How to Make Simply Perfect Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples

Are you looking for a dessert that marries the comforting warmth of autumn with the decadent creaminess of cheesecake? A special treat that will fill your kitchen with the aromatic scent of spice, promising an experience that is warm, gooey, and deeply satisfying? You’ve come to the right place. We’re here to share our guide to creating the most wonderful Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples, a pudding that we’re certain will become a treasured family recipe.

This dessert is so much more than a simple sweet; it’s a full sensory experience. Picture a soft, warm baked apple, its inherent sweetness deepened by the oven’s heat, filled generously with a rich and tangy cream cheese mixture reminiscent of a miniature cheesecake. Finished with a crisp, buttery crumble, each mouthful offers a delightful harmony of tastes and textures. It truly is the dessert equivalent of a cosy hug on a cool evening.

Why We Adore This Baked Apple Dessert

There are so many reasons to fall head over heels for this recipe. For us, the magic lies in the delightful contrast of textures. The tender, juicy apple serves as the perfect counterpoint to the smooth, velvety cheesecake filling at its heart. The optional oat crumble topping introduces a welcome crunch, completing a trio of textures that is nothing short of heavenly. It’s a sophisticated pudding that has a gourmet feel, yet it remains wonderfully straightforward to make.

This is the ideal dessert for a Sunday lunch, a festive gathering, or any time you fancy a comforting treat. It elevates the humble apple into a show-stopping dessert, demonstrating that the finest dishes often come from simple, wholesome ingredients. While it’s a superb way to celebrate apple season, we find ourselves making it throughout the year.

Choosing the Perfect Apples

The foundation of this wonderful dish is selecting the right kind of apple. You’ll need a variety that is firm enough to maintain its structure during the baking process and possesses a flavour that can hold its own against the rich filling. An apple that turns to mush or is overly sweet just won’t give you the best result.

Our Top Apple Recommendations

We suggest using apples that are both crisp and have a slight tartness. This acidity is key to balancing the sweetness of the cheesecake filling, resulting in a more rounded and complex flavour. Here are some of our favourites:

• Granny Smith: This is the quintessential baking apple. Its robust texture and sharp, tangy taste make it the ideal case for the sweet and creamy centre.
• Honeycrisp: Just as its name implies, this variety is exceptionally crisp with a beautiful sweet-tart flavour profile. It also holds its shape perfectly in the oven.
• Braeburn: A brilliant all-purpose apple. It offers a rich, spicy-sweet flavour and a firm texture that copes very well with the heat.
• Pink Lady (Cripps Pink): Another crisp, firm variety with a zesty finish that wonderfully complements the cheesecake filling.

For more advice on picking the right apples for all your baking needs, we think you’ll find this comprehensive guide to baking apples from BBC Good Food incredibly helpful.

Apples to Avoid

Although they are lovely for eating fresh, some apple varieties are simply too soft for this particular recipe. Apples such as Red Delicious, McIntosh, or Golden Delicious have a tendency to break down and become overly soft when baked for an extended period. This would result in a sweet, pulpy apple sauce rather than a beautifully defined stuffed apple.

Gathering Your Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s get all of our components together for this easy stuffed apples recipe. Having everything measured and ready to use makes the entire process much more relaxed and enjoyable. This recipe will make four servings.

For the Apples and Filling:

• 4 large, firm baking apples (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
• 115g (1/2 cup) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of nutmeg
• A squeeze of lemon juice

For the Crumble Topping (Optional but Recommended):

• 30g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 30g (1/4 cup) rolled oats
• 50g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 45g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples

Are you ready to make a little kitchen magic? Just follow these straightforward steps, and you’ll have a gorgeous dessert prepared in no time. We’ve broken the process down to make it as simple as possible.

1. Preheat and Prepare: To begin, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Select a small baking dish that can hold all four apples comfortably close together. This helps to keep them upright as they bake.
2. Core the Apples: Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. With an apple corer, or a sharp paring knife and a melon baller, carefully hollow out the core of each apple. It’s important to leave about a centimetre at the base to form a ‘bowl’ for the filling. We don’t want any of that lovely cheesecake mixture to escape! If an apple seems unsteady, you can slice a very thin layer from the bottom to create a flat, stable base. Brush the cored insides with a little lemon juice to stop them from browning.
3. Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a medium-sized bowl, place the softened cream cheese and caster sugar. Use an electric hand mixer or a whisk to beat them together until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Next, add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and mix just until everything is incorporated. Take care not to over-beat the mixture.
4. Stuff the Apples: Carefully spoon the cheesecake filling into each hollowed-out apple. You can fill them right up to the top; the filling will set rather than rise, so you don’t need to be too cautious.
5. Prepare the Crumble Topping: If you are including the crumble, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a separate small bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture has the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.
6. Top and Bake: Sprinkle a generous amount of the crumble mixture over the cheesecake filling in each apple. Arrange the stuffed apples in your prepared baking dish. Pour approximately 1cm of hot water into the base of the dish. This clever trick creates steam, helping the apples to cook through beautifully without drying out.
7. Bake to Perfection: Place in the oven and bake for 40–50 minutes. They are ready when the apples feel tender when pierced with a knife and the crumble topping is golden brown. The precise baking time can vary depending on the size and type of apple you’ve used.
8. Rest and Serve: Allow the baked apples with cream cheese to cool in the dish for around 10 minutes before you serve them. They are at their most delicious when served warm, perhaps with a little caramel sauce drizzled over or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Tips and Tricks for Success

To guarantee that your cream cheese stuffed apples are a triumph every single time, we’ve put together a few of our most useful tips:

• Room Temperature is Key: For the silkiest cheesecake filling, it’s essential that your cream cheese has fully softened to room temperature. Using it straight from the fridge can lead to a lumpy texture.
• Don’t Pierce the Bottom: Be extra careful when coring the apples not to go all the way through to the base. A grapefruit spoon or a small melon baller is a brilliant tool for neatly scooping out the final bits of core and pips.
• Don’t Overfill: Fill the apples just to the brim. Although the filling doesn’t expand much, filling them too high could cause it to spill over into your baking dish.
• Customise Your Spices: Please feel free to tweak the spices to suit your own taste. A pinch of ground ginger, allspice, or even cardamom can add an extra layer of lovely warmth.
• Love Cheesecake? If you are a fan of desserts that combine fruit with creamy cheesecake, we are confident you will also adore our Tasty Blueberry Cheesecake Swirl Cookies Delicious Easy.

Delicious Variations and Topping Ideas

While we believe this recipe is wonderful just as it is, there are numerous ways you can adapt it to make it uniquely yours. Here are some of our ideas to spark your imagination.

Flavour Twists for the Filling

• Add Zest: A touch of finely grated lemon or orange zest in the filling introduces a fantastic brightness that cuts through the richness beautifully.
• Mix-Ins: Try stirring a tablespoon of finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or even some sultanas or dried cranberries into the filling for added texture and flavour.
• Go for Salted Caramel: For an extra-decadent twist, mix a tablespoon of thick salted caramel sauce directly into the cheesecake filling before you stuff the apples.

Creative Topping Suggestions

• Salted Caramel Drizzle: A liberal drizzle of warm salted caramel sauce over the apples just before serving is an absolute must in our kitchen!
• A Scoop of Ice Cream: For the ultimate hot-and-cold dessert, serve the warm baked apples with a scoop of high-quality vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream.
• Toasted Nuts: For an additional crunchy element, sprinkle some toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts over the top.
• Something Lighter? If you’re searching for another dessert that is both light and impressive, why not give our famous Cloud Cake Recipe a try?

Storing and Reheating Your Baked Apples

These baked apples are truly at their best when enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven. Should you have any leftovers, however, they can be stored. Let the apples cool down completely, then place them in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

To reheat, you can either place them in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C Fan) for about 10–15 minutes until they are heated through, or you can warm them in the microwave for 1–2 minutes. Please note that the crumble topping will lose some of its crispiness after being refrigerated, but they will still be absolutely delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples

We’ve put together answers to some of the questions we hear most often about making this superb baked apple dessert.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can certainly prepare the different elements in advance. The apples can be cored and kept in the fridge in acidulated water (water with a squeeze of lemon) for several hours. The cheesecake filling and crumble topping can also be prepared and stored in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 24 hours. For the best possible texture, we suggest assembling and baking them just before you wish to serve.

Can I use low-fat cream cheese?

You can indeed use a low-fat cream cheese, such as Neufchâtel, but be aware that the filling might not be quite as rich or creamy. We really do recommend using the full-fat version for the best flavour and mouthfeel.

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

This is a very simple recipe to adapt! Just replace the plain flour in the crumble with a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, and make sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats. The rest of the recipe is already naturally free from gluten.

What if I don’t have an apple corer?

That’s no problem at all! You can use a sturdy paring knife to cut a circle around the core. Afterwards, use a small, robust spoon (like a metal measuring spoon or a grapefruit spoon) to carefully scoop out the core and pips. Just be gentle and work slowly to ensure the bottom of the apple remains intact.

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Autumn Dessert

So there we have it—a dessert that is both simple and elegant, and one that is guaranteed to impress. These Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples are the perfect expression of comfort food. They are warm, creamy, and crunchy, and packed with all the cosy flavours we long for when the air turns crisp. It’s a recipe that truly celebrates the simple pleasure of baking and sharing wonderful food with the people you care about.

We are so excited for you to try this incredible Cheesecake Stuffed Baked Apples recipe. It is a genuine showstopper that we’re positive will find a permanent place in your collection of favourite desserts. We’d love to hear how yours turned out in the comments section below, and please don’t forget to share this wonderful treat with your friends and family!