No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Jars

There’s something undeniably cozy about a dessert you don’t even need to turn the oven on for. These No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Jars are everything I love about fall: soft cinnamon-spiced apples, a nutty brown-butter graham crust, and a velvety cheesecake filling that sets perfectly in the fridge. They’re simple, rustic, and make the whole kitchen smell like warm apples and butter while the apples cook on the stove. Whether you need a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving treat, a make-ahead dessert for friends, or just a fall baking win without the stress, these little jars check every box.

Why You’ll Love Them

• Completely no-bake — perfect when your oven is already busy with holiday cooking.
• Layers of creamy, crunchy, buttery, and spiced in every bite.
• The brown-butter graham crust gives rich “fall dessert” flavor with almost no effort.
• The apples cook down thick and glossy—never watery or mushy.
• They chill beautifully, making them ideal for entertaining.

Ingredient Highlights

The Apple Filling:
Cooked just long enough to soften but still hold a bite. The cider + cornstarch slurry makes it glossy, thick, and perfect for layering without sinking.

The Brown Butter Crust:
Brown butter deepens the graham cracker flavor with warm caramelized notes. Mixed with a touch of cinnamon, it becomes the perfect base to contrast the creamy cheesecake.

The Cheesecake Layer:
A whipped, mousse-like no-bake cheesecake that sets softly without gelatin. Heavy cream gives it lift, while sour cream adds tang so it’s not overly sweet.

The Caramel:
A thin, pourable caramel is ideal here—it sinks slightly into the apples and cheesecake for the most perfect spoonful.

Step Overview

• Cook the apple layer first so it has time to cool completely.
• Brown the butter and mix up the graham crust.
• Whip up the no-bake cheesecake filling until light and fluffy.
• Layer everything into jars: crust, cheesecake, apples, repeat.
• Chill for at least an hour so the flavors settle and the layers firm up.

These cheesecake jars feel like the kind of dessert you make when you want something cozy, unfussy, and genuinely special. The warm apples, the buttery graham crumbs, the creamy cheesecake—it tastes like all the best parts of fall layered into one spoonful. I love serving these when I want a dessert that looks beautiful without requiring any decorating skills. They’re easy to assemble, even easier to share, and they disappear every single time.

No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Jars

Creamy no-bake cheesecake layered with cinnamon-apple filling, brown-butter graham crumbs, and a silky caramel drizzle. Cozy, rustic, and perfectly portioned for fall gatherings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Servings: 8 jars (4 oz each)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Fall Baking

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Apple Filling

• 3 medium apples about 375 g, peeled + diced
• 30 g 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 50 g ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 30 g 2 Tbsp apple cider or apple juice
• 10 g 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water
• Pinch of salt

Brown Butter Graham Crust

• 100 g 1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
• 90 g 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, browned
• 15 g 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

No-Bake Cheesecake Filling

• 300 g 10 oz cream cheese, softened
• 180 g ¾ cup heavy cream, cold
• 60 g ¼ cup sour cream
• 80 g ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Salted Caramel Topping

• 150 g ½ cup caramel sauce (homemade or good store-bought drizzle consistency)

Equipment

• Small jars- I use 8 oz (you would need 6 jars), or you can use 40 oz jars (you would use 6)
• Small saucepan- for cooking apples and brown butter
• 2 Mixing bowls one for whipped cream, one for cream cheese mixture
• Rubber spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Scale
• Piping bag or spoon

Method

 

Make the Apple Filling

1. Melt 30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add 50 g (¼ cup) light brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Stir and let bubble for about 1 minute.
3. In a small bowl, whisk 10 g (1 Tbsp) cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water to make a slurry.
4. Add 30 g (2 Tbsp) apple cider or apple juice to the pan, then pour in the cornstarch slurry while stirring. Cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
5. Add 3 medium apples (about 375 g), diced, and cook until softened to your liking (usually 3–5 minutes).
6. Spread onto a plate and cool completely before layering.

Make the Brown Butter Graham Crust

1. Melt and brown 90 g (6 Tbsp) unsalted butter over medium heat until golden and nutty, 4–6 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine 100 g (1 cup) crushed graham crackers, 15 g (1 Tbsp) brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
3. Pour in the browned butter and mix until evenly moistened.
4. Set aside.

Make the No-Bake Cheesecake Filling

1. In a cold bowl, whip 180 g (¾ cup) heavy cream to stiff peaks; set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat 300 g (10 oz) cream cheese, 60 g (¼ cup) sour cream, 80 g (⅔ cup) powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy (2–3 min).
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until light and airy.

Assemble the Jars

1. Spoon a layer of the graham crust into the bottom of each jar.
2. Add a layer of cheesecake filling.
3. Spoon on a layer of cooled apple filling.
4. Repeat the layers until jars are full.
5. Finish with a drizzle of 150 g (½ cup) caramel sauce on top.

Chill

1. Cover the jars and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or chill overnight for the best texture and flavor.

Tips & Tricks

1. Browned Butter Flavor: Scrape in all the toasty brown bits — that’s where the caramelized flavor comes from.
2. Proper Texture: Always cool the apple filling fully before layering, or it will melt the cheesecake mixture.
3. Make-Ahead Friendly: These jars taste even better the next day as the flavors blend.
4. Caramel Note: Use a caramel labeled “sauce” or “drizzle,” not thick ice cream topping — it should be pourable at room temperature.

Notes

Storage:
• Store jars covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Best enjoyed chilled or slightly softened for 5–10 minutes at room temperature.

Make-Ahead:
• These jars are even better on day 2 — the flavors have time to settle and the layers firm up beautifully.
• You can make every component the day before:
  – Brown the butter
  – Make the apple filling
  – Whip the cheesecake mixture
  – Assemble and chill overnight
• Do not freeze — freezing changes the smooth texture of the cheesecake and apples.

Serving:
• Serve cold straight from the fridge, or let sit 5 minutes if you prefer a softer cheesecake texture.