1. Prepare the Crust

Set your oven to 325°F – cheesecake hates high heat. Mix graham crumbs with brown sugar in a bowl. Pour melted butter over and stir until it looks like wet sand. Dump into your springform pan and press down hard – I use a measuring cup bottom to pack it tight. Bake 10-12 minutes until it smells toasty. Pull it out and let it cool while you make everything else.

2. Make the Crumble Topping

Mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Drop in soft butter chunks and mash with a fork until you get pea-sized crumbles. Take 1 cup of this mixture and toss with your apple chunks in another bowl. Keep the rest for sprinkling on top later.

3. Make the Cheesecake Filling

Beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until zero lumps remain. Add both sugars and sour cream, keep beating until smooth. Now go slow – add eggs one by one on LOW speed. High speed = air bubbles = cracks = sad baker. Mix in vanilla and salt just until combined.

4. Assemble

Pour cheesecake batter over your crust. Spoon the apple-crumble mix on top – messy is fine, perfect is boring. Sprinkle remaining plain crumble over everything like you’re blessing it.

5. Bake

Wrap your pan in foil like you’re sending it to space – water cannot get in. Set wrapped pan in a bigger pan, fill outer pan with hot water halfway up the cheesecake pan. Bake 60-75 minutes until edges look firm but center jiggles like jello when you tap the pan. Turn oven off, crack door open, let it sit in there 1 hour. This slow cooldown prevents the dreaded canyon crack.

6. Chill

Take it out, unwrap, cool completely on counter. Then fridge it for minimum 6 hours but overnight is chef’s kiss. Patience sucks but melty warm cheesecake is worse.