Caramel apple cider cheesecake doesn’t fall from trees
You’ve flipped your paper calendar to November, there’s a gallon of apple cider in your fridge, “A Partridge in a Pear Tree” is chirping on Pandora, and you’re pinning unrealistic menu and holiday decorating to-dos as if Pinterest hands out gold medals. And now you will fall asleep at night counting tiny triangles of caramel apple cider cheesecake.
But since cheesecake doesn’t fall from trees, this is a realistic dessert to pin to your Thanksgiving Meal board. You will impress your guests or hosts with a cheesecake flavor they’ve likely never tried, and you get to make it well in advance of your dinner because you can refrigerate cheesecake for seven days and you can freeze it for up to six months.
If you are a cheesecake novice, this is an easy enough cheesecake recipe for you. I’ll share my same tips as I did a few days ago in my post Don’t let cheesecake scare you: start with a recipe easier than monster cookie dough cheesecake.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature. Using room temperature ingredients and adding the eggs last, and not overbeating once you add them, are the secrets to making cheesecake. Simple as that.
- Plan to be at home for a few hours. (But you can even run errands while the cheesecake cools.)
Use boiled cider like this one from King Arthur Baking Company (or use this recipe from Midwest Living to make your own boiled cider).
Sweet fall wishes,
Caramel Apple Cider Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 32 oz cream cheese, 4 (8oz each) packages, softened
- 1¼ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup smooth apple butter
- ½ cup boiled cider
- 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice
- 4 eggs, large, room temperature ½
- 1 cup caramel ice cream topping
Instructions
Crust
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with baking or cooking spray.
- Combine the crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a small bowl. Stir well. (Or combine in a food processor.) Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of pan.
- Bake 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Filling
- In a large bowl using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times while mixing. Approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed for a few minutes until well combined creamy.
- Drop in the apple butter and apple pie spice. Stir lightly.
- Pour in the boiled cider and mix on medium just until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low just until combined. Turn off the mixer and gently scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg is added. Do not overbeat.
- Gently pour the filling into the prepared crust. With a spoon or fork, drizzle the caramel all over the top, trying not to drop big globs on the cheesecake. With a knife, swirl the caramel into the cheesecake, but only near the top of the batter, don't get it very deep.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 70 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown and the center is just set. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door open slightly. Let the cheesecake completely cool in the oven for two hours.
- Once cool, run a knife between the pan and the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides, then cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
this looks so good. i was thinking about buying some boiled cider because i read it’s supposed to take your apple pie to the next level, but i wasn’t sure i’d find other uses for it. i think i just found an excuse to make that purchase…
I’ve heard that too but haven’t tried it yet. I even want to add it to my pumpkin pie! 🙂 Have a great week!