If you love apple crisp AND cheesecake, then this Apple Crisp Cheesecake will be your new favorite fall dessert. With a velvety cheesecake filling, tender spiced apples, and a classic crumble topping, it's the best of both worlds!
This post was first published in November 2010. It was updated in October 2021, then republished in September 2025.
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Apple crisp and cheesecake are two of my favorite desserts, so this year I decided to combine them into one fabulous treat. Over the years, I've used apples and cream cheese in apple cheesecake pie and apple cheesecake bars. However, this time I added the topping from my apple crisp pie, and this cheesecake mashup is my new favorite.
My theory is, why choose between two desserts when you can have both? This cheesecake has all your favorite fall flavors in one pan. The creamy filling, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a crispy topping are the perfect way to wow your friends and family.
The best part? It's so much easier than it looks. In under 30 minutes, you can have this show-stopping dessert in the oven. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill before you can dig in with your fork.
Why You'll Love This Cheesecake Recipe
- Two desserts in one. Cheesecake and apple crisp are the ultimate fall mashup.
- Texture perfection. Smooth filling, baked apples, and a buttery, oat topping give you sweet and crunchy in every bite.
- Simple yet impressive. This dessert looks like it came from a bakery. But with our easy steps, you can make any day of the week.
Main Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this amazing apple crisp cheesecake. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more exact measurements.
- Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crumbs: If you're not a big graham cracker person, you can use vanilla wafers instead.
- Granulated Sugar: Or brown sugar for a deeper, more molasses-y flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: You will need melted butter in the crust and the topping.
- Cream Cheese: Softened at room temperature. If it's too cold, it won't mix well with the other ingredients, and you may end up with a lumpy filling.
- Light Brown Sugar: Make sure to pack it into the measuring cup to get the proper amount.
- Vanilla Extract: The vanilla adds a little extra depth to the flavor profile, which I love.
- Cinnamon: A touch of spice is a great addition to this cheesecake. After all, who doesn't love apples and cinnamon?
- All-Purpose Flour" I like to add a little bit of flour to the filling to keep it from cracking.
- Large Eggs: Let the eggs sit out at room temperature for a while before mixing them into the filling. If they're too cold, they won't incorporate with the other ingredients as well.
- Gala Apples: Peeled and diced. Galas are my favorite here, but Honeycrisps are a close runner-up. Other great options include Fuji, Braeburn, Jonagold, Cortland, and Golden Delicious. Feel free to mix and match!
- Quick Oats: These smaller oats are better for the topping, in my opinion. Old-fashioned rolled oats can be pulsed in a blender for a few seconds to break them down.
How To Make An Apple Crisp Cheesecake
Ready to break out the mixing bowls? Here's a general overview of how to make this incredible cheesecake. For more thorough instructions, look at the recipe card below.
- Form the graham cracker crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Then press the mixture into the bottom of a lined springform pan.
- Mix the filling. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, cinnamon, and flour, followed by the eggs. Pour the batter onto the crust.
- Make the apple topping. Stir together the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Put together the crisp topping. Stir the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl. Use your hands to press the mixture into large crumbs.
- Assemble and bake. Spoon the apples over the batter, then sprinkle with the crumble topping. Place the pan on the oven rack just above a pan of water and bake until done.
- Cool and serve. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake. Let it sit for 1 hour before chilling it in the fridge for 6 hours.
How to Store This Cheesecake
- In the Refrigerator. Keep the cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- In the Freezer. You can freeze it whole or cut it up and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours before freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
BruCrew Tips
For the best results in your kitchen, be sure to follow our apple cheesecake tips.
- Line with parchment paper. Be sure to line the springform pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to remove the cheesecake from the pan once it's set.
- Use a steam bath. The tray of water at the bottom of the oven is essential! It creates steam in the hot oven. This helps the cheesecake bake evenly and prevents cracks on top.
- Room-temperature ingredients are key. Let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature before you start. If they're too cold, they won't mix as easily with the other ingredients, which can lead to over-mixing. Also, cold cream cheese can result in a lumpy cheesecake.
- Don't overmix. When mixing the ingredients for the batter, mix just until everything is smooth. Mixing past this point can introduce excess air into the filling, which can cause cracks to form in the dessert as it bakes.
- Allow it to chill. This cheesecake needs to cool for 1 hour at room temperature and then requires at least 6 hours in the refrigerator to firm up. Attempting to remove it from the pan before it's set all the way is a recipe for disaster!
Variation Ideas
If you're in the mood to mix things up a bit, go for it! Here are some fun ways to make this recipe your own:
- Switch out the fruit. Instead of apples, feel free to use pears, peaches, apricots, blackberries, or even blueberries, depending on what's in season.
- Different crust. Instead of Graham crackers, feel free to use vanilla wafers or make an Oreo cookie crust using Golden Oreos.
- Extra additions. I LOVE drizzling caramel sauce over this cheesecake, especially if it's salted caramel.
- Add a little crunch. I will sometimes mix some toasted (or candied!) pecans or walnuts into the crumble topping to add a little extra texture.
More Apple Dessert Ideas
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Recipe
Apple Crisp Cheesecake
If you love apple crisp AND cheesecake, then this Apple Crisp Cheesecake will be your new favorite fall dessert. With a velvety cheesecake filling, tender spiced apples, and a classic crumble topping, it's the best of both worlds!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
For the Apples
- 3 Gala apples, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the Crisp Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup quick oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack and fill halfway with water. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the lined springform pan.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until very creamy. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and flour, and mix thoroughly.
- Add the eggs and mix until everything is mixed in. Do not overmix the batter.
- Pour the cheesecake onto the prepared crust.
- Stir together the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.
- Add all the topping ingredients to a bowl and stir until completely combined. Use your hands to press the mixture into large crumbs if needed.
- Spoon the apples onto the cheesecake batter gently. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
- Place the pan on the oven rack directly over the pan of water. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan.
- Cool for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight to chill completely.
- Serve sliced with caramel, Cool Whip, and apple pie spice, if desired.
Notes
- Line with parchment paper. Be sure to line the springform pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to remove the cheesecake from the pan once it's set.
- Use a steam bath. The tray of water at the bottom of the oven is essential! It creates steam in the hot oven. This helps the cheesecake bake evenly and prevents it from cracking on top.
- Room-temperature ingredients are key. Let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature before you start. If they're too cold, they won't mix as easily with the other ingredients, which can lead to over-mixing. Also, cold cream cheese can result in a lumpy cheesecake.
- Don't overmix. When mixing the ingredients for the batter, mix just until everything is well combined and smooth. Mixing past this point can introduce excess air into the filling, which can cause cracks to form in the dessert as it bakes.
- Allow it to chill. This cheesecake needs to cool for 1 hour at room temperature and then requires at least 6 hours in the refrigerator to firm up. Attempting to remove it from the pan before it's set all the way is a recipe for disaster!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 377Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 218mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 5g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Traci says
This is my first time making this cheesecake. Is it supposed to be more of a no-bake cheesecake consistency after it’s baked? I baked it for the time in the directions, and stuck a knife in to see if it was done (because of the topping you can’t tell). I pulled the knife out and it was not done. It was nowhere near done?
Jocelyn says
Hi, Traci. I am so glad you are trying this one. It's a favorite here. Cheesecake doesn't cook like a cake, so you can't poke it with a knife to see if it is done. It will always come out with stuff on it. As long as you baked it for 50-55 minutes, it will be done. It does take hours to cool and set up in the fridge. Trust the process and let it sit overnight in the fridge. I hope you enjoy it!
Cdl says
Can this pie be frozen? And if so, what would you recommend for the best process?
Jocelyn says
I haven't tried freezing this one. Cheesecake can be frozen. The only thing I'm not sure about is how the texture of the crumble would be after thawing this one out. If you plan to freeze it, make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil before storing it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Keep me posted if you try it!
Stacy says
Can I make this into mini cheesecakes? If so, do you know how long it should be baked?
Jocelyn says
I haven't made this particular recipe in a smaller size, so I really do not know what the timing would be for it. My initial thought is that fresh apples will not have enough time to cook down because minis bake at a much shorter time. So I think you would need to use a pie filling instead. Without trying it this way, my best guess for time is 20-25 minutes for 24 cupcakes. I hope that helps. Keep me posted if you try it this way.
Stephanie says
Hi! This cheesecake looks amazing! Could I use canned pears instead of apples?
Jocelyn says
I don't know how canned pears would work in this since they are already soft. The apples in this recipe are raw and cook as the cheesecake cooks. You could do fresh pears though.
Mazy says
I haven’t made cheesecake in years as my hubby’s not a fan. We had company coming and I was craving cheesecake. This looked amazing so I made it and have to say it turned out fantastic! Everyone loved it even hubby! I followed recipe exactly but only had 8” & 10” pans. I used the 8 and left it a few minutes longer and it was perfect. Will definitely be making again! Oh yea, wasn’t clear on parchment paper placement so I put it up sides as well as bottom. I saw another post afterwards with same question and saw it’s just the bottom but it’s really fine either way.
Mal says
I added two big tablespoons of Sour cream into the batter, delish!
Kelsey says
I'm so anxious to make this cheesecake!! I was wondering for the crumble can I use rolled oats instead of quick oats?
Thank you!
Jocelyn says
Yes, you could use rolled oats instead, but the texture will be a little coarser. If all you have are rolled oats, just pop them in a blender or food processor and pulse quickly. This breaks them down into quick oats. 🙂
Robbin says
I made this it was absolutely delicious am definitely making it again!!
Hillary says
Do you bake crust before adding the other layers?
Jocelyn says
No, the crust does not need to be baked first. You can layer everything on top and bake it all together. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Alexandra says
Hi Jocelyn! I’ve made this cheesecake before and it was to die for. However I have recent been diagnosed gluten intolerant. Is there a flour substitute you would recommend to replace with? And would the measurements still be the same? Thanks!
Jocelyn says
I have not personally done any baking with gluten free flour, but I have a friend whose daughter is gluten free. She really likes the Cup4Cup flour and says she gets it on Amazon. The measurement for that would be the same. I have also heard good things about King Arthur flour.
Ashley says
King Arthur flour is the best!!
Jocelyn says
It looks like the Cup4Cup flour is also available at Target.
Karia says
Can I make this using cupcake pan and liners instead ? And if so, What’s the baking time for that plz?
Jocelyn says
It probably can be. But I don't know what the baking time would be or how many it would make because I have only made this recipe in the springform pan. My guess is that they will bake a much shorter time than the big one. Keep me posted if you try it this way.
Amy says
I made it in wax-paper-lined ramekins (4 but could have filled at least 6) and it was incredible. My guests LOVED it and so did I. Took them out of the oven after 35 minutes.
Mallorie says
I can’t get access to a spring pan will a regular 9in cake pan work?
Jocelyn says
No. The problem you will run into is that a springform pan is quite a bit taller than a cake pan. The amount of batter, apples, and topping would overflow into your oven as it baked. You could try this apple cheesecake pie and add a crisp topping to it before baking. I hope that helps. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/cheesecake-apple-pie/
Mia says
Hi, cool recipe! One question: my crisp topping seems to have burned a bit, any ideas as to how to prevent that?
Jocelyn says
Off the top of my head, I'm wondering where the cheesecake was located in the oven as it baked? If the oven rack was higher up and closer to the heating element at the top, it could potentially burn the topping. I've never had that happen when making this one, but I usually bake cheesecakes on a rack lower than the middle.
Jennifer Militano says
Hi, what kind of Carmel would I put on the cheesecake? And I’d do that at the end? Not while it’s in the oven?
Jocelyn says
Hi, Jennifer. The caramel is just a garnish that gets added right before serving. You can use any kind of caramel ice cream topping that you prefer. I hope you enjoy it.
Shawna says
Hi there! Just curious, but why does this cheesecake recipe not call for the crust to be prebaked?
Jocelyn says
This particular crust just isn't baked ahead of time. It will bake as the cheesecake and crisp bakes.
Debbie says
After step 9 when you cool the cake 5 min. then run a knife around the outside of the cake to loosen the cake from the pan is that when you take the spring form off or after you let in cool in the refrigerator for a hour step 10.
Jocelyn says
No, the springform pan ring needs to stay attached until the cheesecake is completely chilled...usually 4-6 hours in the fridge. Loosening the cheesecake just keeps it from sticking as it cools. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
maria says
How would I convert this recipe to fit a 12" springform pan?
Jocelyn says
Hi, Maria. I would increase the recipe by half. For example, instead of 2 cream cheese and 2 eggs, you will use 3 of each. I hope that makes sense. The baking time should be about the same or a few minutes longer. Good luck and I hope you enjoy the cheesecake.
Daisy says
Do you have to precook the apples before placing them in the cheesecake batter?
Jocelyn says
No, you just mix the diced apples with the cinnamon sugar and spoon it onto the cheesecake filling. They bake up soft as the cheesecake bakes. I hope you enjoy it!
Jane says
Your recipe calls for 3 apples. Because apples vary in size, can you translate that as pounds, is it 1, 1.5, 2 pounds? Thanks.
Jocelyn says
I used three medium sized apples for this recipe. Since I actually have a bag of Gala apples in the fridge right now, I weighed 3 of them. Each apple was about 6 ounces, so the total for the recipe would be just over 1 pound. I hope that helps and you enjoy the recipe.
Alison says
How can I be sure the apples and crumble won't sink into the cheesecake batter?
Jocelyn says
Some of the apples will sink slightly into the cheesecake batter, but it shouldn't go all the way to the bottom. We have made it many times without any issues with sinking. I hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
Miroslav says
To prevent fruits from sinkink into the batter mix them with a little flour.
Jocelyn says
The fruit in this cheesecake is not mixed into the batter, so this doesn't apply here. But yes, on batter that has fruit I always mix in a little flour to keep them from sinking.
Valsa Peter says
Hi I was wondering if I would have to do any changes to the recipe if I am using a 10 in springform pan (only one available)?
Jocelyn says
The only modification you would need to make would be the baking time, since it will be slightly thinner. I would bake it for 45 minutes. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cheesecake.
Valsa says
do you recommend putting the graham cracker crust into the oven for 8-10 minutes before pouring the cream cheese? Also, do I only line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or the bottom and sides?
Jocelyn says
You only need to place a sheet of parchment on the bottom of the springform pan. For this recipe, you do not need to bake the crust ahead of time. Just mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter and press evenly in the bottom of the pan and set aside while you mix the batter.