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Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Caramel apple cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cinnamon vanilla filling, and a caramelized apple layer. Baked in a water bath until just set, then chilled for clean slices and finished with a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Chilling 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter melted
Cheesecake filling
  • 24 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Apple layer
  • 3 apples large, peeled and diced
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
Oat streusel
  • 0.75 cup oats
  • 0.5 cup flour
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 tbsp butter cold
Caramel sauce for serving
  • 1 caramel sauce for serving

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Press the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan, then bake for 10 minutes.
  2. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside to stay warm while you prepare the cheesecake.
Cook the apple layer
  1. In a pot, cook the peeled diced apples with brown sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, butter, and cornstarch for 5 minutes until thickened, then cool.
Assemble and bake
  1. Beat the cream cheese filling until smooth, then pour over the crust and top with the cooled apple layer.
  2. Scatter the oat streusel over the top.
  3. Bake in a water bath at 325F for 60-65 minutes until the center is just set (a gentle jiggle is fine), then cool completely.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for 6 hours to fully set the cheesecake.
  2. Drizzle with caramel right before serving for a glossy finish that cascades down the slice.

Notes

For a smooth slice, cool the baked cheesecake completely before chilling; rushing this step can cause cracking. Refrigerate up to 4 days and keep tightly covered. Freezing is not recommended because the caramel topping texture can change. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and cut sugar slightly if desired.