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This easy recipe for caramel apple cheesecake bars rivals any you’ve ever had before and they’re so easy to make!
These bars have a decadent cheesecake layer topped with an apple filling and a crumble topping. The perfect fall dessert.
An Easy Fall Dessert!
Meet your new favorite make ahead dessert recipe – Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars!
- These elegant little bars are a mashup of apple pie and cheesecake.
- It can be made ahead of time making them party perfect.
- You likely have most of the ingredients on hand.
- While there is some baking time, the steps are very easy.
- This is a handheld version of our favorite apple pie cheesecake.
Ingredients
CRUST – This recipe starts with a shortbread style crust that’s just a little bit more sturdy than a traditional shortbread recipe. Flour, sugar, and butter are all it takes!
CHEESECAKE – Like any cheesecake recipe, the cheesecake layer has cream cheese, sugar, and eggs. This recipe is easy and doesn’t need any special techniques (like a water bath).
APPLES – We love Granny Smith apples for their bright, tart flavor and how well they hold up to baking. Mix them with a bit of sugar and some apple pie spice or cinnamnon.
CRUMBLE – A buttery crumble topping takes this recipe over the top. It adds just a the right amount of crunch over the apples. Add in a handful of chopped pecans if you’d like.
To service, drizzle these with homemade caramel sauce.
How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
This is a brief overview of the steps you’ll take for this recipe.
- Make the crust by combining the ingredients per the recipe below. Press into a prepared pan and bake.
- While the crust is baking, mix the cheesecake ingredients together. Pour over the crust.
- Top with the apple mixture and the crumble topping. Bake per the recipe below.
Tips for Perfect Cheesecake
- If the crust ingredients are powdery, they are not mixed enough. Continue mixing until it holds together when pressed.
- Ensure ingredients (cream cheese and eggs) are at room temperature.
- If you’d prefer you can use a graham crust in this recipe. Prepare as directed and press into the pan.
- Line the pan with parchment paper to make the bars easy to lift out and cut.
- Cool completely before cutting.
Individual bars can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month.
Amazing Apple Desserts
- Homemade Apple Crisp Recipe – baked until tender and golden
- Dutch Apple Pie – perfect holiday dessert
- Apple Dumplings – delicious with ice cream
- Homemade Apple Crumble – loaded with fresh apples
- Baked Apples – so simple to make
Did your family love these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
Filling
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Apple Mixture
- 2 granny smith apples peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup quick oats
- ¼ cup butter softened
- caramel topping to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9X9 baking pan with aluminum foil, be sure to leave overhang on all four sides.
Crust
- Combine flour and sugar in a medium-sized bowl and cut in butter with 2 forks or a pastry blender until crumbly. Press mixture into prepared pan & bake for 15-20 minutes.
Filling
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing to combine. Pour mixture onto baked crust.
Apple Mixture
- In a medium bowl, toss apples, sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg until combined. Sprinkle apple pieces evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Topping
- Combine brown sugar, flour, quick oats, and softened butter in a medium bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple layer.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is set. (You can check it by just slightly jiggling the pan). Allow to cool and then place in refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove from pan and cut into 16 even-sized bars. Drizzle with caramel topping.
Notes
- If the crust ingredients are powdery, they are not mixed enough. Continue mixing until it holds together when pressed.
- Ensure ingredients (cream cheese and eggs) are at room temperature.
- If you'd prefer you can use a graham crust in this recipe. Prepare as directed and press into the pan.
- Line the pan with parchment paper to make the bars easy to lift out and cut.
- Cool completely before cutting.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cake, Dessert
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Recipe adapted from Paula Deen
I made this dessert for our Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, everyone loved the squares even though I forgot to add the flour to the topping. My only wish is that the recipe would make a bigger pan as I have a fair sized family.
All in all it was an amazing treat very much unlike the usual Thanksgiving desserts. I will definitely be making this again.