Description
This rich apple crumble cheesecake has a layer of brown butter cheesecake, gooey brown sugar apples, and cinnamon crumble. No eggs, dairy free, and easy!
Ingredients
Scale
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 package (250 g) vegan graham crackers or Lotus Biscoff Cookies
- 1/3 cup (87 g) melted vegan butter
Crumble Topping:
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour*, plus 1 tbsp for coating the blueberries
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp (70 g) vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
Apple filling:
- 4 gala or honey crisp apples, peel removed and sliced thickly
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp vegan butter
Cheesecake filling:
- 1/4 cup (56 g) salted vegan butter, to be browned
- 4 8-ounce containers (32 ounces) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180 g) dairy free yogurt or dairy free sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 mL) vegan heavy cream*
- 1/2 cup (100 g) organic granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 9 tbsp (90 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3–4 cups boiling water, for water bath
- 1 batch vegan caramel, for topping
Instructions
- Prep: We’ll make this cheesecake in a few stages. First, we’ll want to prep the pan. I suggest making sure the apples are prepped (peel removed and sliced thickly) first. Line a 9″ springform pan with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 375F.
- Make the crumble: While the oven is preheating, we’ll make the crumble, followed by the apple filing. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the melted vegan butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Once all the dry ingredients are wet from the butter, set this aside.
- Make the apple filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegan butter until it begins to brown slightly on medium heat. Then add in the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Lightly toss to evenly coat the apples, then cover the pan and cook on low for 5-7 minutes until the apples are slightly tender and soft. Then remove from heat.
- Make the graham cracker crust: The oven should be preheated by now, so now we’ll make the graham cracker crust! In a large food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they reach a crumb. Then add in the vegan melted butter and pulse until the graham cracker crumbs are wet. Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan and use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or bowl to press the crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the walls.
- Bake the graham cracker crust: Place the springform pan into the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Once it bakes, remove the crust from the oven and lower the heat to 350F. Set the crust aside, and place a baking sheet with walls onto the lower rack of the oven. This will be for the water bath.
- While the crust is baking: Set the water to boil on the stove top. Then we’ll make the filling.
- Make the cheesecake batter: First start by browning the vegan butter again. In a small saucepan, heat the vegan butter on medium heat until lightly brown pieces start to form and the butter starts to smell nutty. Once it starts to smell nutty, immediately remove it from heat (about 3-5 minutes). Set aside. In the large food processor again, add in all of the cheesecake ingredients, including browned vegan butter. Blend until creamy and smooth. If needed, you can pause the food processor and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is integrated. Then start processing again until smooth.
- Assemble the cheesecake: Once the cheesecake batter is made and the crust is baked, it’s time to assemble the cheesecake. Pour half of the batter into the cheesecake crust, followed by half of the apples, spreading them evenly over top. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of the crumble topping on top of the apples, then pour the remaining batter on top. Spread the remaining apples on top of the batter, and sprinkle the remainder of the crumble topping on top.
- Bake the apple crumble cheesecake: First start by pouring the boiling water into the pan on the lower rack of the oven very carefully, then closing the oven door. Place the cheesecake onto a SEPARATE baking sheet, then open the oven again, and place the baking sheet with the cheesecake on it onto the middle rack. Close the oven door quickly. Bake the cheesecake for 85 minutes.
- Cool the cheesecake in the oven: Once baked, turn OFF the oven but leave the cheesecake INSIDE. Crack the oven door just slightly, and let the cheesecake cool down for 1 hour in the oven.
- Chill the cheesecake: Once cooled, you can remove the cheesecake from the oven. Carefully wrap it and place it into the refrigerator to chill and set for 3-4 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to serve: Carefully remove the walls of the springform pan and plate the cheesecake. Top with vegan salted caramel, slice and serve!
Notes
See blog post for all tips and tricks!