I love when the calendar flips to the fall months. But let’s be honest, if you live in certain areas of the country, it doesn’t get cold for a while. So how do you balance warm weather with the flavors of fall? Why, this recipe, of course! You don’t need to turn the oven on, but you get all flavors and textures you want. This would also make an excellent Thanksgiving recipe, so you can leave your oven available for the turkey and all those sides. I make caramel from scratch following this recipe, but you can use store-bought to save time.

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 ¼ cups (126 grams) cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese softened
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (61 grams) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 grams) heavy cream, cold

Caramel Apple Topping

• 2 ½ cups (313 grams) chopped apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons salted caramel

Instructions

1. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a small bowl and drizzle the melted butter over the top. Mix with a fork to moisten the crumbs. Press into a 9-inch glass pie plate and refrigerate or freeze while making the filling.

2. In a bowl fitted for a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Scrape the sides as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.

3. With the mixer on medium, add the heavy cream in a slow, steady stream until combined and the mixture is thick and light. Scrape down the sides to ensure there are no lumps, and then pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least two hours or preferably overnight.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the caramel sauce, allowing the heat of the mixture to melt the sauce. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

6. When you are ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the pie and scoop the apple mixture over the top. Slice and serve. The pie is best eaten in the first 3 days. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.