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Cream Cheese Apple Torte

posted by Liz Berg on January 15, 2018 (updated 4/16/23)

Packed full of cinnamon-spiced apples and a surprise cheesecake layer over a buttery crust, this Cream Cheese Apple Torte is a sure-fire hit!

I designated this marvelous deep-dish Apple Tart as dessert for our autumn dinner club. It made a spectacular presentation and received rave reviews.

Cream Cheese Apple Torte on a white dessert plate with cake stand, apples and fork.

Table of Contents hide

5 Frequently Asked Questions

6 You May Also Like:

7 Cream Cheese Apple Torte

Why You Must Make

A friend and blog subscriber (now that’s a good friend!) raved about this cream cheese apple torte, that I had bookmarked years ago. It was meant to be on our menu!
It’s a perfect autumn dessert, but too delicious to limit it to just one season!!
A cross between an apple pie and cheesecake, you get TWO desserts in one.

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Flour, Eggs, Ground Cinnamon
Butter – Salted is fine as salt is a flavor enhancer and there’s no added salt in this recipe. At room temperature.
Cream Cheese – At room temperature for easy incorporation.
Vanilla Extract – Always use real vanilla extract, not imitation.
Baking Apples – Cored, peeled, thinly sliced.
Lemon Juice – Fresh juice is best
Sliced Almonds – Add a great crunch. No need to toast them as they will brown slightly in the oven. If there are nut allergies, these can be omitted.

Cream Cheese Apple Torte on a ruffled white ceramic cake stand with lady apples to garnish.

Menu Suggestions

Our dinner club was held at the beginning of December, so strawberry shortcake or peach pie were out as dessert options. As a huge lover of apple desserts, I had no trouble deciding this cream cheese apple torte would be the perfect grand finale. The rest of the menu was as follows:

Cranberry Brie en Croute
A cheese board plus White Chocolate Cashew Party Mix
Mongolian Pork Chops from Mustards Grill (no photos as the grill master cooked these extra crispy, (euphemism for one side burned!)
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Pear Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Expert Tips

Margaret was right! This was a spectacular dessert. Between the buttery crust, the luscious cream cheese layer, then cinnamon kissed apples and the toasted almond topping, every bite was a taste sensation. Here are a few tips when it comes to making apple pies, tarts, and this torte.

I probably packed way too many apples into my crust as my torte needed some extra baking time. Just cover the top with foil if this happens to you, and bake until the point of a sharp knife can easily pierce the apples. My type-A side arranged the apples in tight semi-circles, so in retrospect, I imagine that loosely piling the fruit into the pan would work best.
PRO-Tip: I like using a variety of baking apples for the best flavor. In the fall, there are many more options. Some tart, some sweeter, some keep their shape, others get soft and mushy. It’s OK to have one from each of these categories. I like Granny Smiths and Golden Delicious in the off-season, but in the fall look for Jonathan/Jonagold and Northern Spy. I’ve never used Honey Crisp, but heard they bake well, too.
PRO-Tip: If your crust starts getting too dark, take a piece of aluminum foil and cut out a circle from the middle, so you the foil will cover the perimeter crust, but still allow heat to reach the filling.

Unbeknownst to me, one of our guests was also a huge fan of apple desserts. He ate his own slice, topped with a scoop of Graeter’s caramel ice cream, then finished his wife’s portion. I call that a positive endorsement. Even Bill, the nut avoider, finished every crumb. This apple cream cheese torte will surely make a second appearance on our menu.

Cream Cheese Apple Torte on a ruffled white cake stand viewed from above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Torte?

A torte is a rich cake that often has little if any flour added. Tortes often are made with ground nuts instead of flour along with eggs, sugar, and extracts or other flavorings

What Apples Are Best for Baking?

There are lots of terrific baking apples and there are often regional apples that work well, too. Using a combination of apples gives a better depth of flavor, so consider using a sweet and a tart apple as well as a firm and a softer apple. A standard go-to pairing is using Granny Smith apples and Golden Delicious apples. And my favorite stand-alone baking apple is Northern Spy. There are more suggestions above in the expert tips.

How Do You Know When an Apple Torte or other apple dessert is done?

It’s best to use a sharp knife to pierce a few apples. If the knife inserts easily and the crust has browned, the dessert is most likely done.

How Do You Serve this Apple Torte Recipe?

This torte is rich enough to serve a simple slice, but it’s also delicious with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A drizzle of caramel sauce on the ice cream will push it over the top!

How Do You Store an Apple Torte?

Since this torte has cream cheese as an ingredient, it’s best to store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can be brought out about an hour before serving to take the chill off as it will taste best at room temperature.