INGREDIENTS
Crust
2 C Flour
1 C Sugar
1/4 t Salt
2 t Vanilla
3/4 C Butter
Cheesecake Filling
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1½ cups sugar
2 t Vanilla
4 eggs
½ cup sour cream
Topping
4 cups sliced apples
3/4 C Apple cider or Apple Juice
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 t Cinnamon
2 T Butter
1 t cornstarch
1/2 C Pecans (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
For the crust:
- Combine flour, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in butter with pastry blend or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press crumb mixture into a parchment paper lines 10X15 inch baking pan.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
For the filling:
- Beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar in an electric mixer bowl until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add the sour cream and mix again.
- Pour the filling onto the crust, smooth the top and bake for 50 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the pan to sit in the open oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove and set aside to cool.
For the topping:
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, bring apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened and reduced by almost half.
- Stir in butter, then add apples and salt.
- Cook stirring occasionally, until soft and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle cornstarch and stir into the apples to help thicken a bit more.
- Let cool slightly.
- After the cheesecake has cooled for a bit, spoon warm caramel apple topping over the top.
- Place the pan into the fridge to cool and set for at least 2 hours but over night is better. Enjoy!!!