Every year, I get a caramel apple when I go apple picking, and this caramel apple cheesecake tastes just like it! It takes me right back to walking around the orchard with that sticky caramel all over my fingers. The filling has applesauce and salted caramel, and the topping is loaded with warm cinnamon apples. Save me a slice boos!
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How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake
These step-by-step photos show how to make an easy caramel apple cheesecake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
1. Melt the sugar and whisk in the butter
Cook the sugar until smooth, amber, and smells nutty, then slowly whisk in the butter until fully combined.
2. Slowly pour in the heavy cream
Whisk constantly as you add the cream, then remove the smooth salted caramel sauce from the heat and let it cool.
PRO TIP: The color will change quickly, so don’t let it go too long or get too dark, or it will burn. Turn off the stove but leave the caramel over the heat.
3. Press the vanilla wafer crust into the pan
Mix the crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan, and bake until set.
4. Start the cheesecake filling
Mix the cream cheese, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon on low speed until the filling is completely smooth.
5. Add the remaining filling ingredients
Mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, applesauce, and caramel, then add the eggs one at a time on low speed.
6. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath
Pour the filling into the crust, place the foil-wrapped pan in a roasting pan with hot water, and bake low and slow.
PRO TIP: Wrap the springform pan with two or three wide sheets of heavy-duty foil. Make sure there are no seams below the waterline so water can’t leak into the crust.
7. Cook the cinnamon apples
Cook the apples with brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and butter until they are tender and almost all the liquid has cooked away.
8. Assemble the cheesecake with apples and salted caramel topping
Spread caramel over the chilled cheesecake, spoon the cooled cinnamon apples into the center, and drizzle more caramel down the sides.
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PRO TIP: The edges should be set and lightly browned, with a little jiggle in the center. If the middle’s still got a wobble about 4 inches across, you’re good.
Full Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
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Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter cubed, room temperature
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
Crust:
- 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs about 1/2-3/4 of an 11 ounce box
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar loosely packed
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- ½ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Cinnamon Apples
- 2 ½ cups chopped apples any variety (about 2-3 apples)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar loosely packed
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- Additional caramel sauce
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Liberally spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- To make the crust, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, butter, and brown sugar in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool. Cover the outside of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in. Set the prepared pan aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, blend the cream cheese, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon on low speed until well combined and smooth. Make sure to use low speed while beating to avoid adding excess air, which will cause the cheesecake to crack.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the sour cream, heavy whipping cream, applesauce, and caramel sauce until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is mixed. Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust.
- Place the cheesecake pan in a larger roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and then fill the pan with enough hot water to go about halfway up the side of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top of the foil. Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250°F and bake for an additional 35 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 15 minutes. Do not open the door! After 15 minutes, crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes. Take the cheesecake out of the oven, then remove the pan from the water bath and remove the foil, and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate until it's completely cool and firm, 8 hours or overnight.
- Don't remove the springform pan from the cheesecake until it's done chilling and you're ready to assemble.
For the Cinnamon Apple Topping
- Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender and there is little to no liquid remaining, about 10-15 minutes.
- Spread the top of the cheesecake with additional caramel sauce, then spoon the apples over the top in the center. Drizzle additional caramel down the sides of the cheesecake if desired. Refrigerate cheesecake until ready to serve, slicing with a slightly wet hot sharp knife for a clean slice.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Leave the bottom of the springform pan on so it stays supported. You can loosely cover it with plastic wrap or use an airtight container. Stick a few toothpicks in the top if you want to keep the plastic from sticking to the apples. It’s best in 2 to 3 days but will still be good for up to 5.
- Freezer: You can freeze the whole thing or slice it up first. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil to keep out freezer burn and weird smells. If you’re freezing slices, lay them on a parchment-lined pan until frozen, then wrap and store.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese is how you end up with lumps in the filling. Let the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream sit out before you start.
- Keep the mixer on low. Cheesecake batter doesn’t need a bunch of extra air. Once the eggs go in, mix just until combined so the cheesecake doesn’t puff up, sink, or crack.
- Cool the cheesecake gradually. Let it rest in the closed oven, then the cracked oven, before moving it to the counter. A sudden temperature change can cause cracks.
- Cook down the apple topping. I like mine thick and syrupy, so I let most of the liquid cook out. If it’s too watery, it will run all over the cheesecake and thin out the caramel.
Recipe Help
Microwave it out of the foil for 10 seconds at a time. Don’t let it get hot, though!
Mix everything on low speed so you don’t whip in too much air. Also, bake it low and slow in a water bath to keep the top smooth.
The butter or cream may have been too cold, causing the melted sugar to seize. Return the pan to low heat and whisk gently until the caramel smooths out. If the sugar burned, you’ll need to start over boo! The sauce will taste bitter.
Yep! Cook the apples, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Warm them gently before spooning them over the cheesecake.
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so excited to try this for Thanksgiving! Do you let the caramel apple mixture cool before putting onto the cheesecake? I’m wondering
if the warm ness from the apples “melts” or softens the cheesecake af all?
I let it cool to about lukewarm room temp then add to the top.
I’ve followed and trusted Grandbaby Cakes for great recipes for years. So, when I needed a creative and delicious way to use extra apples from apple picking…I came here.
This was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! My Mom is the family baker and normally makes our cheesecakes, so it had some stiff competition. But this one definitely held it’s own!! Love the Nilla wafer crust and I will use more next time because I love a thick crust.
Thank you for making recipes that are delicious, accessible and reminder of the creativity of our matriarchs!!!
This absolutely made my day, thank you so much for the kind words! I love that this recipe gave your family’s cheesecake tradition a fun twist. The Nilla wafer crust really is something special, especially when you make it nice and thick! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and that it brought back those matriarch-style baking vibes. ❤️
This recipe is amazing. The only thing I do differently is that I do a graham cracker/finely ground pecan crust. Also, if you get a tall cake pan slightly larger than your springform, you can just drop the springform inside of it and set that in your water bath and you won’t have to mess with trying to seal the pan with aluminum foil. I think the one I got is a Fat Daddio’s 10″ cake pan and my 9″ springform fits inside perfectly. This has never failed to produce a crack-free cheesecake.
So glad you enjoyed this!!
Looks delish! Making it to bring over to family gathering this upcoming weekend. Question: assuming that all of the caramel sauce goes in the cheesecake batter and if you want to drizzle more on top, you need to make another batch, right?
Hi Gail, yep! You’ll want to make extra if you’re planning on drizzling it over the top.
I make many different cheesecakes. This is by far the best. I followed the recipe exactly as written.
This cheesecake looks SO good!
Thanks, Sarah!
Cheesescakes are tempermental and yet this recipe came out picture perfect. Not a single crack to cover! So much so i totally served the apples on the side! Absolutely delicious. I did make it with a graham cracker crust but only because that was requested by the birthday boy. Cant thank you enough…definitely going on the to be made again list.
Aw, thank you so much!
I have made this cheesecake twice to rave reviews. It has just the right balance of caramel, apples, spices, and DELICIOUS cheesecake.
Appreciate the detailed baking instructions and pictures. Great REcipe!
Thanks so much, doll!!
Where have you been all my life
Haha right here boo!
I definitely ate a few spoonfuls of this topping while making the cake — absolutely divine!!