Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
This Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie has all the flavors of fall with a graham crust, creamy caramel cheesecake filling, cinnamon-spiced apple compote, and a heavy drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce. It’s the ultimate fall treat!
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When it comes to fall desserts, it’s hard to top the cozy flavors of caramel and apples. Combine them with cheesecake and you’ve got a show-stopping dessert that’s sure to impress: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie! This indulgent pie brings together graham cracker crust, creamy no-bake caramel cheesecake filling, soft cinnamon-spiced apples, and a rich caramel drizzle. It’s the ultimate fall treat, and perfect for sharing with friends and family.
How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Salted Caramel Sauce
Buttery, rich caramel sauce brings all the flavors of this pie together. The caramel becomes thick and creamy as it cools and is mixed into the cheesecake filling as well as drizzled generously on top for a stunning finish. Homemade caramel may seem intimidating but it’s fairly simple and only requires a few ingredients. It’s a must-try for the fall season!
Caramel Cheesecake Filling
The luscious and creamy cheesecake filling starts with cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla. Combine until smooth then whip in heavy cream until the mixture thickens. The filling is finished by mixing in the homemade salted caramel sauce. Add the filling to a pre-made graham cracker pie crust, which saves some time, then refrigerate until the filling is set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Apple Compote
Fresh apples are chopped into small pieces and combined with butter, brown sugar, a touch of lemon juice, and cinnamon and cooked on the stove. The apples become perfectly soft and are coated in a glossy cinnamon sauce. The cooled compote is piled high on top of the chilled cheesecake and finished off with caramel.
FAQs
What are the best apples to use?
My favorite apple is a Honeycrisp, which is my go-to when baking (and snacking). They have a nice balance of tartness and sweetness but you can use whatever apple variety you prefer!
How far in advance can the pie be made?
The caramel cheesecake filling can be made up to a day in advance. I recommend adding it to the pie crust, covering it with plastic wrap, and refrigerating it until you’re ready to add the apple compote and caramel drizzle, right before serving. The apple compote and caramel sauce can be made up to one week in advance and stored in the fridge.
What is the best way to store the pie?
This pie is best enjoyed right away once it’s assembled but if needed, it can be covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
What can the leftover caramel sauce be used for?
You can serve the pie with extra caramel to drizzle over each piece, or the leftover caramel can be served over ice cream, bread pudding, or even apple crisp!
Baking Tip: Weigh Your Ingredients!
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than using measuring cups because it is the most accurate way to bake. Weighing your ingredients will give you more consistent results with your recipes and a better success rate, every time. Using a scale also saves you dishes which means easier cleanup! I provide gram measurements in all my recipes and this is the scale I love to use.
Tips for the Best Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
- Allow the cheesecake to chill. The cheesecake filling does not get baked, so it needs time to chill in the fridge to set which will help it holds its shape when you cut into the pie. I recommend allowing it to chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Be sure to cover the top with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
- Cool the caramel. The caramel sauce needs to be completely cooled to at least room temperature before adding it to the pie. Warm caramel added to the cheesecake filling or on top of the pie before it’s cooled will melt the cheesecake filling.
- Serve the compote at room temp. I recommend making the apple compote a couple hours before serving the pie, to allow the compote to cool to room temperature so that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. If you need to make your compote ahead of time, store it in the fridge then gently warm it in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring in between until the compote is glossy and syrupy again. Be sure not to add warm compote on top of the cheesecake.
More Fall Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple Cheesecake Pop-Tarts
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bars
- Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Bars
If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60mL) water
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
- ½ cup (120mL) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
For the Caramel Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz (2 blocks or 452g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160mL) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup salted caramel sauce, see ingredients above
- 1 9” graham cracker pie crust
For the Apple Compote
- 3 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (56g) brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Caramel Sauce: Combine sugar and water in a small stainless steel saucepan and place over medium heat. Brush down the sides of the pan with water using a pastry brush, to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
- Place the lid on and allow the mixture to cook undisturbed (don’t stir!). Check frequently on the sugar and brush down the sides of the pan with water as needed. The mixture will be cloudy at first, then boil and become clear, before starting to carmelize. Swirl the pan occasionally once the sugar begins to caramelize. As soon as the sugar reaches a deep golden amber color, remove it from the heat.
- Once off the heat, carefully add the butter and whisk until combined. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while continually whisking. The mixture will bubble up vigorously when adding the butter and cream but will settle once incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the caramel through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container. Place the caramel in the fridge to cool completely.
- Caramel Cheesecake Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly stream in the heavy cream. Once the cream is incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and whip until the mixture is thick about 20-30 seconds. Mix in ⅓ cup of the cooled caramel sauce until fully incorporated.
- Add the caramel cheesecake filling to the pre-made graham cracker pie crust. Spread out the filling evenly and smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Apple Compote: Chop the apples into small pieces. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then add the apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and cook over medium-low heat until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water. Once the apples are soft and the mixture is bubbling, stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir while the mixture thickens, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Top the chilled pie with the cooled apple compote and drizzle generously with the caramel sauce. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
