Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
93 comments » 
I don’t make or eat caramel apples during any other time of year, but once the chilly weather rolls in, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them! Along with the avalanche bark that my Chief Culinary Consultant and I picked up at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory last Friday, we also snatched up a buckeye caramel apple. The combination of apples and caramels is such a natural marrying of flavors, and one that I cannot resist in any baked form. I’ve seen tons of salted caramel apple bars, caramel apple pies, and the list goes on and on. This one, however, stopped me in my tracks.
Apples… caramel… CHEESECAKE… nuts… fresh whipped cream.
It’s the holy grail of caramel apple desserts, and I couldn’t go another day without making it.
While this dessert has a long name and a seemingly endless list of ingredients, it’s actually rather simple to make. A classic graham cracker crust is pressed into a springform pan (or into a large, deep-dish pie dish). Then, a general layer of homemade salted caramel is spread on the bottom of the crust and sprinkled with chopped pecans. Thinly sliced Granny Smith apples are sauteed in a mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, cooked down until they are incredibly soft. Add those to the pan, then mix together the cheesecake layer and pour it over top. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, the pie should be refrigerated for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, allowing the flavors to set and meld together.
The result is an insanely delicious pie that tastes like a combination of some of the best fall desserts. The caramel and pecan layer on the bottom has a similar flavor to pecan pie, followed by apple pie, then cheesecake, then a cream pie topping with the fresh whipped cream. It’s utterly amazing and a dessert not to be missed. This is perfect if you’re looking for something a little outside of the box when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert!
One year ago: Sweet Potato Pie
Two years ago: Pumpkin Pie
Three years ago: Fallen Chocolate Cakes
Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
A fabulous layered pie with a graham cracker crust, caramel, pecans, apples and cheesecake, topped with fresh whipped cream, more caramel and pecans.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1½ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full graham crackers)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup unsalted butter, meltedFor the Caramel-Pecan Layer:
¾ cup salted caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecansFor the Apples:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly slicedFor the Cheesecake:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the Whipped Cream:
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugarFor the Garnish:
Salted caramel sauce
Chopped pecansDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Make the Crust: Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and use a fork to toss the mixture together until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened. Dump the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan or a 10-inch pie plate and press them into an even layer over the bottom and two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the salted caramel sauce over the bottom of the crust, gently spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over top of the caramel layer. Place the pan in the refrigerator while the apples are prepared.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
5. Make the Apples: Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet, then add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, stirring to combine. Cook the mixture until it is gently bubbling, about 1 minute. Add the apples to the pan and toss to coat with the butter mixture. Cook until the apples are very tender and just about all of the liquid has been evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then add to the pan on top of the caramel-pecan layer, spreading the apples into an even layer. Return the pan to the refrigerator.
6. For the Cheesecake: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until completely smooth. Add the egg and beat until completely combined. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and beat until completely smooth, another 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the cheesecake batter over the apples in the pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Bake until the cheesecake is set and doesn't jiggle in the middle, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Make the Whipped Cream: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip together the heavy cream and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
8. Garnish and Serve the Pie: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the cheesecake layer. Dollop spoonfuls of the caramel sauce on top of the whipped cream and, using a butter knife or offset spatula, gently swirl the caramel into the whipped cream. Sprinkle additional chopped pecans on top. Serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Note: You can substitute store-bought caramel sauce for the homemade salted caramel, if you prefer.
(Recipe adapted from Mimi Hodge; originally seen on Tracey's Culinary Adventures)
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I’m drooling on my keyboard. This is the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen.
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Omg the “Thinly sliced Granny Smith apples are sauteed in a mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, cooked down until they are incredibly soft.” — that picture of them, literally gooey, drippy, and oozing, that is what my dreams are made of! The whole thing looks amazing, Michelle. I can tell you really took your time with the photos, the recipe, the whole thing – fabulous!
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This is an posey gooey caramelly dream! What a perfect fall pie…and totally not super intimidating to make either!
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Ooey gooey* silly autocorrect!
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Perfection!!! Seriously, all of that caramel looks SO good!
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Absolutely everything about this is perfect and it screams fall! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a gorgeous-looking pie in my whole life. Pinning!
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Oh goodness, this looks simply to die for!!!!!
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Wow, wow, wow! I would love for this to make an appearance at our holiday dinner next week! Every layer is oozing yumminess.
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i’m totally, completely obsessed with anything containing the words “salted caramel.” this looks AMAZING. please keep feeding my addiction!
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Are you joking? This is like a dream! I want this in my belly now!
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Love the layering of caramel, pecans, sauteed apples, and cheesecake, so simple, yet so brilliant!
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Oh my gosh, this looks incredible! I need to make this asap!
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Your cheesecake looks out of this world! I love a good cheesecake and with apple and caramel! Yes please!! So perfect for Thanksgiving!!
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Love that this is a layered cheesecake – looks insanely delicious! Totally obsessed with salted caramel. =)
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The only important question I’m asking myself right now is ‘why on earth am I looking at a delicious caramel pie while I am in the midst of eating my plain and boring bowl of cereal?’ This then begs me to look at the bigger picture… Life simply isn’t fair if you can’t have this pie for breakfast.
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Holy crap. I think I just died.
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WOW!! That’s all I can say.. Caramel.. Apples.. Cheesecake..Seriously.. Greatness!!
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Michelle, It’s SOOOOO unfair of you to post this at 2:00 in the morning and make me wake up to see it in my inbox. There goes my healthy breakfast… I HAVE to make this NOW! You’re a meanie :p
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This has all the flavors and elements that I’m in the mood for. OK, it’s more like a craving.
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I love the decorative top! Beautifully done.
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This is over the top amazingness!
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This looks too good to be true!!
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1. The cake stand is super cute! 2. That shot of the slice is absolutely amazing. It looks like it should be a picture on a menu. Love it!
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This is seriously gorgeous, you re right, it is a combination of the best desserts. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, i would love to try this for christmas. Love your blog btw, great job
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I want to face plant into that pie
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This looks amazing! I now know what I’m making for Thanksgiving dessert. Thank you!!!
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Ooooh, this cheesecake is drool-worthy! I am leaving here wanting to eat dessert before lunch! It’s got all the hallmarks of a great Fall recipe: apples, caramel, cheesecake, graham!!! YUM with a capital Y!!!
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Pinning! This looks so gorgeous!
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What a great way to combine three delicious pies in one. I am hoping to make it next week for Thanksgiving dinner at our church. I love coming up with unique desserts and this is sure to be a hit.
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Yummy recipe and it has all of my Hubby’s favorite flavors except peanut butter. I think he will survive though. Great photos as well. I mostly showcase main dishes on my blog but this one has inspired me to start sharing some deserts as well.
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Just pinned this beauty!
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Your aren’t kidding when you say this is the Holy Grail of apple desserts. Beats anything I’ve seen so far. Fabulous!
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I made an apple pie last weekend that involved cooking down the apples before and it was incredible. I can’t even imagine how much more amazing it would be with cheesecake! I know it’s hard to narrow down, but I’m pretty sure cheesecake is my favorite dessert. Especially one like this…
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This looks amazing!!
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making this!
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um wow, this pie is absolutely gorgeous and i wish this were at my dessert table right now!
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OMG! What a decadent and amazing looking dessert. A slice of that would satisfy any sweet tooth.
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If I baked this Tuesday to be served at Thanksgiving dinner, do you think it would still be okay? Not sure what the shelf/fridge life would be for such a decadent dessert, but I SO want to make it!
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Michelle on November 13th, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Hi Cam, Yes, I think you would still be fine 2 days out. I would make it and chill it, and then cover very tightly with plastic wrap. I wouldn’t add the whipped cream and garnishes until the day you plan to serve it.
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This looks scrumptious!
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I adore this recipe so much, it really is the holy grail! I’m so glad you were as big a fan, and also that you used your own caramel sauce. The one that was part of the original recipe isn’t the greatest, I really need to update my site to change that portion of the recipe!
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Looks delicious! Does this freeze well? I’d like to make it ahead of time.
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Michelle on November 14th, 2012 at 12:04 am
Hi Alena, I have not tried freezing it, so I can’t vouch for what it would taste like when thawed. You could make this one or two days ahead of time and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
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I made the mistake of letting my bf “like” you on facebook. Guess what recipe I will be making tonight while he works on my car.
Thanks for another great recipe!!
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I made this earlier today, it is absolutely DIVINE!! We don’t have graham crackers in Ireland so i just substituted them with digestive biscuits and it was perfect! Definitely a must have recipe. Thank you
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Has anyone tried substituting a different type of apple? I have some MacIntosh that I don’t want to go to waste, but I’m not sure if the taste would be ok. Thanks! That’s one sexy pie!!!
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Katy on November 13th, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Macintoshes aren’t recommended for baking, they’ll lose their texture and fall apart (they do make good applesauce though!). Granny Smiths are great for pies because they balance the sweetness out well and hold their shape. This looks like one amazingly awesome pie – and it’s going on my list for Thanksgiving!
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Rebecca on January 6th, 2013 at 11:48 am
Making it with Macs right now. I do understand they floss their shape a bit but I cannot stand Granny Smiths, because they always taste undercooked in pie. I’ll report back after we eat this tonight.
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I can tell that this tasted wonderful. Mm caramel and apples and cheesecake.
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The ingredients list definitely looks overwhelming… but aren’t all cheesecakes? Love the combination of flavors… a perfect fall dessert!
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Question – how is this without the pecans, I need nut free! Is it too ‘liquidy’?
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Michelle on November 15th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Hi Tracy, I haven’t made this without the nuts so I couldn’t say for sure if it’s too liquidy, but I wouldn’t think that would be a problem. Enjoy!
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Do you think this recipe would fit into a 9.5″ pie plate, or would it overflow? Looks delicious!!
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Michelle on November 15th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Hi Nicole, I think it would be cutting it pretty close in a 9.5″ pie plate, unless it was a deep dish. I’d go 10″ deep dish, or use a springform pan.
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I saw this on Annie’s Eats and made it last Thanksgiving. It was absolutely gorgeous AND delicious! Everyone loved it!!
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Kristen Paige on November 15th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Hi Francesca – I just posted a question I have about the recipe below… Did you have any problems with the caramel sauce making the bottom crust soggy and/or hardening too much?
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I have a question about this gorgeously epic dessert… I once made a cheesecake with a layer of homemade caramel sauce on the bottom, and when the cheesecake baked once all assembled, the caramel got sort of soaked up into the bottom of the crust – and because of the heat it ended up hardening much more than it’s original sauce-like state once the cheesecake was done and chilled. Has anyone had any experience with this, and do you think this could be a problem with this recipe? I’m considering doing the layer of apples first instead, but idk. I’m just worried about it soaking into the bottom crust. I made the Salted Caramel Sauce last night exactly as directed from the link above, and I’m doing the cheesecake tonight. Any help or advice would be great!! Thanks for the beautiful idea!!
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Brittany on November 15th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Kristen, I can let you know tomorrow after slicing. I just made it for the first time, also with homemade caramel sauce, and hope it looks like Michelle’s!
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Michelle on November 15th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Hi Kristen, I would make sure that you do allow the crust to sit for at least the 10 minutes stated in the recipe, and that you make sure the caramel sauce is at room temperature when you put it in the crust. The caramel layer is indeed thick, but not hard. I hope that makes sense. Enjoy!
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Kristen Paige on November 15th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Thanks so much! Looking forward to a great dessert
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Just put mine in the oven:) Quick question, the cheesecake layer was very thin as it was just enough to cover the apples. Is this how the cheesecake layer should be? I used a 9 inch springform. Thank you for many great recipes!!
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Michelle on November 15th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Hi Brittany, Yes, that’s the way it should be. This layered pie has nearly equal parts of each separate component, so you won’t have a super thick cheesecake layer. Enjoy!
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Brittany on November 15th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Great! Thank you!!
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nancy on November 19th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
I made this recipe this weekend and also thought the cheesecake layer was too thin. I doubled it and it was perfect! A huge hit!
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I am planning on making this for thanksgiving and am wondering how the whipped cream would hold up on any leftovers. I will garnish with the whipped cream just before serving, but am estimating about half of the cheesecake pie will be left over after dessert. I am worried about how the whipped cream on the leftovers will be the next night since it is best to garnish with the whipped cream just be serving. How were your leftovers?
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Michelle on November 17th, 2012 at 11:55 am
Hi Carrie, The leftovers were actually good (all gone within two days), and the whipped cream tasted fine.
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Carrie on November 17th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Thanks so much! I have just had experience with whipped cream not holding up well. Can’t wait to try it for myself.
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I could really go for a slice of that beautiful pie right now!
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Wow this looks amazing! My question is:
Do you think I could do these in muffin tins for individual pies? If so, how long do you think I should bake them for?
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Michelle on November 20th, 2012 at 11:58 am
Hi Samantha, I think you could, but that would be a tedious undertaking! Let me know if you do and how they turn out! I am not sure how long you would bake them for; I’d just start checking early (maybe around 12 minutes?) and go from there.
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I made this today and it was excellent. Absolutely delicious. It really is so many of my favorite things in one dessert. I cheated and used Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel Sauce. I am not a whipped cream fan, so I did not put any on the top. Thank you for the recipe!
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I’m using Fat Toad’s Original Caramel Sauce which is not salted. Is it possible to make itbinto salted caramel? Also, I saw an earlier post about doubling the cheesecake layer…thoughts?
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Michelle on November 20th, 2012 at 11:38 pm
Hi Keely, Yes, you can sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the caramel layer, or mix it in before you spread it on the crust. I would not double the cheesecake layer, as I think it would be too much for the pan.
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Making this today for Thanksgiving tomorrow!
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This was SO EASY to make. And my fiance and I have been putting the salted caramel sauce on everything, hehe. I haven’t actually eaten it yet, but it sure tastes great all in its separate components! Can’t wait to dig into it tomorrow! Thanks for this, Michelle!
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I made it without the pecans. It was way too liquidy. It all soaked into the crust and it kinda hardened. I’m sure it will still taste wonderful.
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I made this dessert for Thanksgiving and it disappeared quickly! My apple mixture was liquidy, too, but I let it cool well before pouring it onto my cooked crust. Delish!
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My cheesecake batter wouldn’t smooth out – the cream cheese was lumpy no matter how long I beat the batter. I let the cream cheese sit out for a few hours before I started. What did I do wrong?
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Michelle on November 24th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
Hi Nicole, Was your egg cold or at room temperature? It’s important when making cheesecake that all ingredients are at room temperature, or you can get lumps. You could try passing the batter through a blender or food processor to get the lumps out.
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Nicole on November 25th, 2012 at 10:24 am
I tried again and beat the room temp creamcheese by itself first until smooth.. then I slowly added the sugar until mixed, then the egg and other ingredients. It worked perfectly and the batter was very smooth. The pie was DELICIOUS!! Thanks for the great recipe!!
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I made this for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely delicious – the entire cake was devoured…by 4 people!!! Next time because I am such a cheesecake lover, I am going to double the cheesecake layer. I don’t know though, it’s hard to improve upon perfection!!!
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This was absolutely fabulous! I may make it again for Christmas for my side of the family and I usually don’t do repeat desserts two holidays in a row. Your recipes are always the best! Thanks for all the wonderfully yummy recipes!
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I’ve been using this exact recipe for years. It’s from a contest winner in Emeril’s Pie in the Sky contest.
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Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for yet another wonderful dessert. Yesterday we had a second Thanksgiving…one that most of the family could attend. Michael, my oldest son, was asked to bake an apple pie. Fortunately I had forwarded this recipe to him the minute I’d received the post. He immediately made up his mind that this was the apple pie he’d make. Needless to say, I knew it would be wonderful from your pictures, but the pie itself far succeeds my expectations! Sheer Bliss! I’m so glad that my sons began learning to cook when they were 2 and 4 years old. Now at 32 and 34 they are superb cooks and I reap the rewards of that! Thank you so much for so many wonderful recipes, Michelle!
Happy Holidays,
Patti
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Thank you so much for this recipe! I doubled the recipe and made 2 pies for Thanksgiving, one for my family, and one for my boyfriend’s family. Everyone loved it! It was a huge hit. Only one problem though, the crust stuck to the bottom of the pan, that hardly mattered though, because it was so good.
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I made this for Thanksgiving. I used a 9 inch springform, and it definitely didn’t come out as pretty as yours (the cheesecake layer did not completely cover everything for some reason). HOWEVER, this is the best thing ever!! It’s like 3 amazing desserts in one, and satisfies all dessert cravings! I’ve never not had leftovers of dessert at Thanksgiving before. I’d definitely recommend making this the day before, as it tasted even better the next day!
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Made this for my daughter’s birthday dessert-I was a HIT!!!
She couldn’t believe that her daddy helped make the caramel sauce (she took the leftovers home) and my son-in-law said that it was the best dessert he had ever eaten! The grandkids ate ice cream but with homemade caramel and whipped cream on top! Thank you for this recipe-I had pinned it on Pinterest and while trying to find something not chocolate to make, my husband and I chose this one. Well worth the time and effort!
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I made this for Christmas and it was a huge hit! The whole pie was gone within minutes. Thank you!
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Greatings from Germany.
I made this wonderful pie + the salted caramel sauce for Christmas. It was SO delicious that my family requested it once more for New Year.
Amazing recipe!
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I made this for a dinner party this weekend and everyone loved it! The only mistake I think I made is buying the salted caramel sauce. I think the butter content to that was a lot higher than the homemade recipe. So after baking the pie, all this butter/grease was spilling out of the bottom. I let it cool until the cheesecake portion was firm enough and tipped it to one side, letting the butter drip out. Once that happened, it was fine. Also, the store-bought caramel sauce totally fused with the pie crust creating this hard (and delicious) crunchy crust layer! Not sure if anyone else experienced this with store-bought salted caramel sauce, but just a word of warning. This pie is amazing!!!
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hi! it looks amazing:) is it okay if i keep it in the refrigerator for 24-28 hours before serving??
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Michelle on March 28th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
Yes, I don’t see a problem with that, although you may want to wait on the fresh whipped cream until you’re ready to serve it if you store it for a day or two beforehand.
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I have made this cheesecake several times. My family and friends love it. I buy the salted caramel sauce from Trader Joe’s and it’s great. I usually double the cream cheese mixture to make a bigger cheesecake. Pretty simple and it’s one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever tasted!!!
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