Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Published: November 20, 2023 | Last Modified: October 27, 2024 by Gail Ng | 43 Comments

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This apple crumble cheesecake is made with a biscoff cookie crust, creamy spiced cheesecake topped with tender cinnamon apples, and a buttery crumble topping. It's the perfect rich and delicious Fall cheesecake!

A slice of apple crumble cheesecake lifted up with a cake server.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Tools
Ingredients
How to make apple crumble cheesecake
Storage
Freezing
Tips for success
Frequently asked questions
More cheesecake recipes to try
Recipe

This apple crumble cheesecake is such a great dessert for the Fall. The warming and cozy flavours of apple, cinnamon, and biscoff are perfect for the season. This cheesecake is all about textures from the crisp biscoff crust to creamy cheesecake to the crunchy streusel topping. It has a little bit of everything which makes it so good!

Cheesecakes are great for entertaining because all the work is done at least a day in advance. Since cheesecake needs to chill in the fridge overnight, all you need to do when you're ready to serve it is take it out of the fridge. Not being able to eat it right away might actually be a blessing in disguise in some cases!

Why you'll love this recipe

Biscoff cookie crust. The warm, caramelized flavour of biscoff pairs perfectly with the apples and spices in this cheesecake.
Rich, creamy, and perfectly spiced cheesecake.
Tender cooked apples. The cinnamon-spiced apples are soft, tender, and cozy.
Crunchy crumble topping. It adds texture and dimension to this cheesecake.
No need to worry about cracks! Since the top of the cheesecake is baked with the apple crumble on top, the top of the cheesecake is hidden.

A slice of apple crumble cheesecake on a plate.

Tools

9" springform pan - You'll need a springform pan with a removable bottom. It makes releasing the baked cheesecake from the pan much easier. To line this pan, remove the bottom plate and lay a sheet of parchment paper on top of it. Reassemble the pan as-is so that the parchment paper is clamped in between the bottom plate and the rest of the pan. You can trim the excess parchment paper around the sides if you'd like.
Food processor - Optional. You can use a food processor to crush the biscoff cookies into fine crumbs, if you have one.
Rolling pin - If you don't have a food processor, it's still easy to crush the biscuits with a rolling pin and a ziploc bag.
Small pot - You'll need a small pot and a stovetop to cook the apples for the apple crumble.

Ingredients

As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.

Biscoff biscuits - These are spiced biscuits most commonly from the Lotus brand. You can also use similar cookies like speculoos, digestive biscuits, or gingersnaps. Use a food processor or put these in a ziploc bag and smash them with a rolling pin until they're very finely crushed.
Unsalted butter - Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop before using.
All-purpose flour
Brown sugar - Using brown sugar in the crumble gives it a warm, caramelized flavour and nice golden brown colour.
Rolled oats - This adds another texture to the crumble topping and is usually included in a classic apple crumble.
Apples - Use any tart and crisp apple like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Braeburn, or Ambrosia apples. Peel, core, and slice them into roughly ⅛" thick slices or thinner. We'll be pre-cooking the apples before adding them to the cheesecake so that they're nice and soft.
Cornstarch - This soaks up the juices that cook out of the apples and turns them into a delicious jam that coats the apples.
Cream cheese - Use cream cheese that comes in blocks, not spreadable cream cheese that comes in tubs. Let this soften to room temperature before using.
Granulated sugar
Greek yogurt - This adds a bit more creaminess and tartness to the cheesecake.
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground nutmeg
Eggs - Let these come to room temperature before adding them to the cheesecake batter so that they emulsify perfectly.

How to make apple crumble cheesecake

Make the biscoff crust

Crush cookies: Use a food processor or put the biscoff cookies in a ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin to whack the cookies thoroughly until they're very finely crushed. Transfer the cookie crumbs to a medium bowl.

Left to right: smacking a bag of biscoff cookies with a rolling pin, crushing biscoff cookies with a rolling pin.

Add butter: Add melted butter to the crumbs and stir them together until it resembles wet sand.

Left to right: pouring melted butter into a bowl of biscoff crumbs, stirring biscoff crust mixture with a spatula.

Press into pan: Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Dump the crumb mixture into the pan and spread it around the bottom and sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a flat-bottomed cup to press the mixture firmly into a flat, even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Let the pan chill in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the filling.

Left to right: spreading biscoff crust mixture around in a pan, pressing biscoff crust into pan with a cup.

Make the crumble topping

Stir together: In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, flour, brown sugar, and rolled oats until it forms a thick crumbly paste. Set aside to cool and firm up.

Left to right: pouring melted butter into a bowl of flour and oats, mixed crumble topping mixture in a bowl.

Make the apple topping

Cook apples: In a small pot, stir together sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until the apples are fork-tender and any juices released have thickened into a jammy consistency. Set the apples aside to cool.

Left to right: a pot filled with apple slices and brown sugar, cooked apples in a pot.

Make the cheesecake

Prep: Preheat oven to 325°F.

Mix cheesecake batter: In a large mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, sugar, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Use a spatula to smush the mixture around around until it's smooth and creamy.

Left to right: cheesecake ingredients in a mixing bowl, cheesecake batter mixed until creamy.

Mix in eggs: Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition, until completely combined.

Left to right: an egg in a bowl of cheesecake batter, mixing cheesecake batter with a spatula.

Fill pan: Pour the cheesecake batter into your pan on top of the chilled crust.

Left to right: pouring cheesecake batter into a crust-filled pan, cheesecake batter in a pan before toppings.

Add toppings: Add the cooked apple slices in an even layer on top of the cheesecake batter, gently laying them down so that they don't sink. Use your hands to crumble up the crumble topping and sprinkle it on top of the apples.

Left to right: apple slices arrange on top of cheesecake batter, hand sprinkling crumble topping on top of cheesecake.

Bake: Place an empty sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any liquid that might leak out during baking. Bake for 65-70 minutes or until the cheesecake is still slightly jiggly.

Chill: Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature before chilling it in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. Once chilled, run an offset spatula around the edges of the pan and remove the cheesecake from the pan. Slice and serve chilled or at room temperature.

A slice of apple crumble cheesecake cut from the rest of the cake on a cake server.

Storage

This apple crumble cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing

This cheesecake can be frozen by placing leftovers in an airtight container or wrapping them well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours before eating.

Cross section of a cheesecake to show the different layers inside.

Tips for success

Use room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese and eggs in particular need to be at room temperature for easier mixing. This is especially important because we're only using a spatula to mix the cheesecake batter, not a hand mixer. If your ingredients are cold, the cheesecake batter can become lumpy.
Pre-cook the apples until they're soft and tender. This is an extra step but I promise it makes all the difference in how the apples taste. The apple slices don't cook very much in the cheesecake so it's important to cook them first before baking the cheesecake. When you prick a fork into the apple slices, it should go in very easily without much resistance.
Bake with an empty pan under the cheesecake. Springform pans tend to leak during baking. Having an empty pan on the bottom rack helps catch any leaks and prevents them from burning on the bottom of the oven.
Chill the cheesecake until set. Let the cheesecake cool completely before chilling to prevent condensation from dripping onto the cheesecake. Let the cheesecake firm up completely in the fridge. It's worth the wait!
Drizzle with salted caramel. This is an optional serving recommendation. This apple crumble cheesecake is great on its own but serving it with salted caramel would take it to the next level.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best apples to use for apple crumble cheesecake?

In general, tart apples that hold their shape work the best. Opt for Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Braeburn apples.

How do I know when my cheesecake is done baking?

While the cheesecake is still in the oven, hold on to both sides of the pan (with oven mitts) and give it a gentle shake from side to side. The edges of the cheesecake should be set but the middle should still be slightly jiggly.

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Why you'll love this recipe

Tools

Ingredients