Description
This Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake combines the warm, comforting flavors of apple pie with the rich, creamy texture of cheesecake. Featuring a golden Oreo crust, a cinnamon-spiced apple filling, streusel topping, and a luscious homemade caramel sauce, this dessert delivers an impressive balance of flavors and textures perfect for special occasions or indulgent treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 28 Golden Oreos
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (browned)
Streusel
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup oats
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
Apple Pie Filling
- 3 Honeycrisp apples (peeled, sliced 1/8 inch – 1/16 inch thick, about 1½ pounds)
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp cardamom
Cheesecake Mixture
- 32 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 2 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 1¼ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Making the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brown the butter by heating it in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat until it turns a golden brown amber color; remove from heat immediately. Blend Golden Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Combine crumbs, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, then pour brown butter over and mix until fully combined. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a springform pan and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Let crust cool completely on a wire rack.
- Making the Streusel: Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and allspice in a bowl. Pour melted butter over and mix until the mixture is fully moistened. Set aside until ready to use.
- Making the Apple Pie Filling: Toss apple slices in lemon juice in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and cardamom; toss until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Making the Cheesecake Mixture: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add sugar and salt; mix at medium speed for another minute. Add vanilla extract on low speed. Add eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing on medium speed and scraping the bowl between each addition. Finally, mix in sour cream and heavy cream until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Assembling the Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake: Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water leakage during baking. Spray pan sides with non-stick spray. Pour half of the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust and spread evenly. Drain excess liquid from the apple slices and layer them evenly over the cheesecake mixture. Pour remaining cheesecake mixture over the apples and spread evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the cheesecake. Place the springform pan inside a larger baking pan and pour warm water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan to create a water bath. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 325°F.
- Post-Baking: After baking, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for an additional 45 minutes with the oven door closed. Remove cheesecake from the water bath and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 2 hours. Then, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 24 hours before serving. After 8 hours in the fridge, cover the cheesecake loosely with plastic wrap.
- Making the Caramel Sauce: Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat until fully melted and a dark golden brown color forms, stirring gently or swirling occasionally to avoid burning. Remove from heat immediately and whisk in butter vigorously until melted. Add heavy cream and whisk quickly to combine; mixture may spatter. Stir in salt until smooth.
- Serving: Serve the chilled cheesecake slices with warm caramel sauce drizzled over the top for a decadent finish.
Notes
- Ensure all dairy ingredients for the cheesecake are at room temperature to avoid lumps in the batter.
- Browned butter adds a deep nutty flavor to the crust, so do not skip this step.
- Wrapping the springform pan with foil prevents water from seeping into the cheesecake during the water bath bake.
- The water bath baking method ensures a creamy, crack-free cheesecake.
- Chilling the cheesecake for 24 hours allows the flavors to develop and the texture to set properly.
- Use Honeycrisp apples or other firm, crisp varieties for the best texture in the filling.
- Be cautious when making caramel sauce; sugar can burn quickly, so watch it closely.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Apple Pie Cheesecake, Stuffed Cheesecake, Apple Dessert, Caramel Sauce, Holiday Dessert, Cream Cheese Dessert, Fall Dessert
