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2nd Place Thanksgiving 2025
Carmel Apple Cheesecake
By High Desert MilkJune 15, 2026cheesecakes, desserts

Ingredients
Crust
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs from 12 crackers
- 5 tbs , melted
- 2 tbs granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
Filling
- 32 oz at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tbs all purpose flour
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tsp juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Apple Filling
- 2 pealed and sliced Cosmic apples
- Carmel sauce
Crumb Topping
- 6 tbs , melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix well then press into 9” round 2” tall springform pan that has been oiled and parchment placed in bottom and wrapped on outside with tin foil.
- Bake for 5 min in preheated oven.
- Mix crumb topping, set aside
- In a med bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice, salt and flour until smooth, scarpe sides and continue mixing until evenly combined.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time mixing on low speed until all is incorporated. Lightly mix in the sour cream.
- Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the crust, place the sliced apples on cream cheese mixture, drizzle with carmel, then add rest of the cream cheese mixture.
- Place a cookie sheet on middle rack of oven with water in it, then place springform pan onto cookie sheet.
- Bake at 325˚F for 70 minutes, do not open oven until timer goes off, check with knife in center for doneness, should be set at edges and jiggly in center but clean knife when pulled out.
- If not, bake additional 10 min.
- Let cool for 2-3 hours, then chill in refrigerator overnight.
- Then add crumb topping.
- Place into top of Broiler and crispen for 5 min.
- Take out and drizzle with Carmel sauce.
- Take out of springform pan and serve.

Author
High Desert Milk
High Desert Milk is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative dedicated to producing high-quality dairy ingredients and products. Through our blog, we share stories from our farms, plant, products, people, and community, offering a closer look at the values, innovation, and hard work behind everything we do.

