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Caramel Apple Dessert Cups

Caramel apple dessert cups with spiced apple compote, a tangy cream cheese mousse, graham cracker crumble, and caramel drizzle layered in clear cups. Medium-heat apple cooking turns the fruit syrupy, then the cups chill for clean, creamy layers.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For spiced apple compote
  • 4 apples Peeled and diced small.
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp butter
For cream cheese mousse
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
For assembly
  • 1.5 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tbsp butter Melted.
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook spiced apple compote
  1. In a Dutch oven, cook diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Visual cue: the juices should thicken into a glossy caramel-like coating on the apples.
  2. Remove from heat and cool the apple compote completely to room temperature. Visual cue: it should thicken slightly and stop steaming before layering.
Make graham cracker crumble
  1. Stir graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Visual cue: the mixture should look sandy and clump slightly when pressed.
Make cream cheese mousse
  1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth and lump-free. Visual cue: the mixture should be silky and thick.
  2. Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture until no streaks remain. Visual cue: the mousse should hold shape with a spoon and look airy.
Assemble and chill
  1. Layer into cups: graham cracker crumble, cream cheese mousse, spiced apple compote, then a drizzle of caramel sauce, and repeat the layers once more. Visual cue: you should clearly see each layer through the glass sides.
  2. Refrigerate the assembled cups for 30 minutes before serving. Visual cue: the mousse should firm up so layers look neat when the cups are lifted.

Notes

For the cleanest layers, cool the apple compote completely before assembling so the mousse doesn’t loosen. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days (freezing not recommended due to mousse texture). Dietary swap: use a lower-fat cream cheese or light cream to reduce calories while keeping the same layering.