There’s a delicious swirl of apple butter running through this fantastic Apple Butter Cheesecake!
Apple Butter Cheesecake
I am always eager to enjoy a slice of cheesecake, but this Apple Butter Cheesecake is one of the top few I’ve ever had. It’s really quite a simple affair, but the flavor is just so fantastic that it warrants some solid praise.
At its heart, this is a brown sugar cheesecake which is pretty darn good on its own. But we add a swirl of apple butter with all of its fall spices to really get this cheesecake party going. And all of that is sitting on a gingersnap crust just to bring it all together for something really special.
You can use store-bought or homemade apple butter here. If you do go the store-bought route, make sure you’re getting a simple apple butter with a short ingredient list. You shouldn’t see anything unexpected there. And you’ll want it to be fairly smooth so it will swirl well.
You can, of course, use any kind of cookie crumb crust, but I especially love a gingersnap crust here. It adds a nice flavor with a complementary spicy kick to go with that wonderful spiced apple butter.
That beautiful swirl means this cheesecake needs no topping, and this tried and true baking method helps insure that your cheesecake won’t crack. But if you should want to add a topping try a simple sweetened whipped cream with a little cinnamon or the topping from this Amaretto Cheesecake with vanilla extract instead of almond and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
This Apple Butter Cheesecake is exactly the kind of dessert I want for a special fall meal. It’s an absolute joy to experience such wonderful fall flavors in a rich, decadent cheesecake!
More Desserts Made with Apple Butter
Apple Butter Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 3/4 cups (206 g) gingersnap crumbs
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
- 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113 g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup apple butter
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Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round springform pan.
- Combine the cookie crumbs and butter until thoroughly mixed.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Place the pan on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.
To make the cheesecake:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix well. Mix in the sour cream.
- Pour about half of the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust, and spread evenly.
- Dollop small amounts of about half of the apple butter over the filling. Use a thin knife or spatula to swirl gently into the filling.
- Add the remaining filling to the pan and spread evenly. (You may find it more effective to drop the filling over the top to minimize how much you’ll need to spread it, as that may negate some of the swirling.)
- Dollop the remaining apple butter over the top of the filling. Use a thin knife or spatula to swirl gently into the filling.
- Place the pan on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 200°F (95°C). Bake for 2 hours, or until the top seems almost set.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and carefully run a thin knife around the edges of the pan.
- Turn off the oven, and return the cheesecake to the oven. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours.
- Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight.
9 Comments on “Apple Butter Cheesecake”
Hi,
Is that right? ¨Reduce oven temperature to 200°F.¨ Not 300?
Thanks,
Yes, that’s correct. This method will help prevent your cheesecake from cracking.
OK thank you very much. I was hesitant because I have never baked a cheesecake at such a low temperature. I’m going to prepare it this weekend!
A method i was taught is to place a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake and that would create moisture and prevent cracking. Thank you i look forward to making this !
I have been using this method for a long time and have never had issues with cracks. I got tired of having the condensation collect between the foil and the cheesecake pans making the crust soggy. I use cheesecake pans with removable bottoms as apposed to springform pans. I find them easier to remove the finished product to either cake boards or serving platters.
This is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made! Incredible flavor!
I’m so happy you like it, Becky!
Can this be made ahead of time and frozen? How long would it be good in the fridge?
Hi, Kate! It should keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.