The ultimate apple dessert — this caramel apple cheesecake features a creamy, caramel-infused cheesecake filling finished with warm cinnamon apples. Make it for a special dinner and impress your guests. 
Apple desserts often bring to mind pie or crisp, but this caramel apple cheesecake takes those familiar flavors and transforms them into something richer and more luxurious. It begins with a crunchy cinnamon graham crust pressed up the sides of a springform pan, followed by a silky cheesecake filling blended with salted caramel. After baking and cooling, the cheesecake is topped with tender cinnamon apples and extra caramel for a finished dessert that tastes like autumn in every bite.
The Perfect Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe
The recipe breaks down into three components: the crust, the caramel cheesecake filling, and the apple topping. While the recipe card below lists several steps, the process itself is straightforward if you work through each part in order. 
The crust is a simple graham crumb mixture with a touch of cinnamon to complement the apples. I press the crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides so each slice has a generous, crunchy edge. Baking the crust for a short time before adding the filling helps it stay crisp.
Rather than simply topping a classic New York-style cheesecake with apples, this version adds salted caramel directly into the batter so the caramel flavor is woven throughout the cheesecake. Use your favorite thick salted caramel sauce (homemade or a good-quality store-bought option) for best results.
Make the filling by beating the cream cheese until smooth, then add sugar, vanilla, and the salted caramel sauce. Stir in sour cream for a creamy, non-grainy texture, and finish by gently incorporating whisked eggs.
This cheesecake is baked in a water bath to keep it moist and reduce cracking. The wrapped springform pan sits in a large roasting pan with about 1/2–1 inch of water. The water provides even heat and insulation, resulting in a more tender cheesecake. Below is a photo showing the pan wrapped in foil and placed inside the roasting pan. 
The apple topping is essentially a quick stovetop apple filling with an extra splash of caramel. Choose a crisp apple—Honeycrisp for sweetness or Granny Smith for a tart contrast. Apples soften as they cook, so pick your preferred texture and remove them from the heat when they reach the desired tenderness.
Serving Tips
Cheesecakes should cool slowly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours; I often make this the day before serving. The apple topping is best cooked and added right before serving so it stays bright and slightly warm.
For more apple-inspired desserts, consider trying apple crisp bars, a caramel apple galette, classic apple crisp, or a cinnamon apple coffee cake.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
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Equipment
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9-inch (23 cm) springform pan
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Large roasting pan (big enough to hold the springform pan)
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Aluminum foil
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Use your favorite thick salted caramel sauce (homemade or high-quality store-bought).
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups graham crumbs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Cheesecake
- 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Cinnamon Apple Topping
- 3 large apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup salted caramel
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
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Wrap the outside of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with aluminum foil, covering seams thoroughly.
Crust
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Stir graham crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
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Add melted butter and mix until the texture resembles wet sand.
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Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides (about halfway to three-quarters up) of the springform pan.
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Bake for 8–10 minutes, then remove from oven and leave the oven on.
Cheesecake
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Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.
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Add sugar, salted caramel sauce, and vanilla; beat until combined.
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Stir in the sour cream, scraping down the bowl as needed.
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Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then beat them into the batter until just combined.
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Place the wrapped springform with crust into a large roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan and smooth the top. Add about 1/2–1 inch of water to the roasting pan.
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Bake at 350°F for 55–70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble.
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Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove and cool to room temperature.
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Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
Apple Topping
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Melt butter with cinnamon in a medium skillet over low heat.
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Add apples, sugar, and water; stir to coat.
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Cover and cook 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples soften to your preference.
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Remove lid and stir in the caramel sauce, heating until combined. Serve warm over slices of cheesecake.
Serving
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Remove the chilled cheesecake from the fridge and run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the crust.
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Unclamp the springform ring and transfer the cake to a serving plate if desired.
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Top the whole cheesecake with the warm apples if serving immediately, or slice and spoon apples over individual pieces. Use a sharp, thin knife for clean slices.
Notes
- A 9-inch springform pan is recommended. A 10-inch will work but produce a thinner crust and shorter bake time; an 8-inch is too small for this amount of filling.
- Use a thick salted caramel (homemade or quality store-bought). Avoid thin squeeze-tube caramels.
- Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best texture.
- Bring cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs to room temperature before mixing to avoid overworking the batter.
- Pick crisp apples with good flavor. Honeycrisp or Granny Smith are good choices; avoid softer varieties like McIntosh or Golden Delicious for this recipe.
- Make the cheesecake a day ahead and chill overnight; cook the apple topping just before serving.
- Nutrition info is an estimate per slice (12 pieces) including the apple topping.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 4 days. Keep leftover apple topping separate in an airtight container for best texture.
Nutrition
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