Prepare the crust: Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (163°C). In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of your springform pan and bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Cook the apples: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and flour. Cook for about 5–7 minutes until the apples are slightly softened. Set aside to cool.

Make the crumble topping: In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to crumble the mixture together until it looks like coarse crumbs. Place in the fridge while you work on the filling.

Make the cheesecake filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Next, add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Stir in vanilla and sour cream until the batter is creamy and smooth.

Assemble the cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust. Carefully spoon the cooked apples over the top of the filling. Sprinkle the crumble topping generously over the apples.

Bake: Bake the cheesecake for 60–70 minutes. The center should still have a slight jiggle. Once baked, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour to prevent cracking.

Cool and chill: Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) before slicing.