Apple Cider Cheesecake
This cheesecake is both tart and tangy, super creamy yet light. Move over pumpkin – apple cider is the new fall favorite cheesecake!
A cheesecake for fall (that isn’t pumpkin!): this wonderfully creamy cheesecake is made with reduced fresh apple cider which gives it a tangy, tart and most autumn-like apple flavor.
Apple Cider Everything
Last autumn I came up with a killer recipe for an apple cider caramel ice cream. Oh my god that stuff is good. I made it 4-5 more times after that because I was either serving it with apple pie on thanksgiving, handing tubs out as christmas gifts, or just making it because we wanted some. When cider appeared at our local markets this year, I bought some planning to make it again.
But then I did something else. I boiled down my cider and decided I wanted to venture the flavors into a cheesecake (a la this pistachio number). And oh, I am so glad I did.
Easy Creamy Apple Cider Cheesecake
This recipe has a lot in common with my pistachio butter cheesecake – it’s tall, it’s SO CREAMY and yet somehow remains light (the sour cream helps). The tang from the cream cheese is complimented by the sweet tartness of apple cider. I only added cinnamon to mine but I can imagine adding other types of mulling spices (cloves, allspice, etc) would be lovely too. I followed the methodology for my basic cheesecake recipe which does away with a water bath (which I find too tedious) and instead puts the pan of water in the oven to create more steam. We’ll cool it it very, very slowly to prevent it from sinking in the middle and retain that perfect texture. It’s quick to prepare (all in a food processor) but has a long bake, and an even longer cooling time in the fridge – and it is oh so worth the wait! Move over pumpkin – apple cider is the new fall favorite cheesecake!
Notes on making Apple Cider Cheesecake
- Some of the photos show the cheesecake very tall, baked in a 6″ springform. While grand, I don’t recommend this as the filling is too much for such a small pan and will cause the cake to sink.
- If you are using a springform pan, wrap it really well so no water seeps in when it goes into the water-bath. A more sure-way to avoid that is to use a tall cake pan (3″ high). You can prep it like I show how to in this video.
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You can boil down your cider a day or more ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
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For a caramelized white chocolate ganache to serve with the cheesecake, see how to make caramelized white chocolate here. To turn it into a ganache, melt 1/2 cup of the chocolate if it has hardened and add 1/8 cup of heavy cream.
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To top the cheesecake with Apple Cider Caramel see this recipe
Recipe for Apple Cider Cheesecake
Apple Cider Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups digestive cookies or graham crackers 270g
- ½ cup butter melted (113g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Filling
- 3 cups fresh apple cider
- mulling spices
- 3 cream cheese bricks 227g each, softened and at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar 220g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream 240g
- 1/3 cup reduced apple cider
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
Method
- Boil the cider with the mulling spices on high in a large pot for about 1 hour, until it has reduced to a thick syrup and you have about 1/3 cup. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Make the crust in your food processor: pulse the cookies until finely ground, add the butter, salt and sugar and pulse until it all comes together in wet crumbs.
- Press the crumbs into an 8” round springform pan wrapped with foil or into a cake pan greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool then chill.
- Lower oven temperature to 325 F.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until the mixture is completely lump free. This can take a few minutes and you will likely need to scrape down a few times.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and reduced cider and pulse again repeatedly scraping down and beating until you have a very creamy mixture.
- Add the eggs, and beat until just combined – no more.
- Place the cheesecake pan in a 13×9” pan filled with hot water.
- Pour your filling into the crust and bake for 90 or more minutes, until you can shake it and the edges look set but the middle is still wobbly.
- Shut off the oven but leave the cheesecake in. Use a wooden spoon to crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake cool inside for about 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, close the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the counter, once cool place in fridge for 8 hours before serving.
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I just made this cheesecake tonight and it smells divine!!! I happen to have fresh apple cider in my fridge so I thought I’d give this recipe a try. I loved making the reduced cider syrup. Came out yummy! When the cheesecake is cooled down I plan to freeze it and save it for an upcoming ladies night. I plan on making your cider caramel recipe to pour over the cheesecake once it’s defrosted. I can’t wait to try this cheesecake! It will be hard to wait. I’ll post it on my Instagram and tag you when it’s all done and cut into.?
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
It’ll keep as long as a regular cheesecake, about 3-4 days in the fridge.
This looks so good! What a great way to enjoy the flavors of autumn in a new way!
I’m an avid home baker and this is the best thing I’ve ever made. I baked it months ago and still think about it. A lot. Thanks for the recipe – I can’t wait to make the ice cream!
Hi there, just to be clear on the ingredients: is it 3 packages of cream cheese @ 227g each, or a total of 227g of cream cheese?
Hi Chris, it’s 227 each (so 681g total)
This is a labor of love, but I love all your recipes that I make. Reducing the apple cider takes patience, the outcome was well worth it. I made the cheesecake, which is one of my favorite dessert cakes to bake. The apple cider syrup or reduction is tart and tangy and just a powerhouse of flavor on the cheesecake. The tanginess- if that’s even a word is wickedly good. I had a little left over and drizzled it on oatmeal a few days after (I am not pregnant) but wanted something tart and it hit the spot. Thanks for exposing me to the wonderful flavors and recipes. I’ll eventually get to the beautiful Pistachio Cheesecake and can’t wait to taste and review.
I believe I burned my syrup. Do you have any tips for avoiding that?
Oops, that’s a bummer! The best way to avoid that is to keep an eye on it, especially once it starts to ‘foam’
Hello! Any changes that need to be made if I’m making it in a 9″ springform pan instead of an 8″?
wrap it well if you are putting it in the water and I would check it earlier since it’ll be spread over a wider base and cook quicker
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been making cheesecakes for a few years as it’s my fiancé’s family’s favorite dessert. I’ve done Martha Stewart cheesecakes and different variations but they all agreed this is their favorite! I did use graham crackers and regular sugar for the crust, same proportions. I also added a cup of cider as the comments mentioned 4 cups and it reduced nicely to 1/3 cup. Added some extra cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon) too. And I wrap my spring form in foil then tie an oven bag around it to prevent any leaks from the water bath and it works like a charm! Thanks again and I look forward to making more of your recipes!
That’s so wonderful to hear Tara! I’m absolutely delighted the family chose this one as their favorite!
Hello! I’m thinking of making this recipe into individual cupcake tins. Do you have a recommended baking time for this? Also using fresh pressed cider that we made last week, 50 total gallons!
Hi! I made this a few days ago for a party. My son didn’t get his share, so he requested I make it again. But I seem to remember the recipe differently. Previously, the recipe called for 2 eggs and 1 yolk, and the baking time was 50-60 minutes, whereas now it’s 3 eggs and 90 minutes? Please help!
Hi Mary! Yep, good eye. I updated the recipe this week. I wanted you to be able to bake it straight in a water bath to keep it nice and creamy and avoid any sinking and drying out on the top. I also didn’t want to ask you to separate an egg, the extra white in the recipe does well. If you like it the way you first made it (water bath on the lower rack rather than directly surrounding the cake) then you can do it that way.
I am so excited to try this recipe but I am a baking novice. I can only seem to find the mulling spices as whole spices. Should I be looking for a ground version or do I put them in something so I can get them out of the reduced apple cider after I’ve boiled it?
Hi Elizabeth! You boil the spices with the cider to reduce it. Strain them out when it’s done reducing
How do you use the mulling spices for the apple cider syrup? I keep finding mulling spices as whole spices. Do you use ground mulling spices? Do you try to get the spices out after you reduce the cider?
Hi! I want to try this with a 6 inch pan, with the crust pressed from bottom to the sides of the pan, same as yours. If I do that, would I still be needing to bake it in a water bath? And do you grease the sides of the pan so the crust won’t stick?
Hi Trish! The cake in the photos was baked in a 6″ pan which was placed in a waterbath. I did not grease the sides.
Thank you! Been scared to do that water bath thing coz water might seep through, and I would need some foil for it haha! And I am scared of the hot water when i get it from the oven ?
Wrap it very very well in foil to keep the water from getting in! And hey, you’ll be taking it out of the oven after it cools so the water won’t be so hot by then!
My first time ever making cheesecake and this recipe was just perfection. That apple cuder reduction I wanted to eat with a spoon too.
Wow, honored you tried mine as a first! So glad it was a success 😀
Using fresh pressed cider from my family’s farm and baking this beauty now. A bit of a hiccup with cooking the cider down too much, but my scientist brother came to the rescue. We added the candy back on the heat and added heavy cream… fingers crossed!
Jealous of that fresh pressed cider! Sounds heavenly! Hope it turns out well!
My husband works at an apple orchard bottling the apple cider. When I came upon this on your Instagram I was very excited to try it out. Mine has baked and is cooking on the counter. We can’t wait to try tomorrow for Thanksgiving. It looks amazing!
Hi Haley, that is so awesome! Crossing my fingers it’s everything you hope it will be!
Hi, this looks so wonderful! Do you think it’d be possible to halve the recipe and make a smaller (shorter) cheesecake in a 6” pan? What baking/cooling times would you recommend in that case? Thank you!
Hi Jocelyn, I think for a small cheesecake of that size I would just halve the recipe.
Hey! This recipe looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try it. I’ve searched your Instagram a bit to see if you’ve answered a question like this before or not but here’s my question: I’ve seen people put the cheesecake directly in a water bath while baking to help it bake evenly and not crack. Is there a difference between putting the cheesecake directly in water versus having the water in the bottom of the oven? Thanks so much!
Hi Seth! Great question. The purpose of the water bath is twofold: to slow the baking slightly and so that the water releases steam (this prevents the filling from drying and cracking). I personally haven’t noticed a huge difference between having it directly in the water or just above it but I definitely have noticed that without the water at all, it is much more likely to crack. Short answer? If you don’t mind going through the hassle of double wrapping the pan to prevent from water getting into the cheesecake, put it directly in the water. If you do, put the pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven.
Hey is this ok to be refrigerated for a day or two?
Yes! It needs to be made the day before anyway.
I love your site and recipes but struggle with the volume measures. Conversion tools aren’t truly reliable and I hope that the number of similar comments nudges you towards the accuracy and universality of metric weights soon. Then I could make the things I see here!
Hi! This recipe looks so interesting! If I halve the recipe can I make them into cheesecake bars like the roasted strawberry cheesecake? Looking for a way to try these flavors out but not have a lot of leftovers. Thanks!
Hi! Absolutely yes you can, I’ve done it myself! I follow the bake time for the strawberry cheesecake instead since this is much deeper.
Thanks! Do you halve the recipe? How do deal with the eggs? The recipe calls for 2 eggs and a yolk? Can I add 1 egg and a yolk or just 1 egg?
Yep halve the recipe and skip the yolk!
Hello I have a question about the ingredients. You have listed 4 cups of fresh cider and then 6 tablespoons of boiked cider, are you adding both 4 cups of cider and the 6 tablespoons of boiled cider, or do you get the 6 tablespoons after being down the 4 cups?
Hi Nikki, it’s the same cider. You’ll reduce 4 cups to about 6 TB and use that.
Hi – i tried making the recipe but used regular apple cider (since i can’t find fresh) but it came out too sweet… do you think i can reduce the sugar to balance it out a bit?
Hi Chrissy. I’m not sure what you mean by regular – do you mean regular apple juice? That would definitely be too sweet as they are different liquids. The cider is raw and unfiltered, no sugar added. Regular juice is sweeter and often has added sugars. My concern with reducing the sugar too much is that the structure of the cheesecake might suffer. Alternatively you can buy something called ‘boiled cider’ which you can find on amazon and then you won’t have to find or boil down cider. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
Hi there, just want to make sure I’m looking at the recipe correctly, the four cups of cider get boiled down and the syrup is what is added in to the cheesecake mixture, correct?
Your Instagram link isnt working for me
Yes!
How dark is the boiled down mixture supposed to look?
Hi Chloe! I would look more at the quantity it has boiled down to which should be roughly 6 TB. If you are interested, I have an Instagram Stories where there is a photo of the cider.
What are digestive cookies?
Would there be a substitute for them that is gluten free and maybe grain free?
They are cookies made by McVities; a google search should pull them up. I don’t know much about gluten and grain free cookies so I can’t be much help there, sorry!
This looks delicious! Is the baking temperature and time the same with a 6” pan? I love the dramatic height.
Hi Rachael! I’m so glad you love it too! For the 6" I baked it for about 60 minutes, and kept the cooling times the same. I always like to judge doneness by what I see and feel – the edges should be set and the center still jiggly.
Hallo from Italy! Please can you help me with the translation of your measurements? How much is a cup in grams or milliliter? And a “tablespoon” is just a large spoon of something? Please excuse me and thank you! Laura
Hi Laura! A tablespoon is a specific measurement. If you have access to any cooking stores with american products you should find a set of spoons with measurements ranging from 1/4 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon. They should also have set of measuring cups which will help with the rest of the ingredients for the cheesecake.
Measurements always vary by ingredient. Here is a chart that should help with some: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5490-baking-conversion-chart
hello I follow you from Spain could you tell me of some reliable page to convert the measures into grams, by the way that cake looks great … Thanks for sharing
Hi Almudena! Thank you for stopping by!
Here are two links I trust:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5490-baking-conversion-chart
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart