Apple Streusel Cheesecake with Caramel Drizzle

The image speaks for itself, my friend. This Apple Streusel Cheesecake is a creamy, spiced cheesecake laced with applesauce. Because I’m always figuring out ways to pack more flavor into my recipes, I went ahead and did us all a favor by topping it with my apple pie filling. Then I figured, “Why not go ahead and put a bow on it?” So buttery, crunchy streusel was sprinkled on top before a thick caramel drizzle was poured on.

When I tell you that this will cap your holiday meal in style, I’m not exaggerating.

What is an Apple Streusel Cheesecake?

While the title may lead you to believe that this is a cheesecake topped with apples and streusel, that’s not entirely the case. Instead of putting apple only on top of the cake, I have mixed cinnamon applesauce into the cheesecake batter. I mean, if we’re going to do it, let’s do it! Along with spices like nutmeg, ginger, and more cinnamon (for added measure), the applesauce brings more warmth to the creamy cheesecake. 

When it came to topping the cheesecake, I knew that my apple pie filling was the only thing worthy of such a recipe. It quickly comes together while the cake is baking, so there’s really no additional prep time. Just before the cheesecake is done, the apple pie topping is spooned on and dusted with my homemade streusel before being shoved back into the oven to finish baking. 

After chilling, the cheesecake is garnished with a generous drizzle of homemade caramel sauce before being served to its adoring fans. 

What can be farmed out to the store-bought products? The applesauce, apple topping (though, I mean, really?), and the caramel sauce can all be purchased at the store. Am I mad that I made everything in this recipe from scratch? Hell to the nah. 

Let’s get it.

How do I make a Cheesecake Crust?

Before you get to the meat of the recipe, you must pre-bake the graham cracker crust. All you need for this is unsalted butter that’s been melted in the microwave or on the stovetop. Mix the butter with graham crumbs and granulated sugar until it holds its shape when gripped in your hand. If the mixture crumbles when you loosen your grip, add more melted butter. On the other hand, if butter oozes through your fingers as you squeeze, dry the mixture out by adding more graham crumbs. Once the graham mixture is as perfect as a human can make it, use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into a cheesecake pan.

Bake the graham cracker crust in a preheated, 350°F (177°C) oven for 10 minutes or until you smell it calling your name. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool to the touch. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, wrap the bottom and sides in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Be sure not to puncture the foil when doing this as it will cause your foil covering to retain water, which can get into the cheesecake. 

Set the foil-wrapped pan aside while you prepare the apple cheesecake batter. 

What can I replace the graham crackers in a cheesecake crust with?

Since this is a fall-inspired dessert, you might consider switching up the crust to one that incorporates warmer flavors. I applaud your creativity, friend. 

Some alternatives to a graham cracker crust are:

• cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• gingersnap cookie crumbs 
• molasses cookie crumbs
• Biscoff cookie crumbs

Be sure to use cookies that are crisp and hard. Soft cookies will result in a mixture that’s too loose and one that becomes saturated with the melted butter. You also don’t need to add granulated sugar to crusts made with these. There’s already enough sugar in the cookies.

What do I need to make an Apple Cheesecake?

Let’s move onto the main feature of this recipe: the apple cheesecake batter. 

For the batter, grab 4 packs of cream cheese, Cinnamon Applesauce, lemon zest, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, vanilla, eggs, all-purpose flour, and heavy cream. Pay no attention to the lemon juice in this image. That’s going into the apple pie topping later. I just got excited. 

How long do I let the cream cheese for a cheesecake sit out?

Because cold cream cheese results in lumpy cheesecake batter, leave the cream cheese on the countertop for at least 8 hours before mixing the batter. Don’t worry about it being at room temperature that long. The preservatives in the cream cheese, coupled with the fact that we’re baking this for a reasonable length of time, means there’s no foodborne illness risk. I often leave my cream cheese out overnight to make it soft enough for mixing the following day. Again, 8 hours is sufficient. 

The eggs and applesauce must also be at room temperature before mixing. When crafting batters, the best way to produce a smooth batter is to have all of the ingredients at room temperature. Simply pull everything out of the fridge a few hours before starting.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, the spices (including the salt and lemon zest), and sugar together using a hand mixer or your stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment). With the mixer on low, start blending them together until the cream cheese is smooth, or for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and the beaters.

Add an egg to the cheese mixture in the bowl. Use the mixer to blend the egg into the cheese until it’s fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then repeat this step with the remaining eggs. It seems tedious, but it’s worth it in the end. Add the vanilla with the last egg, blending the two into the batter until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beaters once again. 

Do I have to use homemade applesauce?

When it comes to the cinnamon applesauce, you can totally use store-bought. I had a batch of homemade applesauce on hand, so, naturally, I used it. Practically speaking, store-bought is probably more accessible to you. Choose applesauce labeled “chunky” or “homestyle.” You don’t want to use applesauce that’s too runny, or your cheesecake will be very loose. If you can’t get your hands on store-bought cinnamon applesauce, just use plain applesauce and add an additional teaspoon of cinnamon to the spices. 

Whichever applesauce you go with, add it and the heavy cream to the bowl with the cheese. Blend this addition into the cream cheese mixture on low speed, just until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beaters. 

What does the flour do in the Apple Streusel Cheesecake batter?

Next, add the sifted flour to the mixture in the bowl. Blend just until the flour is no longer visible. Blending the mixture too much after adding the flour will cause it to bake up tough. 

I add flour (or cornstarch) to my cheesecake batters to give it more body and a creamy yet dense texture. I am a New York-style cheesecake girl who grew up in the shadow of Junior’s Cheesecakes. As a result, I’m not keen on fluffy or light-as-air cheesecakes. I need a cheesecake with some thickness to it- as I have!

Once the batter is blended, scrape it into the pan with the graham cracker crust. Set this foil-wrapped pan into a larger pan and pour boiling hot water into the outer pan. Baking the cheesecake in this water-bath (or bain-marie) will prevent it from cracking. 

How long do I bake the cheesecake? 

Cheesecakes- at a minimum- should bake for one hour. This one, however, gets a 1 hour 15-minute oven sesh. The reason? That applesauce. While we want a creamy cheesecake, we don’t want a runny one. The additional 15 minutes of bake time also stiffens the cheesecake in preparation for the chunky apple pie topping we’re fittin’ to lay on it. 

Speaking of which, while the apple cheesecake bakes, go ahead and make the apple pie topping. Grab two Granny Smith apples, the lemon juice that photobombed us earlier, more spices, and cornstarch. I totally forgot to invite the unsalted butter to this photoshoot, but you’ll need it, as well, for finishing the topping.

Yes, the butter did have an attitude when I finally went to get it. 

What is the best Apple for this cheesecake?

In my most humble (but always right) opinion, the only apple worthy of filling a pie is the Granny Smith. To me, there’s just no comparison. I always expect a juxtaposition of textures and flavors in my recipes. Here, you have a very tart, crunchy apple that’s bathed in a smooth, spiced syrup. You can’t create epicness like that with a whack Red Delicious apple. 

Say you have an aversion to Granny Smiths, I’m certainly not going to judge you, but there are alternatives to using them. Baldwin, Cortland, and Idared apples all have the tartness you want for this topping. However, Cortland apples brown slower than the other apples mentioned, so be mindful of that when you’re checking on the final product. 

How do I make the Apple Pie topping?

To prepare the apple pie topping, peel, core, then cut the apples into 1-inch thick chunks. Add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to a saucepan before melting it over medium heat. Toss the apple chunks into the pot once the butter has melted. Pour the lemon juice over the apples, tossing the apples around to coat them in the butter and that acidic liquid. This step keeps the apples from oxidizing any further, which means they won’t brown the wrong way. 

Combine the spices, salt, and cornstarch together in a separate bowl. Sprinkle this spice blend over the apples simmering away in the pot. Stir to coat the apples evenly. Once the apples begin to release their juices, lower the heat slightly. 

Continue to cook the mixture until the apples begin to release their juice, and the cornstarch mixture causes the juices to thicken, or for 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching. Once the sauce sounds like rustling newspapers when you scrape the bottom of the pot, it’s ready to come off the stove and cool. 

After removing the pot from the stove, stir in the remaining slices of butter until they are melted and evenly coat the apples. This step, called monter au beurre (or mounting with butter), is a technique we use to finish a sauce. It results in a glossier, more viscous sauce than you’d have if you just left it alone. Allow the apples to chill at room temperature while the cheesecake bakes. 

My Apple topping isn’t thickening like yours! 
How do I fix it?

If your apple pie topping isn’t thickening, it needs more cornstarch. You can never gauge how much juice an apple contains. As a result, yours may have been overachievers and left you with a greater amount of liquid than mine. Don’t fret; just grab a small mixing bowl and a whisk. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the bowl, then whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Once smooth, whisk this slurry into the center of the apple pie topping over low heat. Add the slurry in a slow, steady stream while constantly whisking to avoid creating lumps in the sauce. 

Heat the apple pie topping once again, stirring frequently, until it thickens. The final sauce should look like a thick gravy.

On the other hand, if your sauce is too thick, thin it with a little water. 

Can I use canned apple pie topping?

Yes. 

I don’t want to spend so much time discussing this, but yes, you can use canned apple pie topping. It won’t taste as bright or fresh, but it’ll do in a pinch. 

What is streusel?

Streusel is a no-frills, easy-to-make topping for desserts, bread, and pastries. It’s crazy simple to make because you literally rub flour, sugar, spices, and butter together until the mixture is crumbly. It adds a bit of buttery texture to anything you top it with, like our Apple Cheesecake.

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to make the Streusel topping for this dessert. Unlike the applesauce and caramel we’ll drizzle on later, streusel isn’t typically sold in stores. You’ll have to roll up your sleeves and make it at home. It’s a huge chore, either. Make my recipe without the added nuts. I mean, unless you want a Nutty Apple Streusel Cheesecake. I find that the plain streusel is indulgent enough, so I omit them.

If you’re game-planning, you can make the streusel 6 months ahead and freeze it until you’re ready to use it. That’s what I always do. 

Do I have to top it with the Streusel?

Absolutely not. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to this year. It’s been hard enough, after all. If you want to omit the streusel topping, go ahead and leave it off. It won’t be an Apple Streusel Cheesecake, though. 

Alternative toppings that you can replace the streusel with are:

• chopped nuts
• old-fashioned rolled oats
• chopped graham crackers (or any of the cookies you used to make the crust)

Once the apple cheesecake has baked for 1 hour and 15 minutes, carefully remove the larger pan that contains the cheesecake pan from the oven. Just set it on the stovetop. Gently spoon the apple pie filling onto the surface of the cheesecake. You don’t want to plop the topping on it because its structure hasn’t had a chance to develop yet. After spooning the topping on evenly, sprinkle the streusel topping over it.

How long do I bake the cheesecake after topping it?

Return the apple and streusel-topped cheesecake to the oven (still in the water bath) and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the streusel topping is golden brown. 

Once the topping has browned, turn the oven off. Prop the oven door open slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. This step is essential because it will enable the cheesecake to cool gradually. I find the cheesecake is more likely to crack if I just go whipping it out of the oven right after it finishes baking. 

After an hour of cooling in the oven, remove the larger pan to the counter. Take the cheesecake pan out of the water-bath and remove, then discard the protective aluminum foil wrapper. Allow the cheesecake to cool on the counter for 30-45 minutes before covering in plastic wrap or foil and refrigerating for 6 hours or overnight. Overnight is best because it gives the cheesecake ample time to set up and become firm. 

What kind of sauce goes over this Apple Streusel Cheesecake?

To me, the only sauce that makes sense on this Apple Streusel Cheesecake is my Caramel Sauce.

Hello? Caramel apples?!?! Right? It just goes. I warm the sauce slightly: just enough to make it pipable. I then spoon it into a disposable piping bag and intricately pipe strands of caramel over the surface of the chilled, de-panned cheesecake. You can take a spoon and drizzle it in a less neurotic way, however. It’s not that serious.

If you want to switch things up, try one of these sauces instead:

• Cajeta (Goat’s Milk Caramel)
• Crème Anglaise (Vanilla Sauce) 
• Spiced Toffee Sauce

No sauce also works here. The cheesecake is just fine on its own. Between the saucy apple pie topping and the buttery streusel, you’re good to leave it naked. Oh, behave. 

How do I store the baked cheesecake?

Once it’s baked, cooled, and sauced (or not), store the cheesecake in the fridge. You should keep it covered to prevent the apple pie topping from drying out in the chill air. 

Once it’s been cut, it’s best to press a piece of wax or parchment paper against the exposed cake to prevent it from drying out as well. 

After baking, the cheesecake should be eaten within 3 days. If I’m honest, we pushed it to four days, and no one died after eating it. Taste-wise, though, 3 days is the sweet spot (no pun intended).

Can I make this dessert ahead?

All of the elements of this cheesecake, save the batter and crust, can be made ahead. The sauce can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge. Again, the streusel can be frozen for 6 months. The apple pie topping can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in a container in the refrigerator. 

The graham crust doesn’t do too well when made ahead. It gets stale after baking, which you have to do after mixing it to keep the butter from going rancid. The batter, as well, should be baked after mixing, or else the flour in it goes gummy and chewy. 

Once baked, the cheesecake is good, stored in the fridge and wrapped well for a week. After it’s cut, though, the timer starts, and you only have 3 days to consume it. 

Is it okay to freeze cheesecake?

You can totally freeze this cheesecake after cooling it but before topping it with the caramel sauce. 

Personally, I prefer to leave it in the cheesecake pan to keep it from being dented in the freezer. Wrap the pan in a double-layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

If you need the pan for another recipe, you’ll have to chill the cheesecake thoroughly (or overnight) to harden the crust. To de-pan it: 

1. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface of the cheesecake and flip it over.
2. Pry the bottom of the pan from the graham crust and carefully flip the cheesecake back over.
3. Put the cheesecake on a freeze-safe plate or a cardboard cake circle and wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap, followed by foil. 

Freeze the Apple Streusel Cheesecake for 2 months.

A day before you plan to serve the cheesecake, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. Unwrap it and drizzle it with caramel sauce before serving. 

Be sure to pin this Apple Streusel Cheesecake to your desserts board, then share it with your world!