sandy-like texture. Or pull out your muscles and smash them in a ziplock bag until they resemble sand.
- Cream Cheese: Use brick-style cream cheese, not spreadable.
- Apples: An apple with a firm, tart texture that holds its shape during cooking is what you should use. Some varieties we have used are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady.
A full list of ingredients and exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Optional Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Gluten-Free - use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or purchase a gluten-free graham cracker crumb crust that has been pre-made.
- Caramel Apple Crumble - to make this cheesecake even more incredible, top it with a caramel sauce drizzle right before serving!
- Add Nuts - add some nuttiness to your crumble by adding ½ cup of crushed nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, salted almonds or honey-roasted cashews.
- Use Different Fruits - switch up the apple topping and make it with blueberries, strawberries or blackberries! Follow the same instructions and ingredients used for the apple, but cook the berries until they are reduced down and less watery before adding the cornstarch slurry.
We love a good layered cheesecake, make sure you check out my Strawberry Nutella Mini Cheesecakes, my layered lemon merinuge cheesecake as well as these totally delicious chocolate ganache cherry cheesecake bars!
Equipment You'll Need
- 9" Springform Pan - If you don't have one, you can use a deep pie plate (2.5" deep or more), or an 8x8 casserole dish. If you use a casserole dish, line it with parchment paper.
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer - either will work. You can use a whisk, but you need a lot of elbow grease to whip up the cream cheese.
- Baking Sheet & Small Oven Safe Bowl - You'll need the baking sheet for under the springform pan and to make the crumble, and the oven-safe bowl to use as a water bath.
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How to Make Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Follow these easy step-by-step instructions broken down into the separate stages of making this cheesecake!
Prepare the Crust
To prepare the crust, add the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt to a bowl. Mix well, place in a 9" springform pan and press firmly. The crust should cover the entire bottom of the pan and come up the sides by about 1.5". Bake for 5 minutes and set aside.
Make Cheesecake Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1-2 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
Add the remaining cheesecake ingredients and beat until completely smooth.
Bake The Cheesecake
Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust and bake for 45-50 minutes until set and the center is firm but slightly jiggly.
Cook & Cool The Apple Filling
While the cheesecake is baking, prepare the apples and crumble.
Toss diced apples in lemon juice, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and white sugar. Cook apples over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until they have softened but are still holding their shape. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Prepare The Crumble
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the crumble. Using your hands, smoosh everything together until it is very well incorporated and resembles granola. Place the crumble on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it out into an even layer.
Bake & Crumble The Crumble
Bake the crumble for 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.
Remove from the oven and let the crumble cool completely at room temperature.
Once cooled, use your hands to break up the sheet of crumble into tiny pieces.
Assemble The Cheesecake
To assemble the apple crumble cheesecake, after your cheesecake has baked and fully cooled to room temperature, add the cooled apple filling on top, spreading it into an even layer, right to the sides of the cheesecake. Add the crumble on top and gently press down.
Chill & Serve
Refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 3 hours before removing the springform ring, slicing and serving.
The crumble will not go soggy in the fridge, but if you want an extra-crunchy crumble, add the crumble right before serving.
Pro Tips
- To get clean slices of cheesecake, gently nestle the knife down to the top of the cheesecake in between the crumble pieces, press down firmly, and pull the knife out in one motion. Wipe the knife in between cutting each piece for the cleanest cuts.
- If you are serving this cheesecake at an event where guests will be helping themselves, pre-slicing makes serving much easier and cleaner. After cutting the cheesecake using the method above, use the back of your knife the gently slide a piece of parchment paper between each slice. To do this, fold a 6" square of parchment paper around the back of your knife and carefully insert it into the cut. Pull the knife back out, leaving the parchment paper in place between the slices. Edges stay beautiful, with no sticking or smearing!
How To Store & Make Ahead Apple Crumble Cheesecake
- Make Ahead: Bake the cheesecake and prepare the apples up to 4 days ahead, and keep both covered in the fridge. Store the cooled crumble in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Add the apples and crumble on serving day, and chill at least 3 hours before slicing.
- Store Leftovers: Keep the cheesecake covered and in the fridge for up to 4 days. The crumble stays crunchy as long as the cheesecake is fully cooled before wrapping. If you make the cheesecake ahead of time, it only lasts 4 days total, so take that into account.
- Freeze: Wrap the baked cheesecake tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost completely in the fridge, then add the apple and crumble topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Granny Smith, Honeycrisp (what I used in this recipe), Pink Lady, Rave, or Cosmic Crisp. Pick a firm, tart apple that holds its shape when cooked.
Yes! Canned apple pie filling can be used instead of making your own. Other pie fillings can also be used, like blueberry, cherry, and saskatoon berry work too.
For the crispiest crumble, add it right before slicing and serving. If you top the cheesecake ahead of time, it will still be crunchy as long as the cheesecake was fully cooled before wrapping and storing. I prefer it chilled on the cheesecake because I feel it blends better, but that's personal preference.
I skip the water bath and set a small oven-safe dish of hot water on the rack below the cheesecake. It adds a gentle steam so the top of the cheesecake bakes evenly, and it's way less of a hassle compared to a full water bath.
No. If you do not have a springform pan, you can use an 8x8 or 7x11 casserole dish (the best option) or, if you have one, a deep pie plate. The completed cheesecake is about 2.5" tall, so that is how deep your pie plate would need to be.
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Apple Crumble Cheesecake Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 ¾ cup Honey Graham Cracker Crumbs
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- Pinch Salt
Cheesecake
- 3 (8 oz) Bricks Cream Cheese (see note 1)
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Apple Topping
- 4 cups Apples peeled and diced (approx. 5 medium sized apples, see note 2)
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar lightly packed
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Crumble Topping
- 1 ½ cups Large Flake Oats
- ¾ cup Butter softened
- ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Pinch Nutmeg
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Using a fork, toss the mixture until a sand-like texture is formed and the crust sticks together when pinched. Pour the crust mixture into a 9" springform pan and press firmly, evenly distributing the graham cracker mixture around the pan and up the sides. The crust should cover the bottom entirely and go about 1.5" up the sides of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese. Mix on high for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the edges as needed, until the cream cheese is light and fluffy. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, letting each egg fully incorporate before adding the next. After the eggs are added, keep the mixer running and add the sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice, mix until just combined. The cheesecake filling should be smooth and runny.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared graham cracker crust. Place the cheesecake onto a baking tray. Place the cheesecake in the middle of the oven, on the rack below the cheesecake. Place an oven-safe dish filled with 2 cups of hot water. Bake the cheesecake for 45-50 minutes until the top is just starting to brown. The center of the cheesecake will still be firm but a little jiggly. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecake cool at room temperature to finish cooking.
Apple Topping
- To make the apple topping, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the diced apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, stirring to coat the apples. Set aside. In a large fry pan, melt the butter. Add the spiced apples to the frying pan and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the apples have softened, but are still holding their shape. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch, stirring to make a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the frying pan with the apples and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the apples from the heat and let cool.
Crumble Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, butter, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using your hands, squish the butter into the oats and continue mixing until everything is combined. Spread the crumble mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Once the crumble is cool, using your hand, break the crumble apart into chunks.
Assembling the Cheesecake
- After the cheesecake, apple filling, and crumble layers have cooled to room temperature, you can assemble the apple crumble cheesecake. Starting with the cheesecake layer, spread the apple topping in an even layer over the top of the cheesecake. Add the crumble, piling it high and pushing down slightly with some pressure to help it set into place. After the cheesecake is assembled, refrigerate it for a minimum of 3 hours before slicing and serving.
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Notes
- Use brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable version.
- Use apples with a firm, tart texture, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.
- The apple topping can be substituted for pre-made canned apple pie filling.
- The crumble will not go soggy in the fridge, but if you want an extra crunchy crumble, add the crumble right before serving.
- To get clean slices of cheesecake, gently nestle the knife down to the top of the cheesecake in between the crumble pieces, press down firmly, and pull the knife out in one motion. Wipe the knife between cutting each piece for the cleanest cuts.
- Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container or plastic-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Have leftover crumble? Use it as a topping for yogurt or ice cream!
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Eddie L says
could be my new favorite.
Jessica says
Yay!
Jessica says
I developed this apple crumble cheesecake purely out of my love for cheesecake and fall baking. Looking around my kitchen, we had a whole pile of apples, and I got to thinking, experimenting, and this beautiful recipe was created. It is truly a recipe that I am extremely proud of, and I really hope you and your family enjoy it!
Corrine Vacon says
Unbelievable!!! my two favourite desserts in one oh my God, how creative
Jessica says
Thank you! ♥️
Christa says
This cheesecake was so good - Instructions were clear and everything about was great. I would highly recommend 🙂
Jessica says
Yay! Thank you!
Jenny says
I've tried a few successful recipes from Whipped it Up and just tested this one to see if it makes the cut for my upcoming thanksgiving dinner. AND MY GOLLY, this is A WINNER! Perfect balance of crumble to that rich velvety cheese, and that little pop of salt in the crust as you get to the end -just divine! This is the perfect dessert for thanksgiving... or any day really. THANK YOU!