Remember when you were a kid, and the best desserts were the ones you could hold in your hand? I’m talking about ice cream cones, popsicles, and anything on a stick. As an adult, I still crave that playful, interactive joy in a dessert, but I want it to feel a little more sophisticated. That’s exactly how these Apple Cheesecake Tacos were born. I wanted to capture the cozy, comforting flavors of a classic apple cheesecake but present them in a way that was fun, shareable, and absolutely irresistible. By transforming a simple tortilla into a crispy, cinnamon sugar shell and filling it with creamy cheesecake fluff and homemade apple pie filling, I created a dessert that’s a total showstopper on any table but secretly easy enough for any weeknight treat. They’re the perfect conversation starter for parties and have quickly become my family’s most requested sweet.
Let me describe the delicious experience of biting into one. You start with the shell: a crispy, shatteringly delicate crunch that’s coated in a sweet, warm blanket of cinnamon sugar. Then, your teeth sink into the lusciously smooth, cool, and tangy cream cheese filling; it’s light as air yet rich like the best cheesecake. Finally, you hit the heart of the taco: the warm, spiced homemade apple pie filling. The apples are tender with a slight bite, swimming in a glossy, sweet and subtly spiced syrup that perfectly complements the creamy filling. It’s a perfect bite every time: crispy, creamy, juicy, sweet, and spiced, all held right in the palm of your hand.
Expert Tips & Tricks for Perfect Dessert Tacos
- The Hot Oil & Hot Shell Rule: For the cinnamon sugar to stick perfectly, you must coat the fried tortilla shells the second they come out of the oil. Have your cinnamon sugar mix ready in a wide bowl. The residual heat and slight oiliness act like glue for the coating. If the shells cool, the sugar won’t adhere.
- Keep Your Filling Cold & Your Apples Warm: For the best texture contrast, make the apple pie filling first and let it cool slightly. Then, make the cheesecake filling and keep it chilled until you’re ready to assemble. The contrast between the cool, creamy filling and the warm, spiced apples is magic.
- Pierce Air Bubbles: If you see a tortilla circle puffing up into a big bubble while frying, gently pierce it with the tip of a fork or tongs. This lets the steam escape and allows the shell to fold evenly into that perfect taco shape without cracking.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Make Ahead Components: You can prepare all the components 1-2 days ahead! Store the cooled apple pie filling and the cream cheese filling in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Store the unfilled, cooled taco shells in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Assembly & Storage: For the best texture, assemble the tacos no more than 1-2 hours before serving. Once assembled, they must be refrigerated. They will keep for up to 24 hours, but note: the shells will gradually soften from the fillings. They are still delicious, just less crispy.
- Freezing Instructions: I do not recommend freezing the fully assembled tacos. However, you can freeze the unfilled, baked or fried taco shells in a single layer in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Re crisp in a 350°F oven for a few minutes before filling.
Step by Step Instructions
1Make the Shells: Mix ½ cup brown sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Use a 3.5-4 inch round cutter (or a glass and knife) to cut circles from 6 large flour tortillas.
2Fry & Shape: Heat 1 inch of neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) in a deep skillet to 350°F-375°F (medium heat). Fry one tortilla circle for 10-15 seconds per side until it just starts to puff. Using tongs, carefully fold it in half to form a taco shape and hold it in the oil for another 20-30 seconds until golden and crisp. Drain briefly on paper towels for 2-3 seconds.
3Coat & Set: Immediately dredge the hot shell in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating both the inside and outside. Place the shell in the cups of an upside down muffin tin to hold its shape as it cools. Repeat with all circles.
4Make the Apple Filling: In a saucepan, whisk together 1 cup water, ⅛ cup cornstarch, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add 2 large diced apples (peeled) and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until apples are tender. Remove from heat and let cool.
5Make the Cheesecake Filling: Using a hand mixer, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup of cold heavy cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form and the mixture is thick and spreadable.
6Assemble: Transfer the cheesecake filling to a piping bag or a zip top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe a generous layer into each cooled taco shell. Top with a spoonful of the cooled (or slightly warm) apple pie filling.
7Serve: Serve immediately for the crispiest shells, or chill briefly before serving.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Gluten Free: Use certified gluten free flour tortillas to make the entire recipe gluten free.
- Dairy Free/Vegan: For the filling, use vegan cream cheese and coconut cream (chilled solid part from a can) instead of heavy cream. For the shell, use a plant based butter if opting for the baked method.
- Baked Shell Shortcut: To avoid frying, brush tortilla circles with melted butter, coat in cinnamon sugar, drape over the bars of an oven rack or place in an upside down muffin tin, and bake at 400°F for 5-7 minutes until crisp.
- Filling Variations: Don’t like apples? Use any canned or homemade pie filling; cherry, blueberry, or strawberry are all fantastic. You can also skip cooking and use thinly sliced fresh strawberries or peaches tossed in a little sugar.
Serving Suggestions
These tacos are a complete dessert on their own! For an over the top treat, serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Drizzling with caramel sauce or dulce de leche takes them to another level. They’re perfect for a fun dessert bar at parties; set out the shells, fillings, and toppings and let guests build their own! Pair with a cup of coffee, a glass of cold milk, or a sweet dessert wine like Moscato.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Can I make these without frying? (Air Fryer/Oven?)
- A: Yes! For a lighter version, brush the tortilla circles with melted butter, coat in cinnamon sugar, and shape them over the bars of an oven rack or in an upside down muffin tin. Bake at 400°F for 5-7 minutes until crisp. You can also air fry them at 375°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Q: How do I keep the shells crispy after filling?
- A: The shells will eventually soften from the moisture of the fillings. The key is to assemble as close to serving time as possible. You can also apply a “moisture barrier” by brushing the inside of the cooled shell with a thin layer of melted chocolate and letting it set before adding the cream filling.
- Q: My cream cheese filling is runny. What happened?
- A: This usually means your cream cheese was too warm or your heavy cream wasn’t cold enough. Ensure both are very cold before whipping. If it’s runny, you can try chilling the whole mixture for 20 minutes and re whipping, but starting with cold ingredients is the best fix.
Recommended Equipment
- 3.5-4 Inch Round Cutter: For perfectly uniform taco shells. A wide mouth glass works in a pinch.
- Deep Skillet or Dutch Oven: For frying the tortilla shells safely with enough oil depth.
- Candy/Deep Fry Thermometer: Crucial for maintaining the correct oil temperature (350°F-375°F) to ensure crispy, not greasy, shells.
- Upside Down Muffin Tin: The perfect tool for holding the folded shells in shape as they cool and set.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: For whipping the heavy cream and cream cheese into a light, fluffy filling.
Irresistible Apple Cheesecake Tacos (Easy & Fun!)
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Sugar Shells:
- 6 large 10 inch flour tortillas
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Neutral oil like vegetable or canola, for frying
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 oz one block full fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Apple Pie Filling:
- 2 large tart apples like Granny Smith, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅛ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make Shells: Mix ½ cup brown sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon in a bowl. Cut tortillas into 3.5-4 inch circles using a cutter or glass.
- Fry & Shape: Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep skillet to 350°F-375°F. Fry one tortilla circle for 10-15 seconds per side until pliable. Fold in half with tongs to form a taco shape and hold in oil until golden and crisp (20-30 sec more). Drain on paper towels for 2-3 seconds.
- Coat: Immediately dredge the hot shell in the cinnamon sugar mix, coating inside and out. Place in an upside down muffin tin to cool. Repeat.
- Make Apple Filling: In a saucepan, whisk water, cornstarch, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until thickened (2-3 min). Add diced apples and ½ tsp vanilla. Simmer 8-10 min until apples are tender. Let cool slightly.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add cold heavy cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat on medium high until stiff peaks form and mixture is thick (2-3 min).
- Assemble: Pipe or spoon cheesecake filling into each cooled shell. Top with a spoonful of apple pie filling.
- Serve: Serve immediately for crisp shells, or chill briefly before serving.
