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!
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
made this cheesecake last Christmas and my family there is 10 of us went crazy over it ,, in the oven now for this Christmas , thanks for the recipe huge success and Merry Christmas to you from Ontario Canada
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season!
Are the sticks of butter, a 1/2 cup or 1 cup sticks??
They are 1/2 cup per stick. I hope this helps!
Hello. This recipe sounds so delicious. Is the crust crunchy or soft? I like a crunchy crust so I want to make sure before I make it.
It’s soft due to the moisture from the cheesecake.
Can you bake this in a spring form pan? Do I need to change degrees or minutes cooked?
Did this work with a spring pan? Any difference in the baking tome?
Thank you!!!!
Just wondering if cheese mixture and Apple topping all go in the oven at the same time, baking it now..very soon..
Yes they do!
I have yet to see a reply about a spring pan. Does anyone know??
I have only made this as written so I can’t say for sure.
So this bakes all together after it’s been layered? Just looks like the cheese step is baked b/4 the Apple topping… Please advise…
Yes, this bakes after it’s all been layered (the apples bake so they soften). Enoy!
Thank you!!!!
You’re welcome!
In my oven right, can’t wait to try it…lots of steps but quite easy to make…
I made this dish for a church gathering. Very good and empty dish back home we went. Will make again with a different topping. Love it.
That’s wonderful Pam!
Love caramel…..love apples….could taste this recipe as I was writing it out…..cant wait to try it…..mmmmmgood
Im not one to follow a recipe with a lot of step, but these steps were very easy and simple. Made for church function. Brought back empty. Will make again, but with a different topping.
I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Best recipes I’ve made in a long time simply delicious
omg it was soooo good, if I had to describe my first taste of it? Foodgasm!!!!
only one comment…OMG!!!!
LOL. So glad you loved it Pam! :)
This recipe was delicious. I just made it and it was so easy. I will be making it again and again this fall.
I”m so glad you enjoyed it Laura!
Terrific recipe! Great reviews :) I am making again… 2nd time in two weeks.
Nvm it looks delish. Imma try it this weekend
5 star caramel apple cheesecake, dreamy!
Holy cow this looks good and fairly easy!! Gonna try!!
It looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks, for posting!
Do you have to use the foil?
You could use parchment paper instead of foil Debra!