Cheesecake

Cheesecake Pie: Why Didn't We Think of This Earlier?!

November 10, 2015

Pie crust as the base of a cheesecake is popular in some places, but not nearly as common as it could (and should) be!

Using a springform pan allows for the typical lofty custard while allowing for the pie crust to go all the way up the sides.

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Instead of a classic cheesecake, I took a note from my favorite apple pie, adding cider, cinnamon, and a little nutmeg into the mix. The finished cheesecake is silky-smooth, super rich, and, best of all, there’s pie crust involved.

Cider Cheesecake Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cubed
Ice water, as needed
Egg wash, as needed

For the filling:

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 to 2 grates fresh nutmeg
3 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup boiled cider (available from King Arthur; thawed apple juice concentrate will work in a pinch)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the optional finish:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 apples, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Alpha Smoot

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Sandy Brown Jensen
    Sandy Brown Jensen
  • Lea
    Lea
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

2 Comments

Sandy B. November 15, 2017
My dad’s favorite dessert was Cheese Pie, and that was in the 1950s. The bottom layer was made with I believe cottage cheese and cream cheese, eggs, sugar, etc., and the top layer was a dreamy creamy sour cream, in a graham cracker crust. So this is far from a new idea, but I’m loving your twist on it and the chance for a walk down Memory Lane.
 
Lea November 15, 2015
This is a genius idea...gonna try all sorts of variations. Thanks so much!