I can’t wait to share with you one of my favorite fall desserts, chunky applesauce cheesecake. Creamy cheesecake and a graham cracker crust filled with a beautiful chunky applesauce filling.
Ah, fall! You are finally here! We are cooling down this week after an extended heatwave and I am so happy. The heat, humidity, and mosquitoes have been bad here in Southwest Michigan, so I am ready to start seeing the leaves fall, breathe in the cool crisp air and enjoy all that this beautiful state has to offer for the season.
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I call this ‘chunky applesauce’ because this is the applesauce recipe that I make for my family. If I have a few apples lying around I will whip this up as a side for dinner. And since I honestly cannot resist a cheesecake this is a chunky applesauce cheesecake that combines two of my favorite things.
Ingredients
This no-bake dessert has-
- Graham crackers, butter, and sugar for the crust. Mix the ingredients together in a food processor to create an easy graham cracker crust.
- Apples, salt, butter, vanilla, cornstarch, and apple juice. Make on the stovetop for homemade applesauce that’s great in this dessert or even as a side to a main dish.
- Cream cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, and whipped topping for the filling. This creates the easiest no-bake cheesecake filling.
How to make chunky applesauce step-by-step
Set up a cutting board next to a pot and cube your apples. Put them into the pot and add salt, vanilla, butter, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple juice.
Stir to combine and bring to a boil cooking for around 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and set it aside to cool if you are using it for the cheesecake.
If you wanted to just make the applesauce as I do, you would just use this step alone. I’m sure your family will love it, it’s perfect with a pork roast and mashed potatoes.
How to make this no-bake apple cheesecake recipe step-by-step
For the graham cracker crust, crush graham crackers and mix with butter and sugar.
Pat the crumbs down into the bottom of a greased springform pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cheesecake ingredients: cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and whipped topping.
Again with the WHIPPED TOPPING? Yes, yes again with the whipped topping. This is NOT whipped cream, it is whipped topping. You can find this in the freezer aisle next to frozen desserts at the grocery store.
Mix with an electric mixer until all the ingredients are combined.
Once the applesauce has cooled down, add to the top of the graham cracker crust.
Then on top of that, add the cheesecake mixture.
Sprinkle with some additional crushed graham crackers on top.
Let the cheesecake refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Serving Suggestions
This apple cheesecake goes great as a dessert with main dishes like toad in the hole, ground beef stroganoff, or no-frills black beans and sausage.
Tips & Variations
- Make sure to let the applesauce filling cool down before adding it on top of the graham cracker crust.
- Save time by using already crushed graham crackers that you can find in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Storage
Leave any leftovers on the plate and place it in the refrigerator. Eat within 3 days.
It is not recommended to freeze this no-bake cheesecake recipe.
Want more desserts for fall?
Slice and serve. And here you are…
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Chunky Applesauce Cheesecake
Equipment
- springform pan
- parchment paper
- mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 1/2 cup graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Chunky Applesauce
- 4 Red Apples chopped into chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup apple juice
Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup whipped topping
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Chunky Applesauce
- Set up a cutting board next to a pot and cube your apples. Put them into the pot and add salt, vanilla, butter, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple juice.
- Bring to a boil and cook for around 10 minutes.
- Take off the heat and set aside to cool while the crust and cheesecake filling are prepared.
Crust
- For the crust, crush graham crackers and mix with butter and sugar. Pat down into the bottom of a greased springform pan.
Cheesecake
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cheesecake ingredients: cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and cool whip. Mix with an electric mixer until all ingredients are combined.
- Once the applesauce has cooled down, add it to the top of the graham cracker crust. On top of that, add the cheesecake mixture.
- Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Cut & serve. Enjoy!
- Sprinkle with some additional crushed graham crackers on top.
Notes
Tips for making this recipe:
- Make sure to let the applesauce cool before adding to the crust layer of the cheesecake.
- Leave any leftovers on the plate and place it in the refrigerator. Eat within 3 days.
Originally published in September of 2016. Updated photos & recipe September of 2020.
**Cheesecake filling adapted from Sprinkle Some Sugar
*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.
Last Updated on July 17, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
Applesauce and cheesecake isn’t a combination I ever thought of, but I would love it! What’s not to love about a dessert that epitomizes the best season?
I agree that Fall s the best season! So excited that it’s right around the corner. Thank you Abby!