This Apple Crumble Cheesecake is a deliciously decadent dessert that combines a simple cookie crust, creamy baked cinnamon cheesecake filling topped with apple chunks and a crunchy oat crumble.
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Why we love this recipe
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you could not decided between making a cheesecake or an apple crumble? I know, it happens every day in my house too... This Baked Apple Crumble Cheesecake is the perfect answer to this problem!
The light and creamy apple cinnamon cheesecake filling is topped with a crispy spiced oat crumble, all baked over a simple digestive biscuit crust. It is the perfect combination of Fall flavours with a delicious mix of soft, creamy and crunchy textures.
This apple crisp cheesecake is a great dessert for the festive season or an every day decadent treat!
Ingredients
There are three elements in this Apple Crumble Cheesecake (Scroll down to recipe card below for all quantities).
For the Cookie Crust:
- A simple mix of Digestive Biscuits crumbs and Melted Butter. You can use other types of biscuits/cookies too if preferred - see FAQs section below.
For the Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream Cheese + Sour Cream: it is very important for these two ingredients to be very soft and at room temperature. If too cold, they will be hard to combine and you will get a lumpy batter.
- Eggs: medium to large size eggs, at room temperature. You can pre-whisk them first before adding them to the cheesecake batter so that they get incorporated more easily.
- Cinnamon: added directly into the cheesecake mixture to flavour it. As a flavour variation, you could also add extra spices such as Cardamon, Nutmeg, Ginger etc...
- Apple: i kept the peel for extra colour but you can peel the apples if preferred. Then core and cut them into small cubes. The smaller the the chunks, the softer the apples will turn.
We are also adding a little bit of vanilla paste (but vanilla extract will work as well) for extra flavour.
For the Crumble Topping:
- A classic combination of Plain / All-Purpose Flour, Brown Sugar, Butter, Rolled Oats (for extra crunch) and some Ground Cinnamon. The oats are optional here.
You could also add some chopped Walnuts or Pecans to the crumble for extra flavours and texture.
How to make Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Make the Cookie Base
The first step is to prepare the base. This can be made in advance and kept in the fridge fo a few hours if needed.
- Prepare a 22 cm / 9 inch Springform Pan with baking paper / parchment paper at the bottom and grease the edges.
- Photo 1: Crush the Digestive Biscuits (or your choice of biscuits/cookies) into fine crumbs. I used a food processor to simply pulse the cookies into a fine crumb, but you could also crush them by hands inside a freezing bag with a rolling pin.
- Photo 2: Melt the butter and pour it over the biscuit crumbs.
- Photo 3: Mix the crust ingredients with a spatula until it looks like wet sand.
- Photo 4: Firmly press the biscuit crumbs on the bottom of the pan, making sure to press well so you don't see any loose crumbs anymore.
You can use the back of a cup, spoon or a small offset spatula to press the crumbs.
Preparing the Apple and Crumble Topping
The second step is to prepare the crumb topping and the apples. Again, this can be done in advance and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few hours.
- Preheat your oven on 140°C/285°F and place a rack on the lowest part of your oven.
- Photo 5: In a large mixing bowl, combine the Flour, Rolled Oats, Brown Sugar and Ground Cinnamon.
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- Photo 6: Add the Melted Butter.
- Photo 7: Stir with a spatula until you get large crumbs. All the dry ingredients should be evenly covered with butter. Set aside - or if making in advance, store in the fridge.
- Photo 8: Wash and core the apples, then cut into small cubes. I kept the peel but you can remove it if preferred. Set aside.
Making the Cinnamon Cheesecake Layer
The last step is to make the cinnamon cheesecake mixture.
- Photo 9: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using an electric mixer), mix together the Cream Cheese and Sour Cream on medium speed for a few minutes until completely smooth.
It is really important for the two ingredients to be at room temperature or you won't get a smooth mixture and see lumps instead.
- Photo 10: Add the Sugar, sprinkle of Cinnamon and Vanilla. Mix until just combined.
- Photo 11: Add the eggs one at the time, mixing until just combine. You want to avoid over-mixing the mixture at this point or you risk adding a lot of air into the batter, which might make the cheesecake rise then collapse in the oven.
- Photo 12: Mix until you get a smooth cake batter that is slightly liquid.
Assembling the Cheesecake
Once all the elements are ready, it's time to assemble them!
- Photo 13: Take the crust out of the refrigerator and pour the cinnamon cheesecake mixture over it.
- Photo 14: Tap the baking pan over a hard surface a few times to pop any large air bubbles.
- Photo 15: Top the cheesecake batter with the cubed apples. Do it a little bit at the time as you don't want to put too much weight on the soft cheesecake batter or the apples will sink.
- Photo 16: Lastly, cover the apples with the streusel topping.
- Place the apple crumble cheesecake in the oven (on the lowest rack) and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The cheesecake should only jiggle a little bit when fully bake; it will continue to set when cooled down.
If the crumble seems to be burning or browning too quickly, either turn down the temperature or cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil.
- Turn off the oven, open the door slightly (use a wooden spoon to hold the door open) and leave the cheesecake to cool down inside the oven for 1 hour. Take it out of the oven and leave to cool down at room temperature for 1 other hour, then in the fridge for at least two to three hour, or preferably overnight.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, you can basically use any type of cookies you want. Gingerbread or Biscoff Cookies will be great here for example. You can make a Graham Cracker Crust if preferred, but I then recommend adding a little bit of sugar to the graham cracker crumbs.
I used Pink Lady Apples for this recipe but you could also choose Granny Smith Apples (for a tangier flavour) or Gala. Read my article on the best apples for baking for more info!
One of my favourite thing about this baked cheesecake is that it is baked in the oven without a water bath! I personally find that you get the best texture from a baked cheesecake when it is made without a water bath.
I served this cheesecake with a Salted Caramel Sauce for a
"caramel apple cheesecake" look and flavour. It will also be delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some whipped cream or even some homemade applesauce!
Tips to make the best cheesecake
- It is very important for all of the ingredients to be at room temperature, especially the Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Eggs. If the cream cheese is too cold, it will remain lumpy when you mix it with the other ingredients.
- Don't over-mix the cheesecake batter to avoid creating lots of air bubbles. This is what often causes for the cheesecake to rise a lot in the oven then sink / crack once they cool down.
- The best way to make sure the baked cheesecake does not sink or crack after baking is to slowly cool it down. First, leave it in the oven that you have turned off with the door slightly opened for 30 to 60 minutes, then take it out and leave it at room temperature for another hour. Lastly, transfer it in the fridge until completely cool - usually 2 to 3 hours but preferably overnight.
- The Crumble Topping can be made in advance and kept in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days. You can also customise the crumble with the addition of other spices, chopped nuts or even dried fruits!
Storing & Freezing
This apple crumble cheesecake is actually best made in advance as it requires a few hours of cooling to be fully set. You can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. It will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
I don't recommend freezing this dessert.
Made this recipe?
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Recipe
Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 180 gr (1 3/4 cup -crushed) Digestive Biscuits - crushed
- 90 gr (6 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter - melted
Crumble Topping
- 50 gr (1/3 cup) Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 50 gr (1/2 cup) Rolled Oats
- 45 gr (4 tablespoons) Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 45 gr (3 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter - melted
Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Filling
- 2 Small Apples - cubed
- 500 gr (18 oz) Cream Cheese - at room temperature
- 120 gr (1/2 cup) Sour Cream - at room temperature
- 80 gr (1/3 cup) Caster Sugar - or fine white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste - or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 large Eggs - at room temperature
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Line the bottom of a 22 cm / 9 inch Springform Pan with Baking Paper and grease the edges.
- Crush the Digestive Biscuits into fine crumbs, either by hands in a small plastic bag or in the food processor. Add the melted Butter and mix until it looks like wet sand.
- Firmly press the biscuit crumbs on the bottom of the prepared pan then place in the fridge.
Crumble Topping
- Preheat your oven on 140°C/285°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the Flour, Rolled Oats, Brown Sugar and Ground Cinnamon. Pour over the Melted Butter then mix with a spatula until you get large crumbs. Set aside.
Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Filling
- Wash and core the apples, then cut into small cubes (see note 1). Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl if using a hand mixer), mix together the Cream Cheese and Sour Cream for a few minutes on medium speed until completely smooth (see note 2).
- Mix in the Sugar, Cinnamon and Vanilla then the Eggs one at the time. Mix until just combined (see note 3). The cheesecake batter will be quite liquid - that's normal.
Assembling the Cheesecake
- Take the springform pan with the chilled crust out of the fridge and pour the cinnamon cheesecake mixture over it. Tap the pan over a hard surface a few times to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the cubed apples over the cheesecake mixture (see note 4), then top them with the crumble.
- Place the apple crumble cheesecake on the lowest rack of your oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle a little bit when fully baked.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool down inside it with the door opened slightly for 1 hour. Take it out of the oven and leave to cool down at room temperature for 1 other hour, then in the fridge for at least two to three hour, or preferably overnight.
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Notes
- I kept the peel but you can remove it if preferred.
- It is really important for the two ingredients to be at room temperature or you won't get a smooth mixture and get lumps in the batter.
- You want to avoid over-mixing at this point or you risk adding a lot of air into the batter, which will make the cheesecake rise then collapse in the oven.
- Add the apples a little bit at the time as you don't want to put too much weight on the soft cheesecake batter, which might make the apples sink.
