Bourbon Cajeta Apple Butter Goat Cheese Cheesecake
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Goat cheese cheesecake is smothered in bourbon apple butter and drizzled with bourbon cajeta for a luscious, boozy dessert.
Sometimes, recipes just easily fall together in my mind as soon as a specific ingredient makes its way home.
At a recent ATX Swappers event, where we swap homemade goods like jam and pickles, I nabbed a jar of bourbon apple butter, and as I made my way home that night I knew it was destined for a cheesecake.
That cheesecake had to be made with goat cheese, something I’ve been planning to do for quite a while. Now, it’s not 100% goat cheese, but the amount used provides enough of the distinctive tang that you know from first bite this dessert is special.
Smothering it with apple butter didn’t hurt of course, and neither did using a nice drizzling of bourbon cajeta, making it even more boozy and, well, goat-based.
Cajeta is made from goat’s milk like dulce de leche is made from cow’s milk, and while it isn’t hard to make yourself, I highly recommend buying it from a local vendor if you can.
Mine comes from Blue Heron Farm, which makes both regular and bourbon cajeta. Opt for the regular if you don’t want a clear bourbon flavor on your dessert or if you have kids eating it — it’s strong!
For the adults, though, this dessert is a showstopper. Using apple butter on top means you don’t need to worry about the top cracking. Any cracks will be covered, and extra apple butter can slide right down in there to fill the cracks cozily.
Bourbon Cajeta Apple Butter Goat Cheese Cheesecake is a mouthful to say, but you don’t have to say a word when you place this one on the table during the holidays!
This recipe is part of the November Progressive Eats!
Welcome to another edition of Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.
We have a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.
This month’s theme is Great Holiday Desserts hosted by Jenni Field at Pastry Chef Online. Cookies, Cakes, Pies and more for your holiday party planning!
Great Holiday Desserts
Cakes
- Brown Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon and Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake Roll
- Bourbon Cajeta Apple Butter Goat Cheese Cheesecake
- Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes
- Vanilla Rum-Chocolate Chestnut Saint Honoré
Desserts
Candies
Cookies
Pies and Tarts
Bourbon Cajeta Apple Goat Cheese Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces goat cheese, not crumbles, softened
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon bourbon, optional
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup cajeta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix together graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup sugar, and melted butter. Press into bottom and partway up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven to 325°F.
- Using a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and goat cheese until blended, then beat in lemon juice, bourbon (if using), and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, scrape down sides, and beat 1 minute more to make sure ingredients are fully incorporated and mixture is smooth.
- Pour batter into crust and bake for 50-60 minutes, until center is set.
- Let cool completely, then cover with apple butter. Loosen from springform and drizzle with cajeta just before serving.
You had me at Bourbon.
How perfect to pair a goat cheese cheesecake (one of my favorite things!) with cajeta! Gorgeous dessert. I would love to get my hands on some of that apple butter, not to mention the bourbon cajeta. Dang!
Oh, my gosh, that dripping caramelly topping just reeled me in! What an amazing cheesecake!!!
This looks out of this world amazing. I am such a cheesecake fanatic, I need to make this soon!
That looks so decadent and out of this world! Love the goat cheese and apple butter in your recipe.
OMG I really want a fork full of this! I love the idea of using goat cheese in a cheesecake – I can imagine the amazing tang it must have. I’ve never seen apple butter on cheesecake either, but apples and cheese are such a natural pairing that i don’t know why it isn’t more popular!
@Lauren I’ve seen it mixed into the cheesecake, but I think you lose the flavor a lot that way. This is SO good.
Oh my goodness! This sounds and looks amazing! Too many good things going on – caramel, bourbon, goat cheese. Wow!
I love everything about this cheese cake, especially the tangy goat cheese!
You had me at Bourbon.
@Rachel It makes everything better. Fact.
Ugh, you’re killing me with this cake. You know I love using fruit butters in desserts, and goat cheese cheesecake? Yes, please!
@Julie I normally send desserts to my husband’s work but I couldn’t bear to share this one. I had two slices in one day, which is totally not normal for me!
Good grief, Megan. That is a dessert worthy of the name!
Good grief, Megan. That is a dessert worthy of the name!
@Amber It’s probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever made and I have no regrets.
You are a genius, woman!