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Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Prep: 4 hours
Cook: 2 hours
Chill Time: 8 hours
Total: 14 hours
This apple crumble cheesecake is autumn cheesecake perfection! Creamy, spiced apple cider cheesecake with layers of spiced apples throughout, over a gingersnap cookie crust, topped with a thick layer of buttery, brown sugar crumble and drizzled with apple cider caramel. It is the perfect cheesecake to bake this apple season!
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Ingredients

For the Apple Cider Reduction

  • 6 cups apple cider

For the Spiced Apples

  • 4 cups (536 g) apples peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces, about 4 apples
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch

For the Crumble Topping

  • 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup (94 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • pinch of ground allspice
  • pinch of salt

For the Crust

  • 335 g gingersnaps (or Biscoff if you prefer) , (For this, cups are not an accurate measurement, please weigh <3 )
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted

For the Spiced Apple Cheesecake

  • 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) apple cider reduction from above (half of the reduction from above)
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 egg yolks, at room temperature

For the Apple Cider Caramel

  • 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) apple cider reduction from above (half of the reduction from above)
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

For the Apple Cider Reduction

  • Add the apple cider to a large sauce pan. Bring it to a simmer over medium low heat, then simmer for 45-60 minutes until reduced to 3/4 cup (180 ml).
    (Start checking it has reached 3/4 cup at around 45 minutes and let it simmer for longer if needed.) Let the apple cider reduction cool completely before using.
    (Half will be used in the cheesecake batter, and half will be used in the caramel sauce.)
    6 cups apple cider

For the Spiced Apples

  • Add the diced apple pieces, spices, brown sugar, and cornstarch to a large pan. Stir to coat the apples, then let sit for 10 minutes to allow the apples to form a juice.
    4 cups (536 g) apples peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces, about 4 apples, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed, 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
  • Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Cook until the juice has thickened and the apples are softer, but still have a bit of a crunch. (The juice will be a bit “gloopy” looking.) Let the apples cool completely.

For the Crumble

  • Add the butter, brown sugar, flour, spices, and salt to a medium bowl.
    6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup (94 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tsp ground cinnamon , 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, pinch of ground allspice, pinch of salt
  • Mix everything together with your fingers until you have thick, coarse crumbs. Pop the streusel in the fridge while working on the rest of the cheesecake.

For the Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).
  • Prepare your 9-inch springform pan for its later water bath by wrapping the bottom and sides with a decent amount of tinfoil. You want to make sure the tinfoil goes up about two inches on the sides of the pan so no water seeps into the pan as it bakes. I always use too much (around 8 layers) just so I know it’ll be okay.
    Lightly grease the pan, and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper for easier removal later.
    (I have also tried a new method recently- If you have a 10-inch cake pan that your springform pan can fit inside of, you can use this instead of wrapping the bottom with tinfoil. The 10 inch pan will sit inside of the large roasting pan and the cheesecake pan will sit inside of the 10 inch pan. The hot water will go in the roasting pan around the 10 inch pan leaving the cheesecake pan untouched by water! I hope this makes sense, like a box within a box within a box.)
  • Pulse the gingersnap cookies together in a food processor until they are finely ground.
    335 g gingersnaps (or Biscoff if you prefer)
  • Then add in the melted butter and pulse until combined.
    1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step).
  • Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely while working on the cheesecake batter.

For the Spiced Apple Cheesecake

  • Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) if not still preheated.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and cornstarch together with a paddle attachment for two minutes on medium speed until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a large bowl and hand mixer).
    Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed well.
    32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
  • Add in the sour cream, vanilla, apple cider reduction, and spices. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again.
    1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) apple cider reduction from above (half of the reduction from above), 1 tbsp ground cinnamon , 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • At this point, stop and put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling. You will want enough water to go about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the springform pan.
  • Next add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time to the cheesecake batter. Mix on low speed, ensuring that each is fully mixed in before adding the next. As soon as the last one is fully mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix the batter.
    3 eggs, at room temperature, 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • Pour the half the batter into the prepared pan with the crust, then use an offset spatula to smooth it out into an even layer. Add half of the spiced apples over the batter in an even layer.
    Then pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top, smoothing it out with an offset spatula. Add the remaining spiced apples on top in an even layer.
    Sprinkle the chilled streusel over the top. The pan will be full, but that is okay!
  • Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan around the cheesecake being careful not to splash the cheesecake.
    (If you're using the 10-inch pan method, place the cheesecake in the 10-inch pan, then place the 10-inch pan in the large roasting pan. Pour water around the 10-inch pan.)
  • Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 1 hour and 30 minutes. (If you see the streusel getting too browned towards the end of the 1.5 hours, loosely cover with aluminum foil.)
    When 1.5 hours are up, turn the oven off and crack the oven door open using a wooden utensil. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 1 more hour. The cheesecake will continue to bake as it is cooling.
  • Once the 2 hours and 30 minutes are up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter, and then refrigerate until completely cold, 8 hours or overnight.

For the Apple Cider Caramel

  • Add the brown sugar and butter to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed, 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter
  • Reduce to medium-low heat and whisk in the cream. Let the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes to thicken a bit more.
    2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
  • Remove from the heat, then mix in the vanilla, apple cider reduction, and salt. Pour the hot caramel into a bowl and let it cool on the counter to room temperature.
    1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) apple cider reduction from above (half of the reduction from above), pinch of salt

Assembling the Cheesecake

  • Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
  • Decorate as you wish, and drizzle apple cider caramel over the top. Serve each slice with extra caramel, and enjoy! :)
    (Also, give yourself a big round of applause for all your hard work! <3)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cheesecake, apple cider, apple crumble, apple crumble cheesecake, cheesecake, fall recipes, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving dessert, Thanksgiving recipe
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