The Best Apple Crisp Cheesecake Recipe

This Apple Crisp Cheesecake Recipe blends a smooth cheesecake with the cozy flavors of a fall dessert. Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a creamy cheesecake filling, and a crispy, cinnamon-spiced apple topping, it’s a dessert that will impress anyone who tries it.

The moment I made and shared my apple cheesecake bars with streusel crisp on top, the internet went crazy. So naturally, I had to share a more traditional version too: a tall, showstopping cheesecake you can serve to guests to really wow them!

You’ll want to make this cheesecake for holiday gatherings, fall parties, or whenever you’re craving a comforting dessert. It’s a great option for a dinner party, as it looks stunning but is surprisingly easy to make ahead. Plus, the mix of tart apples and creamy cheesecake, topped with crunchy streusel, is perfect for chilly nights when you need a sweet treat to end the day. It earns its spot on my list of Thanksgiving dessert recipes every single year. If you need something more portable for the same table, bite-sized apple pies baked in a muffin tin travel a lot better than a cheesecake does.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Two fall favorites in one: creamy cheesecake and a crunchy apple crisp topping
• Simple grocery store ingredients, even with a few extra steps
• Even better made a day ahead, so holiday baking is done early
• The apples and streusel cover any cracks, so it always looks bakery-worthy
• All the apple and streusel flavor of my Dutch apple pie bars, dressed up for the holiday table
• Once apple season winds down, my pumpkin crisp baked in one skillet picks up right where this leaves off

Key Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this apple cheesecake recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for detailed ingredient measurements.

Oat Streusel Crisp Topping

• Old-fashioned Rolled Oats: add a hearty, chewy texture to the streusel.
• All-purpose Flour: provides the base structure, helping it hold together and create that classic crumbly texture.
• Light Brown Sugar: sweetens the topping and adds a hint of caramel-like richness.
• Salt: enhances the overall flavor by balancing the sweetness and bringing out the depth of the other ingredients.
• Ground Cinnamon: gives the streusel a warm, spicy aroma and flavor that pairs perfectly with the apple filling.
• Unsalted butter: binds the dry ingredients together and creates a rich, crispy texture as the streusel bakes. Melt the butter for this step.

Graham Cracker Crust

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: form the crust base by providing a crunchy foundation for the cheesecake.
• Granulated Sugar: sweetens the crust and helps it caramelize slightly during baking.
• Ground Cinnamon: adds warmth and a hint of spice that enhances the flavor of both the crust and the filling.
• Salt: balances the sweetness and enhances the crust’s overall flavor.
• Unsalted butter: binds the crumbs together and gives the crust its firm structure and a rich, buttery taste once baked.

Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese: The star of the filling! Cream cheese gives the cheesecake its signature creamy, rich, and smooth texture. Take it out before you start so it softens and returns to room temperature.
• Granulated Sugar: sweetens the filling and helps create a silky, smooth consistency.
• Brown Sugar: adds sweetness with a touch of molasses flavor.
• Eggs: provide structure to the cheesecake, helping it set while keeping it creamy and soft.
• Sour Cream: adds tanginess, balances the sweetness, and contributes to the creamy texture.
• Heavy Cream: adds richness and makes the filling extra smooth and velvety.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: provides a fragrant vanilla flavor with those aesthetic specks of vanilla seeds throughout the filling.
• Vanilla Extract: enhances the vanilla flavor by making the apple crisp cheesecake recipe aromatic and flavorful.
• Cornstarch: helps thicken the filling and gives the cheesecake a smooth consistency without being too dense.

Apple Filling

• Apples: provide the sweet, tart, and juicy base for the filling. I personally used Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples, but feel free to use whichever apple varieties you like best.
• Granulated Sugar: adds a touch of sweetness to balance the apples’ tartness.
• Brown Sugar: provides a deeper, caramel-like sweetness that enhances the flavor of the apples as they cook.
• Lemon Juice: brightens the flavors and helps prevent the apples from browning while adding a subtle tang to balance the sweetness.
• Ground Cinnamon: adds a warm spice that perfectly complements the apple flavor.
• Ground Nutmeg: adds a hint of aromatics, deepening the flavor and giving the apple filling a cozy, comforting feel.

What cheesecake pan is best for this recipe?

This is a fairly high cheesecake so I definitely recommend using this USA pan 9-inch cheesecake pan. Not only is it leakproof, but it is also tall enough to handle how big this specific cheesecake is!

How to make this apple crisp cheesecake recipe

1. Make the streusel. In a small bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and mix until it clumps together like cookie dough, then pop it in the fridge while you make everything else. Quick oats work too, the topping just bakes up a little softer. Whatever oats are left in the container go straight into my apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies.

2. Prep the pan and crust. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in three layers of heavy-duty foil so no water sneaks in during the water bath, then line the inside with parchment so the cheesecake lifts out easily. Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.

3. Add the butter. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until every crumb is moistened and holds together when you pinch it. You can also pulse just the crumbs, then stir everything together in a bowl.

4. Press and bake the crust. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides with a flat-bottomed glass. Bake for 10 minutes, then let it cool.

5. Toss the apples. In a medium bowl, toss the diced apples with both sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg until coated, then set aside. If you’d rather use a cooked filling, my thick homemade apple filling works here too.

6. Beat the cream cheese. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch and mix to combine.

7. Add the creams, vanilla, and eggs. Beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) until silky. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in fully and scraping down the bowl as you go. The recipe uses 3 eggs. The ingredient photo has a bonus one in it, so don’t let that throw you off!

8. Pour it into the crust. The batter should be thick, smooth, and lump-free. Pour it over the cooled crust and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

9. Layer on the apples. Spoon the apples evenly over the filling. If they released a lot of juice, leave it behind in the bowl.

10. Add the streusel, bake, and chill. Crumble the chilled streusel evenly over the apples. Set the pan in a large roasting pan, pour in boiling water, and bake for 60 to 80 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let it cool inside for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Slice and serve with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce or whipped cream.

Want softer apples? If you like your apples more on the soft side, like apple pie, cook the diced apples with a little butter, sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and some cinnamon. Let them cool completely, then spoon them over the cheesecake before adding the streusel.

Plan ahead: the bake, the hour in the oven, and the chill add up to about 6 hours, so this is a great one to make the day before. It slices cleaner after a night in the fridge anyway.

Apple Crisp Cheesecake FAQs

Hosting a big holiday table? The same firm-apple rule I use here is what keeps my cinnamon baked apples from turning to mush, and that overnight chill is the trick that makes my classic pumpkin cheesecake slice so cleanly too.

More Apple Recipe Favorites

Desserts

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

breakfast

Better Than Krispy Kreme Apple Donuts

Desserts

The Best Crumbl Apple Pie Cookies with Oats

Iced Drinks

Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato (iced and hot)

If you tried this Apple Crisp Cheesecake Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments! I love hearing from you!

5 from 8 votes

9-Inch Apple Crisp Cheesecake Recipe

By Chahinez Tabet Aoul

This Apple Crisp Cheesecake combines the best of creamy New York cheesecake and warm apple crisp, perfect for fall or any time you’re craving a cozy, comforting dessert!

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

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Equipment

9-inch springform pan

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Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Oat Streusel Topping:

• ▢ 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ▢ 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

• ▢ 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 2 sleeves
• ▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

For the Cheesecake Filling:

• ▢ 32 oz cream cheese 4 packages, softened
• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1/3 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped or use vanilla extract instead
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch

For the Apple Filling:

• ▢ 3 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and diced)
• ▢ 2 tsp granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 & 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions 

Make the Oat Streusel Topping:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
  1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Add in the melted butter and mix until the mixture feels like cookie dough. Place it in the fridge for later.
  3 tbsp unsalted butter

Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of your 9-inch springform pan with three layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, sealing it tightly so no water from the water bath leaks in. Line the inside with parchment paper so the cheesecake is easy to remove.
• Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the melted butter and pulse until everything is moistened. You can also mix it in a medium bowl.
  2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Use the back of a spoon or a flat glass to pack it down tightly.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Prepare the Apple Filling:

• In a medium bowl, toss the diced apples with both sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg until coated. Set aside.
  3 large apples, 1 & 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp granulated sugar

Make the Cheesecake Filling:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth (2–3 minutes). Add both sugars and the cornstarch and mix to combine.
  32 oz cream cheese, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla bean paste (or extract). Beat until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
  1/3 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3 large eggs
• Pour the cheesecake batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula.
• Top with the diced apples in an even layer. If a lot of juice was released, leave it behind in the bowl.
• Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the apples.
• Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan filled with boiling water and bake in the preheated oven for 60-80 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly.
• Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
• After cooling, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to fully set.
• Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, slice, and enjoy! Serve with caramel drizzle or whipped cream for an extra treat.

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Notes

• The recipe uses 3 eggs. The ingredient photo shows an extra one, so don’t let that throw you off.
• Want softer apples, like apple pie? Cook the diced apples with a little butter, sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and some cinnamon. Let them cool completely, then layer them over the cheesecake before adding the streusel.
• Quick oats work in the streusel. The topping will just be a little softer.
• Make it the day before. The bake, the hour cooling in the oven, and the chill add up to about 6 hours.
• To freeze, bake and fully chill the cheesecake, wrap it tightly, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 613Calories | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 451mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 1512IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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