
I made this cheesecake for a potluck last week. It is my favorite cheesecake for fall, and also works well as a winter dessert. Since trying it with this oatmeal crust, I’ve stopped using graham crackers at all for this cheesecake. This crust works well for other fruit cheesecakes and can be used with a New York style cheesecake.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Crust
1-1/2 cups quick oats, uncooked
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted.

Combine, mix well and press into 9-inch spring-form pan.
Filling
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition. Pour over crust.
Topping
4 cups peeled apples, thinly sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Drizzle with caramel ice-cream topping just before serving.