A creamy vanilla cheesecake with a buttery homemade shortcrust, a delicate cinnamon swirl, caramelized apples, and golden cookie crumbs on top. The perfect cozy fall dessert!

This cheesecake is made completely from scratch, with no store-bought cookies needed for the crust.

Pan size: 18 cm (7-inch) springform pan

1. Homemade Shortcrust

Ingredients:

60 g unsalted butter, softened
35 g powdered sugar
1 egg yolk (18–20 g)
90 g all-purpose flour
15 g almond flour
1 g salt
½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Mix the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until combined.
3. Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together.
4. Roll out the dough to about 3–4 mm thick between two sheets of parchment paper.
5. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
6. Cut out an 18 cm circle. Save the leftover dough for the crumb topping.
7. Bake at 340°F (170°C) for 13–16 minutes, or until lightly golden.
8. Let cool completely.

2. Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients:

500 g cream cheese, at room temperature
70 g granulated sugar
80 g thick Greek yogurt
70 g heavy cream (35%)
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
5–7 g vanilla extract
1 g salt

Instructions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth, keeping the blender head submerged to avoid incorporating too much air.
3. Set aside while preparing the cinnamon swirl.

3. Cinnamon Swirl

Ingredients:

35 g light brown sugar
18 g unsalted butter, melted
6 g all-purpose flour
5 g milk
2–2.5 g ground cinnamon
A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients until a smooth paste forms.
2. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.

4. Assemble & Bake

1. Place the baked shortcrust in the bottom of an 18 cm springform pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Pour in half of the cheesecake filling.
3. Pipe small amounts of cinnamon mixture over the filling and gently swirl with a skewer.
4. Add the remaining cheesecake filling.
5. Pipe the remaining cinnamon mixture on top and swirl gently.
6. Bake at 290°F (145°C) for approximately 65–80 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle.
7. Turn off the oven, slightly open the door, and leave the cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes.
8. Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

Baking time may vary depending on your oven. Avoid overbaking to keep the cheesecake creamy and minimize cracking.

5. Caramelized Apple Topping

Ingredients:

280 g apples, peeled and diced
15 g unsalted butter
25 g brown sugar
1 g ground cinnamon
4 g cornstarch
18 g water

Instructions:

1. Add the diced apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a pan.
2. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the apples begin to soften.
3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water.
4. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples and cook until the filling becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
5. Let cool completely before assembling.

6. Cookie Crumb Topping

Use the leftover dough from the shortcrust.

1. Bake the leftover dough until golden.
2. Let cool completely.
3. Blend in a food processor until crumbly.

Final Assembly

Remove the chilled cheesecake from the pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

Spread the cooled caramelized apples over the cheesecake and finish with the buttery cookie crumbs.

Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean slices.

Enjoy! 🤍

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