November and December are upon us. My favorite months of the year. Yes, I am a winter baby, born just nine days shy of Christmas, but I love the end of the year for many other reasons. Gift-giving. Apple Cider. Over-sized sweaters. Carols sung by children on brisk early nights.
The opening of homes to friends and family. An elegantly set table with plates brimming: roasted vegetables, well-seasoned meats, and tender rolls.
While pies and cookies often take center stage during November and December, I often find myself looking for a dessert that is both new and familiar. A twist on a classic winter flavor that leaves a permanent mark in your guests’ memories.
This Apple Cardamom Cheesecake is just that: an elegant twist. The classic fall gem, the apple, is caramelized with a sprinkling of cardamom and then layered between graham crackers and cheesecake. I promise you, everyone who tries it will be asking for the recipe (and will be sharing your dinner party with friends).
Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and it’s long been used in Nordic kitchens to enhance baked goods. This holiday season, I’d encourage you to use spices outside of the typical cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg trilogy. It’s remarkably simple to elevate a dessert from ordinary to extraordinary, and the key can often be found in your spice cabinet.
McCormick Spices offers a lovely jar of Cardamom that can be found at any major grocery store. So the next time you have dinner guests coming, pick up a few pounds of apples, two blocks of cream cheese, and a glass jar of cardamom. You won’t regret it (we had a hard time saving this cake for our friends!)
Apple Cardamom Cheesecake
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Cardamom, Ground
Glazed Apples:
4 medium apples (2 pound) peeled and cored
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Cardamom, Ground
Filling:
2 packaged (8 ounces) each cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 325°F. For the Crust, mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For the Glazed Apples, cut apples into thin slices (about 1/4-inch thick). Add remaining ingredients to apples in large skillet. Cook on medium heat 5 to 10 minutes or until apples begin to caramelize, turning frequently. Arrange apples on bottom of crust.
For the Filling, beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, vanilla and lemon peel. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Spoon evenly over apples.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to cool in oven 1 hour with door slightly ajar. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
Wow, cardamom with apples in a cheesecake… sounds like a great combination. Beautiful and decadent dessert!
Oh yum Monet! This cheesecake looks and sounds wonderful! I love that there are apples in it : ) I still can’t get enough of them right now! I hope you had a great weekend!!
wow! this is making my mouth water! cheese, crackers and apples are such a lovely way to finish off a meal and I love the idea of them amalgamated into a dessert! this looks just beautiful! I can’t wait for an excuse throw a party and make it!
Monet, I love how creatively you use spices. Like many others, I tend to stick to cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. but like you’ve said, using a spice such as cardamom can have an elegant and unexpected dish. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love cardamom and think it is so underused. This dessert sounds fabulous!
This looks amazing!!
You always make me drool with your recipes. I love your creative use of spices and the homey feel of this cheesecake.
I love the cardamom in this recipe!! look delicious!!
Monet, very lovely looking autumnal treat of a cheesecake – fabulous combination of that wonderful warm spice cardamom with apples and cream cheese!
Monet: This looks and sounds delicious! I love the drawing in of winter (I’m a winter baby as well–eighteen days after Christmas) and we are awaiting our first snow.
Best,
Bonnie
Love the idea of these flavors. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love to stick to the classics as well during the winter, but I am a cookie lover. I didn’t know McCormick had cardamom, it is one of my favorite spices so hard to find during the season. I am going to half to check my grocery store. Thanks 🙂
Monet,
Such a lovely combination in a classic dessert, especially the cardamom. I’m familiar with cardamom, because I have a friend, whos is Swedish, and make breads and cookies with cardamom every Christmas!
Oh my goodness, that looks so smooth and spicy … warmly spiced apples and crust with a cheesecake? I die. This should be the epitome of all holiday desserts. Pinned!
Apples and cardamom are a great combination. And I imagine they are perfect in a cheese cake 🙂
This isn’t my favorite time of year – I am definitely missing summer. But this cheesecake is gorgeous! I’ve never baked with cardamom before and so want to try it!
I ADORE cardamon…. unfortunately, I married a great guy, but he is a cheesecake hater. Can you believe that?
other than that, a complete keeper! 😉
Beautiful post as usual, Monet…. hope you are having a nice beginning of your week, as productive and full of love as you want it to be!
Oh, can’t wait to try this over the holidays! Love the cardamom in it! And a slice right now in this snowy weather would be great with a cup of coffee!
You know, there are hundreds of cheesecakes with fruit on the top, but I don’t think I’eve ever seen one with actual sliced fruit on the bottom! Such a good plan. 🙂
December is my favorite month of the year as well, I lvoe winter and Christmas so much. And cheesecakes like this one, it looks so comfoting and amazing! I wish I had a big slice of it right now.
I hope you’ve had a great weekend 🙂
Hi Monet, I can smell your lovely cheesecake from here:P Bet the cardamon smell must be awesome when your cake is baking in the oven….hope to try this out soon!
I love cardamom! This cheesecake sounds amazing — love this unique version!
I had no idea it was cheesecake you were making with the McCormick’s spices!!! Don’t you know that cheesecake is my favorite thing in the whole world. Seriously… I can’t resist it. This looks fabulous, darling!
Gorgeous! I love switching up desserts from the traditional pies and cookies too. I also love that cardamom in this – so unique!
My son keeps talking about how Thanksgiving means apple pie. I’m thinking he would like this even better.
That is beautiful and delicious – such a lovely version of cheesecake. 🙂
This cheesecake sounds lovely with that cardamom spice and apples! What a terrific holiday dessert this would make!
I love that the apples are tucked away and hidden! What a lovely surprise when I bite into it.
An excellent afternoon snack for me
I think December is the best month of winter! Your cheesecake looks absolutely adorable!
What a beautiful looking cheesecake Monet! I love the creative twist you added to this classic dessert – especially drooling over the glazed apples, they look incredible! I adore the holiday season too – it’s such a nice time for family to get together to enjoy great company and food together 🙂 Hope you and your beautiful family have a wonderful week Monet 🙂
Monet, your cheesecake is beautiful. I, too, love this time of year. Everyone is a little nicer and there’s just a warm and cozy feel in the air. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with Lucy. It will be so memorable, I’m sure. : )
What a delicious cheesecake you’ve made my friend. I love the holiday feel it has to it! Thanks for sharing and hugs to Lucy 🙂
Lovely cake, Monet! And I love cardamom spice, it sounds delicious with the apples, a wonderful pairing!
Thanks for sharing!
OMGGG this looks DIVINE:) your blog is now my addiction haha.
Check out my blog post…one of my fav. recipies:)
Have a lovely day dear
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis – The Swedish home decor blog
I have been baffled on what to use cardamom in and now I know just the thing. Thanks!
I like cardamon in cakes, it gives a lovely taste. And I love love cheesecake, so this is recipe for me.
This cake looks absolutely amazing! I don’t often use cardamom because it’s on the expensive side, but I know it would pair so well with the ingredients in this cheesecake and I love the surprise apple layer above the crust!
Yay for wintery spiced desserts!! This sounds so incredible and I am drooling over the apples!!
Yay for apple cider and giant, cozy sweaters (and blankets)! I love the cold weather and everything that comes with this time of year as well 🙂 This cheesecake sounds amazing. That layer of apples on the crust! and cardamom has the most delicious fragrance. This really sounds like the perfect twist on cheesecake, Monet!
This is wildly creative and looks ridiculously good. I need, NEED, to try this recipe. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I love cheesecake and cardamom, but have never thought to combine them both. Great idea! Your cheesecake is making my mouth water. Loving that crust especially. 🙂
This sounds sooo good! I recently had an apple tart which had a thin layer of cheesecake topped with apple pie filling and crumb topping. A pinch of cardamom in there would have made it even more dreamy!
Hi,
I am a fall baby and love fall/winter season and now my daughter is also a fall baby!
Nice recipe, I love apples and cardamom.
Ciao.
Best time of the year but I’ll be out of the country and would be thinking about winter delights and weather all the way in the tropics! Enjoy it on my behalf 😀
Wow! This looks awesomely delicious! This is a dessert for me!