Apple Almond Bavarian Cheesecake – A shortbread crust filled with a rich cheesecake filling, cinnamon apples, almonds, and drizzled with caramel sauce.
I don’t know how it’s possible that I’ve been blogging for almost 10 years and have not shared this recipe with you. I’ve made this Bavarian cheesecake no less than a hundred times. I don’t even think that is an exaggeration either.
It’s a rich, creamy cheesecake in a sugar cookie crust with cinnamon apples and slivered almonds. To really take it to the next level (not that you need to, but why not?) I drizzled some caramel over the top.
This recipe comes from a restaurant I used to work at when I was in college. It was called The Hatteras. It was a little place in a house and the food was really delicious. It was sort of ahead of its time. It was farm to table before that was a thing.
It was a crazy place to work, but I made lifelong friends there. My siblings even worked there at one point or another, and some of the other people that worked there, their siblings worked there too. We’ve all remained friends all these years later.
On weekdays, we only had two desserts, but on weekends, we had five or six. We always had some version of this Bavarian cheesecake, depending on the season. Or what fruit needed to be used in the walk-in. The owner made the desserts and she taught me how to make quite a few of the things on the menu in the winter when it was slow.
She told me that this recipe came from an old issue of Gourmet Magazine (may she rest in peace). I’ve tried to find it, but can’t, I don’t even know if it’s really called a Bavarian cheesecake, but that’s what she called it, so that’s what I’m going with.
The beauty of this dessert is that you can make it any flavor you want. In the summer, I add lemon and berries. In the fall, cranberries and pecans. I’ve made pumpkin ones, banana chocolate ones, cherry chocolate ones, peach and raspberry ones, strawberry almond ones. They are all delicious.
The other great thing about this dessert is that it is incredibly forgiving. I’ve overbaked it and it’s delicious. I’ve not chilled the crust before baking and it’s fine. I’ve used a pan that’s too small and I’ve just used less of the crust dough. It’s pretty much fool-proof. I’ve also never made it for someone and not had them ask me for the recipe. It’s so simple and just so good. If you need to bring a dessert to Thanksgiving, this is the one to bring.
Tips for Apple Almond Bavarian Cheesecake
- This is the most versatile dessert ever. You can make this any flavor you like. Cherry chocolate. Berries and lemon. Pumpkin. Banana and chocolate. The only limit is your imagination.
- This is a VERY buttery crust. Line your springform pan with foil, it will leak a little and this will save you from cleaning up any spills.
- This is the perfect make-ahead dessert. It needs to chill overnight in the fridge. It’s hard to wait I know, but it’s worth it. Promise.
- This cheesecake is done when the edges are golden and there is still some jiggle in the center. It will set completely once it has chilled.
Apple Almond Bavarian Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
Bavarian Filling
- 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 Gala apple peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a springform pan with cooking spray and line the outside with foil. Set aside.
- To make the crust, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and flour. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill until ready to fill.
- Using the same bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla bean paste until completely smooth. Pour into crust.
- Toss the apples with 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon. Top the cheesecake layer with apples and sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. The edges will be golden and the top will jiggle. Let cool to room temperature and then let chill overnight in the fridge. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
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