Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake

Apple crisp baked into a creamy and rich cheesecake. With an oatmeal cookie crust, rich cheesecake filling topped with sweet, cinnamony apples, and a boatload of oat streusel on top, this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake is to-die-for! You’ll adore it. Top this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce for the ultimate caramel apple crisp cheesecake.

I made four (4!) ‘fall’ cheesecakes, and this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake is my personal favorite. I love all of them, or you wouldn’t see them on the blog, but this one is my personal favorite.

The others are awesome too though. This White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust that I posted last week is great because I always love any form of pumpkin cheesecake, but I think I’m just currently most proud of this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake, and that’s why I’m partial to it. The Maple Nut Cheesecake with Walnut Crust and Honey Pecan Cheesecake with Pecan Shortbread Crust are also top-notch and fabulous.

It’s the idea. I loved the idea of this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake, and was proud to have thought of it. It was original and creative. And when I executed it, the cheesecake turned out even better than I hoped.

This Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake is my favorite in terms of originality, but the taste also cannot be beat. It’s not at all complex to make either. If you can handle a regular cheesecake, then you can easily make this one. Cheesecakes are not a lot of work in the first place – they just seem like they would be. This one is just as easy.

When I think of apple crisp, of course I think of oatmeal streusel. I wanted to carry that theme into the crust too, and not just the topping, so the crust is made with crushed oatmeal cookies. Oatmeal cookie crumbs!! Plus sugar and butter. Easy peasy. Just like making any other cheesecake crust, but more flavorful than graham crackers, for sure.

The cheesecake layer should be no surprise – it’s the same basic cheesecake recipe that I use for almost all my cheesecakes. The only change is that I added caramel extract in the batter to give it extra caramel flair. Flair? Or flare? I go back and forth on this. My brother will likely correct me if I’m wrong (where you at, Jeff?). Anyway, the caramel extract isn’t necessary, but recommended!

Next is a layer of cinnamon-sugar coated fresh apple slices, and a buttery, brown sugar oat-streusel. Basically, you bake apple crisp on top of a cheesecake. And then you douse it in caramel sauce.

It’s exactly as the name would suggest, a Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake. Combining two very different desserts, apple crisp and cheesecake, couldn’t be easier. Astonishingly. You just bake the one on top of the other. Who knew it would work out so perfectly like that?

But it does. The cinnamon-sugar apples become soft, juicy, sweet, and gooey. The oatmeal streusel topping is a little crispy, sweet, and buttery, and the oats are toasty. Oatmeal streusel is such ordinary ingredients, but they come together for something extraordinary when they are combined and baked.

It’s just like the best apple crisp baked on the best creamy cheesecake, and topped with ice cream and caramel sauce. All those things are great on their own, but the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts, and this Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake exemplifies that.

If you’re looking for other fabulous fall cheesecakes, I suggested a few above, but might I also recommend this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownie Cheesecake? It’s got a full pan of brownies as crust! This Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cheesecake is a pumpkin cheesecake baked over cinnamon rolls as crust! And these Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cheesecakes feature – what else – a pumpkin spice Oreo as crust! Awesome options. 🙂

Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake

Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl

Apple crisp baked into a creamy and rich cheesecake! With an oatmeal cookie crust, rich cheesecake filling topped with sweet, cinnamony apples, and a boatload of oat streusel on top!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 15 mins

Total Time 1 hr 40 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 10 -12 servings

Ingredients

  

For oatmeal cookie crust:

• 2 c. finely crushed prepared oatmeal cookies
• 1/2 c. old-fashioned or instant oats
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 6 tbsp. butter melted

For cheesecake:

• 3 - 8 oz. packages reduced-fat cream cheese softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. caramel extract I find Watkins brand easily at Walmart, and I also find caramel extract brands at Whole Foods
• 3 large apples peeled, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. sugar

For streusel:

• 1 c. old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. cold butter
• vanilla ice cream
• 1 jar prepared caramel sauce

Instructions

 

For oatmeal cookie crust:

• In a small bowl, combine oatmeal cookie crumbs, oats, sugar, and butter.
• Press into the bottom of an 9-inch springform pan.

For cheesecake:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy.
• Add sugar, beating until combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla and caramel extract.
• Pour cheesecake batter over crust.
• In a medium bowl, combine apples, cinnamon, and sugar, tossing to coat.
• Carefully layer the apple slices over the cheesecake batter, working from the edges to the center - it will keep the batter from raising higher at the edges. Work from the edges toward the middle.

For streusel:

• In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle it evenly over the apple layer, working from the edges to the center.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 65-75 minutes (it will take a while - it's very thick), or until the center appears set when jiggled.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Serve with ice cream and caramel sauce.