This caramel apple cheesecake pie has so many layers to love: it starts with a crisp and buttery graham cracker crust, followed by a creamy brown sugar cheesecake filling, sweet cinnamon-spiced apples, homemade salted caramel, and finished with a streusel topping. Itโs like apple crisp meets cheesecake, and youโll be very glad that they did!
I always love a good dessert mash-up, especially when it involves cheesecake. Have you seen this pecan pie cheesecake or these coconut cheesecake brownies before?
Today weโre talking all things apple. This recipe is as if I started making an apple crisp or salted caramel apple pie, then threw in a cheesecake. Itโs very layered, textured, rich, and undoubtedly tasty. During testing and photography, my team and I made about 8 of these piesโฆ and neighbors were literally leaving notes on our doors to bring them more. (Yes, that really happened!)
Why Youโll Love This Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
- A โpeople pleaserโ dessertโsatisfies the cheesecake lovers and apple pie lovers
- No water bath or pastry pie crust needed
- A magnificent use of dessertโs favorite condiment, homemade salted caramel
- Tons of texture in every bite
- Itโs a lot of steps and layers, but each is quite simple to make
- A great make-ahead recipe because it needs time to chill
4 Layers to Love
This is a texture loverโs pie, for sure. Crispy, crumbly, creamyโฆ oh my!
- Graham Cracker Crust: A classic crumb crust gets extra crispy from a longer bake time, just like in this sโmores brownie pie.
- Cheesecake Filling: Smooth, velvety, creamy, and lightly tangy cheesecake pie filling provides a perfect contrast to the textures in the layers above and below.
- Caramel Apples: Tart apples get the sweet treatment here. Tossed in cinnamon & brown sugar, then drizzled with salted caramelโฆ is there a better way to get your apple a day? They bake long enough to soften but still maintain their texture, much like an apple pie.
- Streusel Topping: This crumbly topping is a scaled-down version of what we use on these salted caramel apple pie bars. I reduced the quantity down because, in testing, I found that too much streusel topping created a mushy layer on this pie.
Pie Testing (& Retesting)
My team and I tested many different versions to figure out the very BEST way to make caramel apple cheesecake pie. Some tests:
- We tried pre-cooking the apples before adding them to the pie, but not only was it an extra step (and an extra pan to wash), it made the apple layer a bit too soft and wet.
- Then we tried layering the caramel and apples directly on top of the crust, but the caramel adhered to the crust, making it nearly impossible to cut.
- We tried it without the streusel topping. Silly mistake. Our strategically selected panel of taste testers (i.e., neighbors who happened to be homeโLOL) overwhelmingly preferred the versions with the streusel topping to the versions without.
All this recipe testing led to todayโs truly delicious dessertโare you ready for it?
Start With a Graham Cracker Crust:
The recipe begins with this graham cracker crust. Itโs just 3 simple ingredients: graham crackers, granulated sugar, and melted butter. If youโve had trouble with graham cracker crust in the past, or if itโs not easy to get graham crackers where you are, read this How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust post for guidance and substitution suggestions.
Bake the crust by itself for 10 minutes, so it can set its shape before filling the pie. Itโs ideal if the crust is still a tad warm when you add the filling (so it adheres nicely to the base).
Grab These Ingredients for Filling & Topping:
- Cream Cheese: Use 12 ounces (339g) of full-fat brick cream cheese. Make sure youโre buying the bricks of cream cheese and not the tubs of cream cheese spread.
- Brown Sugar: Weโre using brown sugar in the cheesecake filling, like we do in this pecan pie cheesecake. Brown sugar also goes in the caramel apple and streusel layers.
- Sour Cream: Makes for a smooth and velvety texture, and gives it that lightly tangy flavor we all love in cheesecakes.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor, especially homemade vanilla extract!
- Egg: The egg provides structure in this baked cheesecake pie.
- Apples: I like to use a mix of tart & sweet apples in baking, like 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honeycrisp or other sweet variety. Peel and slice them really thin, then chop the slices into bite-size pieces. If your apples are too thick, they wonโt soften enough when the pie bakes.
- Lemon Juice: I usually include lemon juice in a cheesecake filling, but in this pie, letโs add it to the apples. Tossing the chopped apples in lemon juice helps prevent browning, but we also want to give them a head start on softening before we layer them in the pie.
- Cinnamon: Appleโs favorite spice!
- Homemade Salted Caramel: Have you ever made this liquid gold before? This recipe for salted caramel is surprisingly simple. Use some in the filling and then as much as you want when serving the finished pie. If you want regular caramel (and not salted), reduce the salt in the caramel recipe down to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Oats: Use old-fashioned whole rolled oats. If you donโt want oats in the streusel topping, try halving the crumble topping used on this apple crumble pie and use that instead.
- Flour: Just a little bit in the streusel topping, for structure.
- Butter: Cut cold, cubed butter into the dry streusel ingredients, until you have a crumbly topping. You also use butter in the crust. (And in the homemade caramel!)
Again, there are a lot of layers. Go slow, and read through the recipe and watch the video tutorial before you begin. I categorize this as an intermediate baking recipe.
Letโs Assemble the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
In the printable recipe below, I encourage you to start with the crust, then move on to the toppings before you make the cheesecake filling. Make the streusel first, and then chill it in the refrigerator or freezer as you work on the other layers. The colder the streusel, the better it will hold shape in the oven. A pastry cutter makes this step easy, or you can try cutting in the butter using 2 forks:
After your streusel is in the refrigerator, peel, slice, and chop the apples. Mix them with a little brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. You can see the apples when I layer them onto the filling below.
The cheesecake filling is a snap. Itโs a slightly reduced version of this cheesecake pie filling. I reduced the amounts because weโre topping it with so many layers.
Spread the filling into the slightly warm pre-baked crust, and then top with the apple layer, a couple Tablespoons of salted caramel, and then the cold streusel topping.
Here is the pie before & after baking:
The caramel apple cheesecake pie needs about 45 minutes in the oven. Around the 30 or 35-minute mark, I loosely tent it with aluminum foil to prevent the top and crust from over-browning. The pie filling may seem a little wobbly when itโs done, but it will finish setting up as it cools and chills.
Cooling, Chilling, & Serving
Cool the pie at room temperature for about an hour, and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Since you used only a few Tablespoons of the caramel sauce in the pie, youโll have plenty leftover for serving. Besides this pie, the salted caramel is fantastic on ice cream, pancakes, oatmeal, and so much moreโfind 50 ways to eat salted caramel here. I love gifting jars of it around the holidays!
Totally worth all of the prepwork!
Even More Apple Desserts
- Homemade Caramel Apples
- Apple Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Apple Cinnamon Babka
See Your Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pies!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. ๐
Print
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes (includes crust pre-bake)
- Total Time: 4 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe uses prepared homemade salted caramel in the filling, and for garnish on the finished pie. You can make the caramel ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. I encourage you to make the crust first, and then prepare the toppings before you make the filling. So many layers to love in this caramel apple cheesecake pie!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Streusel Topping
- 1/3 cup (28g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*
- 3 Tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3 Tablespoons (40g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Apple Layer
- 2 cups (250g) peeled, thinly sliced, and chopped apples*
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2โ3 Tablespoons salted caramel (plus more for topping)*
Cheesecake Filling
- 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45g) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Have your ingredients ready and salted caramel prepared.
- Make the crust: If youโre starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force because that makes the crust too hard. Simply pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly. Tips: You can use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to help press down the bottom crust and smooth out the surface, but do not pack down too hard. And run a spoon around the bottom โcornerโ where the edge and bottom meet to help make a rounded crustโ โthis helps prevent the crust from falling apart. For more shaping technique tips, see the graham cracker crust recipe page.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Continue with the next steps as the crust bakes.
- Make the streusel topping: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry cutter or 2 forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place the bowl of streusel in the refrigerator to chill while you continue with the next step.
- Prepare the apples: Mix the thinly sliced & chopped apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside. (The caramel will be layered on top of them when you assemble the pie.)
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, and then beat until fully combined and very smooth. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed to combineโ โyou donโt want any large lumps. Add the egg and beat on medium speed just until combined. If you still see some lumps at this point, switch to a whisk and whisk by hand just until you break up the large lumps. Some small lumps are OK.
- Assemble the layers: Spread the cheesecake filling into the crust. The crust can still be warm at this point. A small offset spatula makes spreading easy. Spoon apples in an even layer on top of the cheesecake filling. Drizzle salted caramel over the apples. Sprinkle cold streusel evenly on top.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325ยฐF (163ยฐC) and bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until the center is almost set (it will still be a bit wobbly in the centerโthatโs OK). To prevent burning the crust edges, tent the entire pie with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield for the last 10โ15 minutes of baking.
- Set the pie on a wire rack and cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Then place it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days before serving. The pie will continue to set up as it cools and chills. (Cover if chilling it for longer than a few hours.) The topping softens the longer it sits.
- To serve, drizzle chilled pie with more salted caramel. Salted caramel solidifies as it cools, so warm it back up to drizzle it. For neat slices, use a clean sharp knife, and wipe the knife clean between each slice. Tip: The first slice is never pretty! Much easier to slice after that first piece is out.
- Cover and store leftover pie in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This caramel apple cheesecake pie can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Itโs best if the crust is still a bit warm when you pour in the filling, so I donโt recommend pre-baking the crust in advance. You can freeze the baked, cooled, and chilled pie. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Note that the streusel topping becomes very soft after freezing and thawing.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Apple Peeler | Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Pie Dish | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Oats: Whole oats are best, but you can use quick oats if needed. The crumble topping will just be a little more powdery. Use a 1:1 swap from whole oats to quick oats. For an oat-less topping, try halving the crumble recipe used on this apple crumble pie.
- Apples: For depth of flavor, itโs best to bake with a mix of sweet and tart apples. I usually use 1 small Honeycrisp apple and 1 small Granny Smith apple.
- Salted Caramel: If you prefer regular caramel and not salted, reduce salt in the caramel recipe down to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients combine quickly and evenly, so you wonโt risk over-mixing. Also, beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake filling, hardly the way you want to begin!
- Non-US Readers: If graham crackers are not available where you live, use 200g ground digestive biscuit crumbs (about 2 cups; 13โ14 biscuits), 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, and 6 Tablespoons (85g) melted butter. Pre-bake the crust for a bit longer, about 12โ14 minutes. And from what I understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. Itโs thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK to make this pie. I have no experience with it, but this is what Iโve heard from other non-US readers. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes to make! I made it 4 times over the span of 2 months. All my friends and family kept asking for it during the holidays, so how could I say no? My boyfriendโs parents said it is the best dessert they have ever had and now make it themselves. Thank you so much for the recipe we absolutely love it, and it will probably become a Thanksgiving staple!
Iโve made this twice, and both times it was amazing. First time in a round pie pan, second time in a glass 8ร8 baking dish and then cut them into squares after chilling. I took the squares to a party and got rave reviews.
Me and my boyfriend did a challenge where he had to bake this recipe blindfolded (heโs never baked before lol). it still turned out amazing. this is a great recipe!
I canโt remember if I commented yet, any ways, here it goes. This cheesecake is a total family and crown pleaser. I get more requests and compliments on this cheesecake. Itโs definitely my favorite. I just started making at age 65 for my kids and grandkids and church. Iโve found a new friend in the kitchen, thanks to many of your wonderful recipes of treats beyond measure. It got me through my depression and anxiety. Iโm the old me again. I can Laugh and Cry againโฆ Just Lovely to please the masses LOL that makes up my Beautiful community of family and friendsโฆ. Thank You So Much Sally and Crew!
Much Love
Thank you so much for this kind review, Carlos! Weโre so happy youโve been enjoying baking and sharing our recipes.
My whole family lived this cheesecake recipe so much. Itโs hard to please mixed crowd, but this recipe did it. A little time consuming but not bad since I am a new Baker. This recipe eliminated the spring form pan, which I loved. Iโve had some crazy incidences with springform pan in the water, Iโm sure it happens to all of us. I love your approach and technique, this makes baking really fun. Keep it up Sally. Thank you!
can I use a water bath
Hi Tova, Because this is baked in a pie dish, it does not require a water bath. Hope itโs a hit!
thank you this was delicious
Probably the best dessert Iโve ever made.
Question, for the caramel apple cheesecake pie, are the rolled oats, for the streusel, are they supposed to be cooked or right out of the box???
Uncooked, right out of the container!
I have never received so many compliments as I did with this recipe. Excellent!
Stayed true to the recipe. Simpler than it looks when first going over it. Just steps you can work through and then finally bring it all together.
Thanks very much!!
Can I use store bought caramel instead? For example, would the Bonne Maman caramel spread work?
Canโt see why not!
This was such a hit for my thanksgiving dinner! I will be making again
This is THE BEST pie I have ever had in my life. The recipe was very easy to follow and turned out amazing. Looks and tastes very good.
This was a big hit on Thanksgiving! And I thought I used too much caramel!! Thank you!
I never leave comments for ANYTHING.. but wow. I made this for thanksgiving dinner and it was a HUGE hit. People who normally didnโt care for cheesecake came back for seconds. No one wanted to try the other pies after having this. I highly recommend making this!
Loved making this recipe last year so much that Iโm doubling it this year!
Have you ever tried to make two of these in the oven at the same time? Does it work okay? Maybe an increase in baking time?
Hi Bree, if you bake two in the oven together, you should expect a little bit longer baking time, though Iโm unsure how much time exactly. Keep an eye on them, and rotate them halfway through baking so they bake evenly. Glad you love this recipe, so do I!
Do you think this could be made in a springform pan? And if so, what adjustments would you make? I think the layers would be so pretty!
Hi Michelle, While you could make this recipe in a springform pan, it would be a thin cheesecake. This cheesecake pie is thinner than a tall cheesecake. Weโre unsure of the exact bake time. If you want a tall cheesecake, use the brown sugar cheesecake base from this pecan pie cheesecake and then the apple + streusel topping from this recipe.
This recipe was absolutely divine! I think I may have overcooked it a bit, since the cheesecake layer after being cooked wasnโt as smooth as it couldโve been I think. But nonetheless it was delectable and is easily a favorite of mine
Can I add walnuts or pecans to the streusel?
Definitely!
I made this twice . It was divine! The second time I donated it to a dessert table at my Am. Legion fund raiser. It was a huge hit and slices sold out fast. Iโve now been asked to make whole pies to sell
as part of another fund raiser. My question is โ can I make this is disposable aluminum pie pans โ as you buy grocery pies in? That way they can sell the entire pie and would I need to make any adjustments โ such as time etc? Any tips would be most appreciated! And thank you for all the wonderful recipes!!
Hi Gerrie! You can certainly do that. Baking times may be a little shorter because those thin metal pans transfer heat quickly. So glad this cheesecake pie is a hit!
I made this yesterday and it looked great up until 30 min in. Then, it started puffing up like a mushroom. It was still wobbly up until 55 min. I felt like 10 min over the recommended bake time was long enough and took it out. Any ideas what happened to cause the puffing?