Healthy Apple Crumble Cheesecake (Gluten & Refined sugar-free)
This baked apple crumble cheesecake is everything you need in an easy holiday dessert. It comes together with more wholesome ingredients and is super customizable to fit your dietary needs! It can be made dairy-free, is refined sugar-free, and gluten-free!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 package Simple Mills pecan cookies or sweet thins
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
Apples
- 2 large or 3 small apples of choice (I used sweet apples)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Cheesecake filling
- 16oz cream cheese, room temp *see notes
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt or greek style THICK coconut yogurt
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or other granulated sweetener
- 2 eggs, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Crumble topping
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted grass-fed butter, ghee, or vegan butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & pinch of sea salt
5 minute caramel sauce (optional but amazing! Feel free to use store-bought)
- 1/4 cup coconut cream (solid part from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grase a 9" springform pan with spray oil.
- Add diced apples to a pan with 1 tbsp oil/butter. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they soften. Then add in the maple syrup, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Cook another 5 minutes until the apples have absorbed the liquid. Set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, combine the Simple Mills Sweet Thins and oil/butter and process until a crumb mixture forms. Press this into the bottom of your greased 9″ spring form pan. Set aside. In the food processor, combine all of the crumble ingredients and process until a dough forms. Set aside.
- In a food processor or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and blend until smooth and fluffy. Add in the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and sea salt. Blend again until combined. Then add in the yogurt. Be careful not to over-mix. Fold in the cooled apples.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over top of the crust. Then dollop the crumble mixture over top of the cheesecake. I tend to flatten bits and lay it over top.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. The top should be golden and there should be just a tiny bit of jiggle in the center. Cool completely (2 hours) then move to the fridge for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight before cutting into slices. I like to top mine with my 5 minute caramel sauce and coconut whipped topping! The longer it has to chill, the better, as it'll set up as it chills. If you don't allow it to chill, it'll be softer/mushier.
- I like to top mine with my 5 minute caramel sauce and coconut whipped topping!
Caramel sauce (Feel free to use store-bought!)
- Simply add everything to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring very frequently. Let boil for 7-8 minutes. Then remove from heat. It'll thicken a bit as it cools!