It's essentially two fall desserts in one, with the creamy tang of cheesecake balanced by sweet apples and crunchy crumble. If you're looking for more options, browse my vegan cheesecake recipes, or try my vegan apple crumble for something simpler.
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Why this recipe works
- Apples throughout the cheesecake. Some of the spiced apples are layered through the filling and the rest sit underneath the crumble, rather than all of the fruit being confined to the topping.
- Creamy baked filling without a water bath. The cheesecake bakes slowly at a low temperature, then finishes setting gradually as it cools.
- A crisp crumble topping. Keeping the crumble chilled before baking helps preserve those buttery clusters instead of letting the topping melt into one flat layer.
- Perfect for making ahead. The cheesecake needs a long chill before slicing, so it's an ideal dessert to bake the day before serving.
Key ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this recipe. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Vegan cream cheese: Use a thick, firm cream cheese rather than a particularly soft spread. It provides the structure and tanginess of the cheesecake filling.
Vegan heavy cream and Greek-style yogurt: These keep the filling creamy and balance the richness of the cream cheese. Use thick products rather than thin plant milk or pouring yogurt.
Apples: I use Pink Lady and Braeburn for their balance of sweetness, acidity, and texture. Choose crisp apples that soften during baking without quickly turning mushy.
Cornstarch: This helps set both the cheesecake and the apple mixture without eggs. Measure it accurately, preferably by weight where given.
Block-style vegan butter: This is important for both the cookie crust and crumble. A firm block butter gives the topping a much better crumbly texture than a soft tub spread.
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How to make it
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
Press the Biscoff crust firmly and evenly into the pan before par-baking. You want compact crumbs that hold together rather than a loose layer that will break apart when the cheesecake is sliced.
For the crumble, aim for a mixture of small crumbs with a few larger buttery clusters. Keep it refrigerated while you prepare the filling so the butter stays firm.
Room-temperature cream cheese, cream, and yogurt combine much more smoothly. Once the filling is creamy and the cornstarch has been incorporated, avoid continuing to beat it unnecessarily - you don't need to whip lots of air into a baked cheesecake.
Cut the apples into evenly sized pieces so they soften at roughly the same rate. After mixing them with the sugar and spices, a little juice is normal, but avoid pouring a pool of excess liquid into the cheesecake.
The most important cue is at the end of baking. The crumble should look golden and crisp, the outer part of the cheesecake should appear set, and the center should still have a gentle jiggle when you carefully move the pan. Don't wait until the center becomes completely firm; it continues to set during the slow cooling and chilling stages.
Let it cool as directed, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This is what gives you the creamy but cleanly sliceable texture.
Christina's Recipe Tips
Bring the filling ingredients to room temperature. This helps them blend smoothly without having to overmix the cheesecake batter.
Keep the crumble cold. The chilled butter helps maintain distinct crumbly clusters as it bakes.
Don't overbake the filling. A gentle wobble in the center is exactly what you want when it comes out of the active baking stage.
Chill overnight if you can. The texture and slicing are both better once the cheesecake has had plenty of time to set.
Use a serrated knife to cut it. Gently saw through the crisp crumble before cutting through the cheesecake so you don't crush the topping into the filling.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. I actually recommend making it the day before serving.
After baking, let the cheesecake cool gradually as directed, then refrigerate overnight. The long chill gives the filling time to fully set and makes it much easier to cut into neat slices.
Yes. Once completely chilled and set, wrap the whole cheesecake or individual slices well and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Refrigerated leftovers will keep covered for up to 5 days.
For another make-ahead apple dessert, try my no-bake caramel apple cheesecake.
More vegan apple recipes
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📖 Recipe
Apple Crumble Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 150 g (19 cookies) biscoff cookies or other vegan cookies
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 50 g (6 ½ tbsp) vegan butter block-style *see note 1
Crumble Topping
- 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour plain flour
- 50 g (¼ cup) light brown sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 70 g (8 ½ tbsp) vegan butter block-style *see note 1, room temp + cubed
Cream Cheese Filling
- 400 g (14.11 oz) vegan cream cheese room temp
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) light brown sugar sub with granulated sugar
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) vegan heavy cream room temp *see note 2
- 200 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) vegan Greek-style yogurt room temp *see note 3
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 45 g (⅓ cup) cornstarch
Apple Filling & Topping
- 250 g (8.8 oz) apples *see note 4
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preparation: Remove the vegan butter, cream cheese, cream, and yogurt from the fridge about 1 hour before starting to bring them to room temperature.Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Grease the inside of the cake pan and line the base and sides with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil to help protect against any leaks, then place it on a baking sheet
- Make the crust: Add the cookies, spices, sea salt, and vegan butter to a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes, until evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed between your fingers.Press the crust firmly and evenly into the base and up the sides of the prepared pan, using the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed measuring cup to compact it.
- Par-bake the crust: Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature while you prepare the remaining components.
- Adjust the oven temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F (160°C). For a gentler bake, place a baking dish or tray filled with boiling water on the bottom rack of the oven. The steam helps the cheesecake cook more evenly and encourages a softer, creamier filling.
- Make the crumble topping: Add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, spices, salt, and butter to a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until you have a crumbly mixture with a combination of fine crumbs and larger clusters. Refrigerate until needed.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Add the vegan cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Gradually add the white and brown sugars in 5-6 additions, mixing briefly after each addition. Slowly pour in the cream while continuing to mix, followed by the yogurt and vanilla. Lastly, mix in the cornstarch until just combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the apple filling: Core and dice the apples into roughly 1-inch pieces, leaving the skins on. Add them to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, spices, and cornstarch and mix until the apples are evenly coated.
- Assemble: Make sure the cake pan is sitting on a baking sheet to catch any possible leaks. Spread half of the cream cheese filling over the cooled crust, then scatter about ⅓ of the apple mixture on top.Add the remaining cream cheese filling and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Top with the remaining apples, followed by the crumble mixture. Some larger clusters of crumble are perfectly fine.
- Bake: Bake for 60-75 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the outer edges of the cheesecake look set. The center should still have a gentle jiggle when you carefully move the pan.Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Serving: Once completely chilled and set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan. Run a sharp knife around the inside edge first, if needed. If using a loose-bottomed pan, carefully push the base upward until the cheesecake releases.Use a serrated knife to gently saw through the crumble topping before slicing down through the cheesecake. Wipe the knife clean between each slice for the neatest finish.
- Storage: Store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, freeze individual slices and defrost them in the fridge as needed.
Notes
- Vegan Butter - Reach for block-style such as Violife block, Flora plant butter, or Naturli block.
- Vegan Heavy Cream - You need double cream such as dairy-free Schlagfix or Emlea which are designed for whipping. Alternatively, use full-fat coconut milk or coconut whipping cream.
- Greek-Style Yogurt - I use Alpro Greek-style/Skyr. You can also use vegan sour cream.
- Apples - I use Pink Lady and Braeburn. Other crisp baking apples that soften without quickly turning mushy should also work well.
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Reporting back to say I made this with fresh peaches as we get a lot here in Canada in late summer. It turned out delicious! This recipe is definitely a labour of love, but so worth it. Give yourself lots of time to work through it. I can’t wait to make it with apples in a few weeks!
PS: Christina, I think you may have skipped adding instructions for pressing the crust into the pan, at least I didn’t see any. I just assembled the crust as I would with any other cookie crust and it was perfect.
Hi Lissy,
Thank you so much for reporting back! I’m delighted the peaches worked so well — it sounds delicious, and I hope you enjoy the apple version just as much! And thank you for catching that missing crust step. You did exactly the right thing by pressing it into the pan like a regular cookie crust — I’ll make sure the instructions are clearer.
Hi Christina! Do you think fresh peaches might work here in place of the apple? I’ll definitely be making this with apples in the autumn, but wondering if I might also be able to use up some beautiful local peaches in the meantime. Thank you!
Hi Lissy,
Yes, I think fresh peaches would be lovely! I haven't tested them myself, but they should work well. Just keep in mind that peaches tend to release a little more juice than apples, so if they're very ripe you may want to slice them a little thicker or pat them dry first. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try! 🙂
Love your recipes - foolproof & delicious, thank you!! Making this one next week! What is that caramel layer on top of the crumble?
Hi Natalie,
So happy to hear that, thank you! Its vegan caramel sauce https://addictedtodates.com/easy-vegan-caramel-sauce/
This is THE best cheesecake I've ever made. The texture is so creamy from being baked for so long, plus the flavors are out of this world. The crumble on top is sooo sweet and the cream cheese filling has the right amount of tanginess to offset the sweet. Plus it's got apples, so it's basically a health food!!
Hi Jeffrey,
I'm delighted to hear you loved it! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for stopping by to leave your wonderful review 🙂
This vegan cheesecake looks so delicious. I would eagerly want to try this even if i wasn't vegan. Your recipes are official.