Apple Cider Pie Cheesecake

This cheesecake recipe brings together two of the most favored flavors of fall; apple cider and apple pie! It is delectable and will please a crowd!

Cheesecake was created in 230 A. D. by the ancient Greeks. The Greek writer Athenaeus wrote first recorded recipe for cheesecake. The original recipe said to pound cheese until smooth, push it through a sieve, add spring wheat flour and honey, and heat in one mass before cooling and serving. Now the modern recipe for cheesecake creates a sweet dessert made from a soft cheese like cream cheese or ricotta cheese, sugar, and eggs. There is typically a bottom crust made from crushed graham crackers, cookies, and sometimes sponge cake. Cheesecake is usually baked and then chilled before serving.

I created this cheesecake because I saw that some cinnamon graham crackers were getting stale in our pantry. I dislike wasting food so I figured I should use them in a dessert. Graham crackers scream cheesecake crust for me, but I had never used cinnamon graham crackers before. The key word was cinnamon and there are many flavors during fall that go with cinnamon.

I tried finding inspiration at my local farmer’s market to see what was fresh and in season for the cheesecake. Then I found the perfect ingredients at one of my favorite stands. The stand had one bottle of apple cider left and their first crop of Jonagold apples. I quickly took the last bottle of apple cider and a few of the gorgeous apples.

Jonagold apples are very interesting. They are a cross-breed apple composed of the Golden Delicious Apple and the Jonathan Apple (a vintage apple from the 1920s). Jonagold apples were created in 1953 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. They have a relatively short season compared to other apple varieties (September through January).

After the visit to the farmer’s market, I knew that I would make a cheesecake that had an apple pie filling topping that was flavored with fresh apple cider and a cinnamon crust! I have made plenty of cheesecakes in my day, but the timing of this cheesecake would be different than others because of the topping. Baking a topping on top of a cheesecake meant that I would need patience for this particular process so that all the components would work out. After a lot of experimentation I believe I have made a cheesecake that has wonderful fall flavors and will be very popular for your next gathering! Please enjoy!

Apple Cider Pie Cheesecake Recipe

Yields 8 servings

Specialty Tool: 9-inch Spring form pan

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 83 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Time: 5 hours

Drink Pairing Suggestion: Warm Apple Cider or milk

Ingredients

Cheesecake crust:

8 full sheets of cinnamon graham crackers

6 tablespoons of butter, melted

Cheesecake base:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces Greek yogurt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping:

2 medium Jonagold apples, peeled, cored, and 1/4 inch sliced

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup apple cider

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Spray the spring form pan with canola oil.

Crush the cinnamon graham crackers and mix with melted butter.

Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Place crust into the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, and sugar.

Add in the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice to the bowl and beat until the mixture in smooth.

Pour the cheesecake base into the spring form pan on top of the baked crust.

Bake in the oven for about 60 minutes.

Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 60 minutes. Do not open the oven door or the cheesecake will be misshapen.

Take out the cheese and let it rest.

In a large bowl, mix together the apples and lemon juice to prevent the sliced apples from browning.

Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cornstarch to the bowl and gently toss together with the apples and lemon juice.

Turn the oven to 425 F.

On the stove top, take a saute pan and heat to medium low heat.

Add the apple mixture to the saute pan. Pour in the apple cider. Cook until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.

Let the mixture cool.

When the mixture is cooled. Pour over the cheesecake.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 4 hours.

Serve chilled with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Jonagold, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith Apples work very well in this recipe!

Do not rush setting the cheesecake. Setting it overnight is best!

Feel free to use original flavored graham crackers for the crust if cinnamon are not available.

DID YOU MAKE THIS DISH?

Tag @culinary_cupcake when you upload your photo on Instagram and hashtag #culinary_cupcake