Apple Crumble Cheesecake: A Cozy Fall Dessert with Cinnamon Apples and Buttery Crumble

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

This apple crumble cheesecake brings the best fall flavors into one pan: a spiced cookie crust, a silky cheesecake filling, and a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping that tastes like a cozy autumn afternoon.

It is a baked dessert that marries apple pie and cheesecake in a single slice, so you get warm spice, soft fruit, and a creamy, smooth base all at once.

The recipe serves 10 and is built from three parts: a cookie crust seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg, a creamy cheesecake filling, and a topping of cinnamon sugar apples under a generous crumble.

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Prep takes about 45 minutes, the bake takes about 1 hour 25 minutes, and the cheesecake then rests for at least 6 hours so it can set.

Plan it for a slow weekend afternoon, or make it the day before you need it and let the fridge do the work. This article is adapted from the original apple crumble cheesecake recipe.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Four things hold this dessert together, and each one earns its place.

• Cinnamon sugar apples. Diced apples tossed in granulated sugar and cinnamon give a strong, fresh apple flavor that reads clearly against the rich filling.
• A spiced crust. Cinnamon and nutmeg in the cookie base lift the whole cheesecake, so the first bite tastes warm instead of plain.
• A crunchy crumble. Flour, brown sugar, and butter baked over the top add texture and a buttery finish.
• A creamy filling. Cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs set into a smooth layer that ties the apples and the crumble together.

INGREDIENT NOTES

Read these notes before you shop. The complete list with quantities sits in the recipe card below, and the method follows in three parts.

Cookies for the crust. The recipe uses digestive biscuits, because graham crackers are not sold in Denmark, where it was written. In the United States, graham crackers are an easy swap and give you a classic graham cracker crust. Either way you need 200 g, which is about 7 ounces.

Room temperature dairy and eggs. Use full fat cream cheese, and bring it to room temperature. Take the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before baking. Measure the sour cream first, then let it warm up.

Room temperature ingredients blend into a smooth batter instead of a lumpy one, and they are one of the simplest ways to avoid a cracked top.

Apples. Dice them into small cubes so they soften in the oven and sit neatly on top of the batter. Any apple you enjoy works well. Jonagold, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady are all good choices, with Granny Smith bringing more tartness and the other two leaning sweeter.

Cinnamon and nutmeg. Cinnamon goes into both the crust and the apples, so the spice shows up twice. Nutmeg adds extra fall warmth to the crust. If you do not care for nutmeg, replace it with the same amount of cinnamon.

Here is the full shopping list at a glance, with approximate US measures for the gram amounts.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS, CRUST

You need a 22 cm (about 9 inch) springform pan, a food processor, and a kitchen scale if you have one. Preheat the oven to 160ºC (325ºF) for a conventional oven.

1. Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Add the cookies, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the food processor and blend until the mixture looks like fine sand.
3. Melt the butter, pour it into the processor, and blend again so the crumbs come together.
4. Tip the crumbs into the pan. Press them firmly across the bottom and up the side of the pan using the bottom of a glass, so the crust is well packed and flattened out.
5. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool until it is cool to touch.

Packing the crust tightly matters. A loose crust crumbles when you slice the cheesecake, while a firm press gives you clean edges and a base sturdy enough to hold the filling.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS, APPELS AND CRUMBLE

Make both toppings while the baked crust cools down. Keep the oven at 160ºC.

1. Dice the apples into small cubes and toss them in the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
2. Let the apples sit for a while. Over time the sugar draws liquid out of the fruit, and that liquid should not go onto the cheesecake, so spoon the apples on without the juice.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, and room temperature butter. Mix by hand or with an electric hand mixer until the mixture forms a crumble structure.
4. Set the apples and the crumble aside while you make the cheesecake filling.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS, CHEESECAKE

Keep the oven at 160ºC (325ºF). A hand mixer works well here, and a stand mixer with the paddle attachment works too. Mix on low speed throughout, so you do not beat air into the batter.

1. Cream the cream cheese for 1 minute on low speed.
2. Gradually add the granulated sugar. Once it is all in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 1 more minute on low speed.
3. In a small bowl, stir the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese along with the vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give one final mix so everything is incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Gently divide the cinnamon sugar apples over the surface, then add the crumble.
6. Boil water in a kettle. Set the springform pan inside a 25 cm (10 inch) cake pan, place that inside a larger baking or roasting pan, and fill with hot water two thirds of the way up the side of the pan. This method keeps water out of the crust. Alternatively, wrap the pan in a triple layer of aluminum foil and set it in the water bath, making sure the seal is thorough because water can leak in.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Turn the oven off, leave the oven door slightly open, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
9. Remove the pan from the water bath, take off the foil, and set the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool fully to room temperature, about 1 hour.
10. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, so the filling sets firm.

That last chill is not optional. A cheesecake sliced too soon slumps in the middle, while a fully chilled one cuts into clean, creamy slices with a crisp crumble layer on top.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

These small habits make a noticeable difference in the final result.

• Weigh your ingredients. Grams are the recipe default and the most accurate way to measure, so a kitchen scale is worth using here.
• Do not overmix. After the final addition, fold once gently with a spatula to catch anything sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
• Choose a light pan. Use a light colored aluminum pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper on the bottom. Aluminum attracts less heat, so the cheesecake bakes more gently and stays softer. A black pan attracts more heat, which can give you a darker crust and a drier cake.

WHY BAKE THE CHEESECAKE IN A WATER BATH

A water bath makes the cheesecake bake more gently. Without it, the filling is far more likely to overbake, which can leave a curdled texture and a cracked, lopsided top.

The hot water cushions the pan and spreads the heat evenly, so the filling sets into a smooth, creamy layer instead of drying out around the edges.

If water has ever seeped into your crust, this guide to cheesecake water bath leak prevention walks through a tighter seal.

STORAGE

Keep the apple crumble cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight container.

It is best enjoyed within 5 days. Serve slices cold for the cleanest cut, and expect the crumble topping to stay at its crunchiest in the first day or two.

More Cheesecakes

If you love the mix of fruit, spice, and creamy filling in this dessert, try this apple butter cheesecake next, which leans on deep spiced apple flavor in the filling itself. For a second take on the same fall idea, this apple crumble cheesecake recipe is a good one to compare notes with.

FAQs

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

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• Yield: 10 1x

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Description

Apple Crumble Cheesecake This apple crumble cheesecake brings the best fall flavors into one pan: a spiced cookie crust, a silky cheesecake filling, and a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping that tastes like a cozy autumn afternoon. It is a baked dessert that marries apple pie and cheesecake in a single slice, so you get warm spice, soft fruit, and a creamy, smooth base all at once.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

COOKIE CRUST
200 g digestive or graham crackers
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 tablespoon dark brown sugar
50 g butter, melted

APPLES AND CRUMBLE
150 g apple, diced small (1–2 apples)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
100 g all-purpose flour
80 g dark brown sugar
70 g butter, room temperature

CHEESECAKE
600 g cream cheese, full fat, room temperature
200 g granulated sugar
150 g sour cream, 14-18% room temperature
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature

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Instructions

COOKIE CRUST
1-Preheat the oven at 160ºC/325ºF, conventional oven: Preheat the oven at 160ºC/325ºF, conventional oven.
2-In a food processor, add the cookies,: In a food processor, add the cookies, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and blend it all together until a fine sand-like texture. Melt the butter. Add the melted butter to the food processor and blend it together with the blended cookies.
3-In a 22 cm spring cake pan: In a 22 cm spring cake pan add parchment paper to the bottom. Add the cookie crumble and press the cookie crust down with the bottom of a glass, and up against the side of the pan, so it’s well packed together and flattened out.
4-Bake it for 10 min: Bake it for 10 min. Then let it cool down so that it’s cool to touch.

APPLES AND CRUMBLE
5-While the crust cools down, prepare the: While the crust cools down, prepare the apples and the crumble.
6-Dice the apples into small cubes and: Dice the apples into small cubes and toss them in granulated sugar and cinnamon. Over time the sugar will drag out some of the liquid in the apples, avoid adding that to the cheesecake when placing the apples.
7-Add flour, brown sugar and butter to: Add flour, brown sugar and butter to another bowl. Mix it together by hand or with an electric hand mixer, until it forms a crumble structure. Set aside both toppings while making the cheesecake filling.

CHEESECAKE
8-Preheat the oven at 160ºC: Preheat the oven at 160ºC.
9-With a hand mixer or in a: With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese for 1 min on low speed. Then gradually add the granulated sugar. Once all the granulated sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and let it mix for 1 min on low speed.
10-In a small bowl, mix together the: In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream and cornstarch until smooth. Add it to the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and let it mix on low speed until combined. Then add one egg at a time and let it mix on low speed until combined. Once all the eggs have mixed in, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix to make sure all the ingredients have incorporated.
11-Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring: Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring pan. Gently divide the cinnamon sugar apples first on top of cheesecake, followed by the crumble.
12-Boil up water in a kettle: Boil up water in a kettle. Place the springform pan in a 25 cm/10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in another baking pan or roasting pan and fill it with hot water ⅔ up the side of the pan. This method will prevent water from getting into the crust. Alternatively, add a triple layer of aluminium foil around the cake pan to safely seal it from the water before placing it in a water bath. There might be a possibility of water leaking in, so make sure it’s covered well if choosing this method.
13-Bake for 1 hour and 20-30 min: Bake for 1 hour and 20-30 min.
14-Once the time has passed, give the: Once the time has passed, give the tray a very gentle shake. The cheesecake should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven and have the oven door slightly open and let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for 1 hour.
15-Then take it out of the oven: Then take it out of the oven and remove it from the water bath. Take off the aluminum foil and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Let it cool down fully for about 1 hour to room temperature.
16-Finally, once at room temperature, place it: Finally, once at room temperature, place it in the fridge and let it set for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight.

Notes

Preparation: 45 min. Cooking: 85 min. Allow time for every resting, cooling and chilling step in the instructions. Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (360 min).

• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Sugar: 41g
• Sodium: 368mg
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 61g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 9g
• Cholesterol: 120mg

Keywords: Apple Crumble Cheesecake