Two of your favorites: apple pie and cheesecake come together in this simple no bake recipe. This No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake starts with a graham cracker crust, topped with an easy no bake cheesecake and topped with fried caramel apples. It’s a new classic!
You know those desserts that make every single occasion all the brighter? The timelessness of an apple pie–whether its a summer evening or a cozy holiday evening around the fire–it’s always a good idea. And cheesecake? Well, cheesecake is ALWAYS a good idea.
While we are upon the holiday season, lots of pumpkin pies, pecan pies and the like are swarming the internet. Sure, I love those as well. And I have my own little Pumpkin Pie Crumble if you would prefer.
But I think you may be very excited to start a new tradition with this No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake.
What I love about this recipe:
- It’s no bake. That’s right. A no bake cheesecake topped with apples that are fried stove top and then chilled.
- It’s so simple to whip up. When they say easy as pie, it’s typically not true. However this recipe is 100% EASY as pie!
- It is a combo of two dessert classics. What could be better??? Part cheesecake and part apple pie. That’s my kind of dream dessert!
This cheesecake was actually a near disaster the day I went to take the photos. Having a toddler and a food blog at the same time has it’s moments and basically everything exploded in my face that day.
At one point, Sam was whipping his yogurt all through the room while he sat in his high chair. Another point he had climbed up on the counter and had his hands in the whipped cream portion of the pie.
From there it was just a domino effect of disasters, but in the end, I got the pics and no one got hurt.
Unfortunately, due to the short window of time I had, I was not able to chill the apples quite long enough so the extra caramel melted right into the apples versus hanging out and oozing on top.
But I think you can still get the idea regardless. I was doing my very best that day, and in the end I got cheese cake for lunch. The light at the end of the tunnel for sure!
What is the difference between baked and no bake cheesecakes?
A baked cheesecake is much more dense and includes eggs. It has much less air incorporated into the mixture to allow for the higher density.
A no bake cheesecake, on the other hand, is much more light and airy. It does not include eggs and is a combination of whipping cream, cream cheese, sugar and sometimes even evaporated milk.
A baked cheesecake holds its form or shape much better while a no bake cheesecake can be more creamy and pudding like. Both are amazing regardless. This No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake is that rich and creamy, light and airy version of cheesecake.
How to make this recipe:
No bake cheesecakes are so simple–whip the ingredients and allow it to set. That is my kind of recipe!
- Prepare the graham cracker crust. Combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, vanilla, sea salt, and sugar into a bowl and mix to combine. Press firmly into a pie pan and chill for about 2 hours.
- Make the cheesecake. In a medium bowl, using a standing or hand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream on medium until stiff peaks form. This will take several minutes so have patience.
- In separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add in vanilla, sour cream and powdered sugar and mix to incorporate. Fold the whipped heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture to fully incorporate. You want to do this gently to allow as possible. Pour mixture into the pie crust and spread evenly. Chill for at least two hours to allow to set.
- Prepare the Caramel Apples. Melt butter over medium heat. Add in apples and cook, stirring regularly until softened Once the apples have softened, dissolve the corn starch into the water and add to the apples along with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir to combine and allow sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove apples from heat, stir in caramel sauce and stir. Transfer to another bowl and chill until cooled.
- Ready to serve! When you are ready to serve this no bake caramel cheesecake, you have two options. You can pour the caramel apples on top of the cheesecake and add an extra drizzle of caramel. Or you can cut the cheesecake and add a scoop of apples as you serve. If you don’t like big messes or you are worried about presentation, just wait to add the apples. ha! Enjoy!
Tips and Notes:
- Please, please PLEASE, take the time to allow this to set and chill before adding the apples on top of the cheesecake. If you do not, the cheesecake may melt and even look curdled. It’s so not worth rushing with this one.
- To save time, use a pre-made graham cracker crust.
- Not up for caramel apple? No worries! You can just skip the caramel and make it more like a traditional apple pie flavor. That will still be amazing.
Check out these other amazing desserts!
- Blueberry Lemon Dump Cake
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Dip
- Easy Mocha Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cups
- No Bake Golden Oreo Truffles
- Kahlua Cream Cheese Brownies
DID YOU MAKE ONE OF MY RECIPES? LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW! I ALSO LOVE TO SEE YOUR LEMONS + ZEST RECIPES ON SOCIAL MEDIA–TAG ME @LEMONSANDZEST ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK!
No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 c graham crackers (finely ground)
- 1/3 c sugar
- 6 T butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
For the Cheesecake
- 1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
- 1 c heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/3 c confectioners sugar
- 1/3 c sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Apple Topping
- 4 small/medium apples, cored and sliced thin (skin removed if desired)
- 2 T butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 c water
- 1/3 c caramel (plus extra for topping)
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter, graham crackers (for best results pulse them in a food processor until fine), vanilla and sugar to fully combine. Press firmly (I mean FIRMLY) into the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Press down using a measuring cup to really get it in. Allow to set in the freezer for about 2 hours or until ready to add filling if not enough time.
For the Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl, using a standing or hand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream on medium until stiff peaks form. This will take about 4-5 minutes. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add in vanilla, sour cream and powdered sugar and mix to incorporate. Fold the whipped heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture to fully incorporate.
- Pour mixture into the pie crust and spread evenly. Chill for at least two hours to allow to set.
For the Apples
- In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add in apples and cook, stirring regularly until softened (about 5-6 minutes). Dissolve the corn starch into the water and add to the apples along with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir to combine and allow sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove apples from heat, stir in caramel sauce and stir. Transfer to another bowl and chill until cooled.
- Once cheesecake has set for at least 2 hours, pour chilled apple mixture on top and drizzle with extra caramel if desired. ** This can be a bit of a messy dessert. If you want to wait to put the caramel apples over each piece as you slice the pie, that is also a great option. I honestly do it that way now to prevent a huge mess. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Please, please PLEASE, take the time to allow this to set and chill before adding the apples on top of the cheesecake. If you do not, the cheesecake may melt and even look curdled. It’s so not worth rushing with this one.
- To save time, use a pre-made graham cracker crust.
- This can be a bit of a messy dessert. You can always pour the apples over as a topping versus scooping it onto the entire cheesecake.
Leave a Reply