Apple Pie Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

🍏 Apple Crumble Ricotta Cheesecake

Creamy Italian-style cheesecake meets cozy apple pie and buttery brown sugar crumble — all layered over a graham cracker crust.

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🧾 Ingredients

🍎 For the Apples

• 8 ripe Apples, sliced (See Notes for best baking varieties)

• ⅓ cup Granulated Cane Sugar

• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

🍯 For the Brown Sugar Crumb

• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour

• ½ cup Brown Sugar

• ½ cup Melted Butter

• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

• Pinch of Salt

🍰 For the Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Filling

• 15 oz Whole Milk Ricotta

• 16 oz Cream Cheese

• 12 oz Sour Cream

• 1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar

• 4 large Eggs

• ½ cup All-Purpose Flour

• ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (or vanilla bean paste)

🍪 For the Graham Cracker Crust

• 2 packages Graham Crackers

• ½ cup Melted Butter

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🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1: Roast the Apples & Make the Crumb

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

1. Make the Brown Sugar Crumb:
   In a bowl (or directly on one half of the pan), mix together flour, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and salt until crumbly.

2. Roast the Apples:
   On the other half of the pan, toss half the sliced apples with sugar and cinnamon.
   Drizzle with ¼ cup water. Roast for 15–20 minutes, until juicy and softened. Let cool.

   Set aside the remaining raw apple slices for topping later.

   🍏 If the apples aren't tender enough after roasting, you can sauté them briefly with water in a saucepan to soften.

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Step 2: Prepare the Crust

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8–9” springform pan.

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse graham crackers and melted butter until a fine crumb forms.

2. Press mixture evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.

3. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then let cool slightly.

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Step 3: Make the Cheesecake Filling

1. In a blender, combine all cheesecake filling ingredients: ricotta, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour, melted butter, and vanilla.

2. Blend until very smooth and creamy.

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Step 4: Assemble & Bake the Cheesecake

1. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.

2. Spoon over the roasted apples and half the crumb topping.

3. Pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top and smooth with the back of a spoon.

4. Bake at 350°F for 45–60 minutes, or until the center is set but still slightly jiggly.

5. Let cool in the oven with the door cracked open for 20 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2–4 hours, or overnight.

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Step 5: Prepare Topping & Serve

1. Right before serving, cook the remaining raw apples in a skillet over medium-high heat with:

   • ¼ cup granulated sugar

   • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

   • 2–4 tbsp water, as needed
     Sauté until juicy and tender.

2. Top the chilled cheesecake with the warm apple topping and the remaining brown sugar crumble.

3. Slice and enjoy!

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🍏 Best Apples for Baking

Choose firm, flavorful varieties such as:

• Granny Smith

• Fuji

• Jonathan

• Braeburn

• Cortland

• Honey Gold

• Gala

• Newtown Pippin

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🥄 Pro Tips

• Don't overmix the cheesecake filling after adding the eggs — blend until just smooth to avoid cracking.

• Use a springform pan for easy unmolding.

• Let the cheesecake rest overnight for best flavor and texture.

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🎯 Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using warm ingredients: Start with room-temperature dairy for smooth blending.

• Skipping the crumb layers: They add buttery texture and contrast to the creamy filling.

• Overbaking: The center should wobble slightly — it will firm up as it cools.