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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a heavenly combination of buttery shortbread, topped with decadent cheesecake, tantalizing apple filling, crunchy sweet streusel and drizzled with ooey caramel on top. Nothing says here comes fall quite like these!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are the perfect way to serve rich luscious cheesecake in the palm of your hand. I love serving these and others winners like Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars, Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars, and Lemon Cheesecake Bars. They are always the first to go at a party or dinner.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Talk about a powerhouse dessert. This Caramel Apple Cheesecake bar has it all. Buttery melt in your mouth shortbread crust is just the beginning. Creamy smooth cream cheese layers on top for a delicious middle. Next spiced apple filling is spread on top and covered in a crumbly sweet streusel topping. After these cool the whole thing is drizzled with a caramel topping perfectly combining all the flavors into an explosion of home baked goodness in your mouth.
These are so extravagant yet so homey you can take and serve them anywhere. From your dinner table to the potluck to the work party, these are perfect. The balance of the tart apples goes perfectly with the tangy cream cheese filling. The crumb topping with caramel will make everyone want the recipe so be prepared with copies.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars Ingredients:
The list may look long, but it’s not complicated at all, it’s just simple sweet elegance.
- Flour: All purpose or bread flour work for this recipe
- Brown Sugar: Try dark brown sugar for more of a rich flavor
- Butter: Be sure to soften the butter for easy mixing.
- Cream Cheese: Low fat cream cheese will work here but I wouldn’t recommend non fat.
- Eggs: Make sure to get Large eggs.
- Vanilla: Helps sweeten the cream cheese.
- Granny Smith Apples: The tartness of granny smiths pairs perfectly with the caramel.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds spice and warmth.
- Ground Nutmeg: Makes everything taste like fall.
- Caramel Topping: Use your favorite caramel topping or make your own.
Streusel Topping:
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark will work beautifully.
- Flour: Needed to help make that crumb texture.
- Quick Cooking Oats: Make sure they’re not rolled oats.
- Butter: Don’t substitute shortening or margarine here. You want that clean smooth buttery taste in your crumb.
How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars:
This a simple recipe, it just takes a little time but it’s easy to do.
- Line: Line your 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray to make removal of the bars easier. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine and Bake: Mix the flour and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut in the butter till mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of your pan and bake for 15 min till lightly brown.
- Beat: In another bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed till smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time wand the vanilla. Mix well and pour over warm crust
- Apple Filling: In a small bowl combine the apples, two Tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and spoon over the cream cheese layer.
- Streusel: Combine brown sugar, flour, oats and butter till crumbly and sprinkle over the apple layer.
- Bake: Bake for 30 min. until filling is set. After cooking drizzle with caramel topping.
Hints for Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars:
This delicious caramel apple cheesecake dessert has all of the amazing flavors of fall combined into it. The best part is the caramel drizzled on top! Now drool. 🙂
- Apples: Cut the apples up into pea sized pieces. This ensures they’ll cook and be easier to eat. If you don’t have Granny Smith apples you can use Jonathan, Jonagold, or even Fugi.The taste will be slightly more sweet however.
- Streusel: Don’t melt the butter, keep it cold, but a little soft to ensure you get that nice crumbly texture. Use two knives or a fork to work the butter in if you don’t have a pastry cutter. Use a measuring cup or your hands to press evenly into the pan.
- Cream Cheese: You can use either full fat or 1/3 less fat cream cheese, however the full fat will give you a slightly thicker batter. Try adding a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the cream cheese mixture to add a little bit more flavor.
- Prepare: These do take time to prepare, bake, cook and then cool for an hour all before you refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.So before serving these amazing bars make sure you plan accordingly, It will be worth it. I promise.
How to Store Cheesecake Bars:
- Refrigerator: Cover bars tightly with foil or place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Freezer: Cheesecake has always frozen well and these are no exception. Before freezing do not but the caramel sauce on. It doesn’t freeze quite as well. Place the bars in an airtight container, or freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over night or at least for 4-5 hours. When ready to serve drizzle with the caramel sauce.
More Tempting Caramel Apple Recipes:
There is nothing like biting into a crisp fall apple that has been dipped in caramel. Try these for more caramel apple deliciousness:
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Delicious Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Butter Bars
- Dutch Caramel Apple Pie Bars
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup caramel topping
Streusel topping:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 cup butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. This makes removal of the bars easier.
- In a medium sized bowl combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of your 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- In a large mixing bowl beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese, 1/2 sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust. In a small bowl combine apples, remaining 2 Tbs sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon evenly on top of the cheesecake layer.
- Combine brown sugar, flour, cooking oats and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel topping over the apple layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes until filling is set. Allow to cool and drizzle with caramel topping.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These sound absolutely scrumptious! And yes, they combine all of the yummy flavors we associate with cooler fall days. I’m definitely going to make these soon!
But I do have a question/comment on your directions, as do at least a few of your other fans, as reflected in their comments and questions. Fairly early on in your post, where you warn that this recipe requires quite an investment of time and go on to highlight the need to plan ahead, you mention allowing the baked bars to cool for an hour and then refrigerating them for at least 3 hours before serving. But the actual recipe itself at the end of the post doesn’t mention refrigerating these bars before serving, except with regard to storing leftover bars.
Please clarify, hopefully before I pin ot or print it 😉 And keep up the great work! My very best recipes have come from you!!
Do the left overs need to be refrigerated or can they stay out on a counter? i am thinking about making and shipping these to a friend.
I would refrigerate them. 🙂
Baked this bars this afternoon & it’s die for. Scrumptious , crunchy base & topping.I half the recipe using 8 x 8 inch square pan baked for 25 mins.Drizzle with my homemade salted caramel sauce. Thank you for the recipe.
made! Good except for you you need two cups of flour for the base or its all gross and mushy
Hi. Did you let these cool completely at room temperature, put in the refrigerator, or serve them slightly warm? Just asking, because I just made them and I feel like I should not try to do anything just yet because they are so hot. However, maybe I just need to wait until tomorrow or a few hours? I am not sure if they need to be served chilled or not. Thanks.