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CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS
These caramel apple cheesecake bars are everything you love about Fall! Warm spices, creamy cheesecake, a shortbread crust, brown sugar streusel topping, and of course cinnamon sugar coated apples.
This recipe has a few steps but it’s totally worth it. And since no one can seem to find pumpkin right now, go ahead and make this delicious apple dessert instead!
Don’t forget that caramel drizzle on top. I go the easy route and just buy some caramel ice cream syrup. But you could make your own homemade caramel sauce if wanted.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS
All-Purpose Flour, Brown Sugar, Cold Butter – This makes the shortbread crust. Make sure the butter is cold when you use it.
Cream Cheese, Granulated Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Eggs – Combine these together to make the cheesecake filling. To avoid lumps in the batter make sure that the cream cheese is softened well before adding.
Granny Smith Apples, Granulated Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg – Peel & chop the apples up into really small pieces and coat them in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
All-Purpose Flour, Brown Sugar, Oats, Cold Butter – Mix this up until thick crumbs form. This is the streusel topping.
Caramel Sauce or Syrup – I just buy some caramel ice cream syrup but feel free to make your own if wanted.
HOW TO MAKE THIS APPLE DESSERT RECIPE
- Combine the crust ingredients into a small bowl and mix until it’s crumbly. It’s easiest to do this with your hands or you can use a pastry cutter. Press this into the greased pan and bake.
- While the crust is baking prepare the cheesecake filling. Combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla and beat together until combined well and creamy. Pour this over the crust. No need to cool the crust before doing this.
- Stir together the chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Layer the apples over the cheesecake.
- For the final layer, mix together the streusel ingredients and evenly sprinkle it over the apples.
- Bake the caramel apple cheesecake bars. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the bars after baking.
- Let the bars cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3-4 hours before cutting and serving.
MY TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Cut the apples really small! If they are too big they will not cook in the bake time and you will end up with crispy/almost raw apples in the cheesecake bars. About the size of frozen peas or corn is what I aim for when I make this.
- For best taste and texture use full-fat, real cream cheese.
- The crust mixture will seem dry as you are mixing it but once you press it into the pan it will hold together and stay. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into the pan tightly.
- Plan ahead! These bars have to cool on the counter top for 1 hour after baking + 3-4 hours refrigeration time before cutting and serving. They need the fridge time so the cheesecake forms together and so the bars will cut nicely.
YOU WILL LOVE THESE OTHER APPLE DESSERT RECIPES
Simple Apple Crisp – An apple crisp with an easy shortbread crisp topping. If you love simple apple crisp without the mile high oatmeal topping then you will love this version. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble – Tart & sweet apples with an oatmeal cookie crumble topping. I make this every Fall! It’s one of my personal favorite apple desserts. Serve this one with vanilla ice cream as well. Maybe even some caramel sauce too!
Caramel Apple Muffins – Chunks of apple and caramel bits in a muffin that’s coated in a buttery cinnamon & sugar topping.
Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler – Apples coated in cinnamon and sugar and topped with a sugar cookie mix on top!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 12 tablespoons cold butter cubed small
Cheesecake
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Apples
- 3 granny smith apples peeled and chopped very small
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Streusel Topping
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 5 tablespoons cold butter cubed small
- caramel syrup/sauce drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. You can also use parchment paper and spray the parchment paper. Set aside. * I use parchment paper because then you can just lift the bars out of the pan (by the overhang of the parchment paper) this makes it easier to cut the bars if they're out of the pan.
- MAKE THE CRUST : In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or hands to mix until crumbly. Press into the baking pan. Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
- While the crust is baking MAKE THE CHEESECAKE : Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs into a bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, and beat together until smooth and combined. MAKE THE CINNAMON SUGAR APPLES : Combine the peeled and chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a small bowl. Mix together until all the apples are coated.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooked crust and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the apples over the cheesecake. *No need to cool the crust before adding the cheesecake & apples.
- MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING : Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and cold butter into a small bowl. Use a pasty cutter, or your hands, to mix it together until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes. The edges should be done and slightly pulled away from the edges of the pan. The middle should be soft set but not wiggly (which means raw batter).
- Remove from oven and put on a cooling rack. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the bars and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover the dish and put in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Cut into bars and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone really liked it. I made it gluten free. The only other change I made was to melt the butter for the crumb topping. Will definitely make this again.
So glad you all loved this. Thanks for coming back to leave your review and rating 🙂
Can these be made the day prior if kept in the fridge? I’m planning to make for a late Thanksgiving meal on Saturday, but it would
Help to prep on Friday.
That should work out great! I would suggest pulling them out of the fridge ahead of time so they’re not too cold when served.
Made this in a large spring form pan and served as small cheesecake slices – it was a hit! Even with several other desserts on the table for Thanksgiving, everyone had a piece. Thanks!
Is this recipe able to be frozen?
Dairy usually does not freeze well so I would say no, but I’ve never tried it so maybe it would work.
Dairy actually freezes well. Milk, whipping cream, cheese, all of it!
I think it’s just preference. Yes it freezes but I don’t like the texture of it (anything dairy) after it’s thawed… These could freeze just fine but I always feel like I have to give a disclaimer cause I don’t want someone to thaw it and then hate it 🙂
Can i use canned apples for this recipe
I am sure it would work, maybe just be sure and drain the juice from the pie filling so it’s not too wet… I have never tried it so I can’t say for certain.
This recipe was the best! So many layers and flavors rolled into one. Perfect for my friend’s Fall birthday. Everyone LOVED it.
How long ro you bake the crust for intially(1st step) and what temp?
You can find this information in the recipe card 🙂 Enjoy!
LOVE this recipe so much and definitely will be making it again! I love apples but while eating it I was thinking it may be tasty with other fruits as well. Do you think this recipe may work with maybe berries instead? Not sure if they will bake as well as the apples and was wondering if you had any thoughts on this. Thanks again for this addicting recipe 🙂
Berries usually give off more water so not sure berries would work. But then again, maybe they would! I’ve only ever tried this recipe with the apples 🙂
These are so delicious and easy to make, I will be making these alot
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
I always use salted butter for everything. Never even buy unsalted. You can use unsalted butter and just add about 1/4 teaspoon extra salt to the recipe. Hope that helps.
Soooooo good and soooooo rich! It does take quite a bit of prep but the end result is worth it. I love cheesecake, apple crisp and shortbread and this is all of that in one pan. Will definitely make it again.
Caramel Drizzle? Did I miss this part of the recipe? Please provide ingredients and directions. Thank you.
I just buy a squeeze container of caramel ice cream syrup topping and drizzle that over top. No recipe for it. It’s just from the store.
I replaced the oats with apple cinnamon oatmeal 3pkgs was equivalent to 1/4 c and came out amazing
Delicious! My husband and neighbors I shared with loved as well!
5 stars for flavor, but three stars for the directions. It’s rich and delicious and I will make it again. Do not wait to prepare the other layers while the crust is baking. Have them all or mostly prepared beforehand. I may reduce the bake time on the crust. It came out dense and difficult to cut through.
I cut the recipe in half and baked in an 8×8. Topped with homemade caramel sauce. Amazing! Perfect texture and flavor balance. Baked up beautifully. Everyone loved it!
Have you tried any other fruit like blueberries or peaches?
I have not. I think blueberries and peaches would probably give off to much liquid/juices while baking. That’s just my guess based on other fruit recipes I have made.
where is the caramel sauce? did I miss it’s ingredients?
Good question! I just buy a ice cream topping caramel sauce and use that or you can make your own. I suggest this recipe- https://www.creationsbykara.com/copycat-leatherbys-homemade-caramel-sauce/
Can this recipe be made the night before serving?
Yes! This is a great recipe to make the night before.
Could I add pecans to the topping? If so, how much? Thanks! Can’t wait to make this for thanksgiving this year
That’s a great idea! Honestly, it comes down to personal preference but I would say start with a cup. Make sure they’re chopped!
Hi! Excited to try this recipe. What type of pan did you use to bake it in? Thank you!
Hello! I used a 9×13 pan.
Is it better to make it same day or can you make it night before and still be good?
You can make these the night before and they would still be good the next day.
DELICIOUS! Huge hit at my house for Thanksgiving dessert, and easy to make! I will be making these again soon!
Thank you Tara! Glad it was a hit!
I’m so sad. I made this last night and let cool 1 hour and forgot to refrigerate it before going to bed. It is in the fridge now but is it edible? I mostly worry because of the egg. Unfortunately don’t have time to remake. Hali
I’m so sorry! I hate when I forget to put food in the fridge!
Followed the receipe. not nearly enough apples, and I used 4. crust was good. Will not make again.
Sorry to hear that. Glad you liked the crust!
My 14 year old daughter and I made these bars together . We prepped all the 4 components before baking the crust . These bars are heavenly. So so delicious !
Love to hear of families baking together! So glad you liked them!
I made these bars this weekend & they were amazing. The only add I made was to add 1 tsp apple liqueur to the chopped apples and 1 tsp. to the cheesecake batter. I made everything in the food processor. I made the base first & then the crumble & finally the cheesecake filling. Turned out great. Would definitely make it again.
Love the tip of adding the apple liqueur- thanks for sharing!
Such a wonderful recipe, Thank you! I made these for a church function! Everyone seemed to really love them! Made them the day before and they were perfect. Will definitely be making them again and may try to make them Gluten Free
How long would you bake it, if you cut the recipe in half and baked in an 8×8 baking dish? Thank you!
It should be about the same bake time as what the recipe calls for. Maybe a few minutes less but it should be around the same time. I would recommend setting the time for like 5-10 minutes less than the time called for in the recipe and check it from there.