Apple Walnut Cheesecake {Recipe}

I don’t know about you, but my kitchen is really getting a workout this fall!  Between work and my kid’s activities, I seem to have less time than ever, and yet I’m making time to cook and bake because I’d hate for the delicious flavors of fall to leave before I get a chance to try them all.  Apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, I dare say there’s not a fall flavor I don’t enjoy.  So when I heard about a recipe for Apple Walnut Cheesecake, I knew I had to give it a try.  Apples and cheesecake with the crunch of walnuts…how could that be anything other than delicious?

The recipe I originally found was fairly complicated, so I decided to tailor it a bit and used a friend’s easy, no bake cheesecake recipe that she swears by.  I won’t lie, I was a bit concerned that it would affect the taste, but it most definitely didn’t – this Apple Walnut Cheesecake is AMAZING!  The cheesecake is dense, the topping has the sweet crunch you’d expect, and the apples make it a can’t miss fall recipe.  It’s sure to satisfy every sweet, fall craving that you have and more.  It will be hard to have just one serving of this cheesecake!

Ingredients:
1 Graham Cracker Crust (packaged)
8 oz Prepared Whipped Topping, thawed
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1 Apple, chopped
3 Tbsp Walnuts, chopped
1 tsp Cinnamon
Half The juice of 1 lemon, zested (reserving the zest)
1/4 cup Water
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Water

Step 1 – Using a mixer, whip the cream cheese until fluffy.  Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar and continue to whip until well combined.

Step 2 – Add the tub of whipped topping, first folding it into the cream cheese, and then whipping it briefly with the mixer (30-60 seconds).  Pour mixture into the graham cracker crust, and smooth with a spatula.

Step 3 – Cool in the refrigerator until set, approximately 3 hours or overnight.

Step 4 – Melt butter and sugar in a sauce pan.

Step 5 – Place apples, walnuts, lemon zest, juice, and cinnamon into a pot with 1/4 cup of water.  Bring fruit mixture to a low boil and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes or until apples are soft and tender.  Once soft, add the 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to the fruit mixture.

Step 6 – Remove from heat and allow to thicken and cool.  After cheesecake is set, cut into servings to garnish, or garnish the entire cheesecake at once.  Enjoy!