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Apple Crisp Cheesecake

Apple crisp cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and a golden oat crumble crown baked in a water bath for a just-set, creamy center. Layers of spiced apples and a buttery oat topping bake into a sliceable, cross-section showpiece.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
chilling 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Graham crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.33 cup sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake filling
  • 24 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Apple layer
  • 3 apples peeled and diced
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp butter
Oat crisp topping
  • 0.75 cup rolled oats
  • 0.5 cup flour
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 tbsp butter cold, cubed

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 springform pan
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the graham crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Press the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted unsalted butter into a 9-inch springform pan and press until the base is even.
  2. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 325F. Look for the edges to set and lightly smell toasted before removing.
Cook and cool the apples
  1. Cook the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 5 minutes. Stir until the apples are softened but still hold some shape.
  2. Cool the cooked apples completely. Let them cool until no longer hot to the touch so they don’t warm the cheesecake filling.
Mix the cheesecake filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Scrape the sides as needed so the batter is free of lumps.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time and beat just until incorporated. Stop when the batter looks glossy and smooth.
  3. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue until the filling is uniform with no streaks.
Assemble and bake in a water bath
  1. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Smooth the top so it’s level.
  2. Top the filling with the cooked apples. Distribute them evenly so every slice has apple layer.
  3. Make the oat topping by combining rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until the dry mixture is evenly colored.
  4. Cut in the cold butter until clumpy. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs with pea-size bits.
  5. Scatter the oat topping over the apples. Cover the surface in an even layer with visible crumble throughout.
  6. Bake in a water bath at 325F for 60-65 minutes. Bake until the center is just set and the outer edge looks slightly firm.
Chill, release, and slice
  1. Cool the cheesecake completely. Let it rest at room temperature until fully cooled.
  2. Refrigerate for 6 hours before releasing and slicing. Chill until fully firm for clean slices.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the water bath snug and don’t overbake—when the center jiggles slightly but looks set, it’s ready. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter twist, use reduced-fat cream cheese and full-fat sour cream to retain a creamy texture while cutting calories.