If you love apple crisp and cheesecake, why not combine them into one irresistible fall dessert? This Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins recipe is everything you love about fall baking wrapped into a delicious handheld treat. Warm spices, apples, creamy cheesecake filling, and a buttery oat crisp topping all come together in a soft, bakery-style muffin drizzled with sweet vanilla glaze.
They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Easy to make, soft, and cozy, they are the ultimate treat for apple season!
Don’t have time or a muffin tin? You can turn them into delicious homemade Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bread or Apple Crisp Cheesecake Pie, too.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins
- Three desserts in one — classic apple crisp, creamy cheesecake, and moist muffins
- Perfect fall breakfast or dessert– they’re bursting with warm cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with sweet vanilla glaze for the perfect fall treat.
- Simple ingredients – no fancy tools, just pantry staples and fresh apples.
- Perfect for gatherings – great for fall parties, Thanksgiving, or a cozy weekend bake.
- Make-ahead friendly – they stay moist for days and taste even better the next day!
Key Ingredients
- Apples – use Granny Smith for tartness or Gala for sweetness.
- Cheesecake layer – cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and an egg make a rich and smooth filling.
- Crisp topping – oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and melted butter.
- Vanilla glaze – a sweet finishing touch that ties everything together, but totally optional.
How to Make Apple Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling Step by Step
- Start by preparing the crisp topping– whisk together oats, sugar, and warm spices with melted butter.
- Prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture and apples. Peel the apples, dice them into small chunks, and coat them with granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling.
- Whip cheesecake filling – combine cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, flour, and an egg until smooth and creamy.
- Make muffin batter: Beat room-temperature butter with sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs and mix to combine. Add the mixture of dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder). Slowly pour in the milk and mix to combine.
- Layer it up – muffin batter, apples, cinnamon sugar, cheesecake filling, more apples, muffin batter, and a final sprinkle of crisp topping.
- Bake and finish with a drizzle of vanilla icing.
Tips for the Best Fall Dessert Muffins
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, or if you prefer sweeter apples for baking, use Gala.
- Make sure all ingredients (eggs, butter, milk and and cream cheese) are at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Don’t overmix the batter -ensures light and fluffy muffins.
- Do not overfill the liners- the muffins will rise during baking, and may overflow the pan.
These Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins are the ultimate comfort bake for apple season. Whether you’re looking for a cozy fall dessert or a special breakfast idea, this recipe will be a hit every time. Save it now and bake a batch — your family and friends will thank you!
Enjoy!
Easy Fall Baking Ideas:
- Apple Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Apple Crisp Mini Cheesecakes
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Apple Pie Crescent Muffins
- Easy Apple Dumplings
Apple Cricp Cheesecake Muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 16–18 1x
Category: dessert/breakfast
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American
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Description
These Apple Crisp Cheesecake Muffins are a cozy fall dessert made with layers of spiced apples, creamy cheesecake filling, and buttery crisp topping. Easy to make, soft, and drizzled with vanilla glaze, they’re the ultimate treat for apple season!
Ingredients
Crisp Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter-melted
Cinnamon-sugar:
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Apple Filling:
- 2 medium apples (Granny Smith, Gala…)-peeled and diced into small 1/3 pieces
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Muffins:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs-room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk-room temperature
Cheesecake Filling:
- 12 oz. brick-style cream cheese-room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
Vanilla Icing:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the crisp topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe makes about 16-18 muffins.
- In a bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, quick-cooking oats, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add melted butter and whisk with a fork until evenly moistened, then set aside until ready to use.
Prepare cinnamon sugar mixture and apples:
- In a small bowl, mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar, and set aside. (This mixture will be used for sprinkling between the layers.)
- Peel and dice apples into small 1/3-inch chunks, and toss them with 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and set aside, too.
To make the muffin mixture:
- Beat room temperature butter with sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs and mix to combine. Add the mixture of dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder) and mix to combine. Slowly pour in the milk and mix just to combine. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure no lumps are remaining.
To make the cheesecake filling:
- Mix together softened cream cheese with sugar, flour, and vanilla. Add egg and mix just to combine, set aside.
Assembling:
- In each paper liner, spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of muffin mixture into the bottom, scatter chopped apples on top, and gently press them into the batter and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Spoon a heaping Tablespoon of cheesecake mixture over the apples and gently spread using the back of the spoon. Add more apple pieces on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar again.
- Using a spoon, spread more muffin batter on top to make the liner about ¾ full.
- Sprinkle with the crisp topping.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 23-28 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze: stir powdered sugar, milk(or cream), and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
