This caramel apple cheesecake recipe is worth every calorie

Cheesecake: she may be the queen of desserts. The combination of sweet, smooth and creamy, with a hint of savory from the crust, is a slice of heaven on earth. Even a plain cheesecake on the table brings a smile to dessert lovers.

But what if we add apples and caramel into the mix? Now we’re talking about something special! If you’re looking for a special cake to serve during the holidays, consider a caramel apple cheesecake. Fortunately, we came across a fantastic-looking recipe to get you inspired.

Kitchn has a recipe that should please die-hard cheesecake fans any time of the year. Everything here is rich and decadent. It’s a good thing holiday calories don’t count … right? But, if you’re going to splurge on something before starting your New Year’s resolutions, this looks like it’s worth every calorie.

For this recipe, you’re going to need at least two types of apples: sweet (such as Honeycrisp, Gala or Fiji) and tart (think: Granny Smith). You’ll also need gingersnap cookies or graham crackers for the crust, cream cheese, heavy cream, sour cream and lemons.

Make sure to have baking staples on hand, including eggs, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla extract. If you can find it, you’re going to want to use molasses-heavy muscovado sugar to create your caramel.

You’ll want to make sure you have the proper equipment to make this traditional cheesecake. Make sure you have a springform pan, which gives the cheesecake its iconic form and makes serving so much easier by letting you remove the pan from around the cake.

Prepping this caramel apple cheesecake will take a bit of time, as it requires separate cooking of the caramel apples and the creation of a sour cream topping to go on top of the baked cake. The cheesecake layer bakes in the oven for about an hour — but good things come to those who wait.

The key to the best cheesecakes is the water-bath portion of this recipe. Some people find this step in cheesecake recipes to be a bit intimidating. However, you’re going to want to try it. Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Miro Uskokovic, who created and perfected this recipe, says that the method prevents cracking and allows for even cooking and a creamier cheesecake.

Get the chef’s full recipe here at Kitchn, and get ready to impress your guests!