Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars start with a shortbread crust, a thick cheesecake layer, and are topped with diced cinnamon apples and a sweet streusel topping. These are a tried and true cheesecake bar dessert recipe.
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CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS
WHAT ARE IN THESE BARS?
These have a flaky shortbread crust, a simple cheesecake filling, and has cinnamon apples and a brown sugar streusel on top. Drizzle caramel sauce on top when serving. I like Mrs. Richardson’s caramel or any other brand that’s on the thicker side.
WHAT KIND OF APPLES SHOULD I USE?
I use Granny Smith green apples because they are a little more tart and the recipe is on the sweet side so it balances out. You can really use any apple you have on hand.
Add some cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg to the apples.
The cheesecake layer goes on top of the shortbread crust.
Add the seasoned apples on top!
The crumble on top is pretty simple with some flour, brown sugar, oats, and butter.
Seems thick but melts down.
You know it’s done when it’s nice and golden brown.
You can add the caramel on top right before serving or before you chill them. This recipe is always requested any time I bring it anywhere.
HOW DO I STORE THESE?
After you have baked the bars let them cool to room temperature then store in the fridge up to 5 days. Some people like to eat these warm as well.
CAN I FREEZE THESE CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS?
Absolutely. You can freeze these caramel apple cheesecake bars up to four months. Just like most cheesecakes, this recipe freezes well. Just make sure to save the caramel topping for when serving.
OTHER APPLE RECIPES:
- Salted Caramel Apple Cups
- Apple Pie Caramel Apple
- Apple Pudding Cake
- Apple Crisp Pizza
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Apple Crisp Cheese Danish
- Appledoodles
- Apple Salad
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling:
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples:
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped, (about 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
Drizzle:
- 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or food processor (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan that is greased or lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
- In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
- For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture. You can't use a food processor because it will grind up the oats.
- Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Let bars come to room temperature then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be frozen up to 4 months.
- Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!
Video
Notes
This recipe is amazing! I’m wondering if you have any thoughts about using a bigger pan? They turned out a bit thick and I wanted more of bar. Thanks for advice.
This may be the BEST thing I have ever baked. It is sooooo good. Normally I am a huge sweet tooth, but these are so rich and sweet I can barely eat more than one (probably a good thing, lol).
My only question is, the crust on mine is very hard to cut. It tastes fantastic, but it’s so hard to get out of the pan! Do you think I pressed it in too much? Or maybe I didn’t mix it well enough and the butter solidified towards the bottom? Any pointers will help! I plan on bringing these to the next holiday party. 🙂
Did you line the pan with parchment? THat helps the crust slide out
I have made this recipe several times and is ALWAYS a hit! I make homemade caramel to drizzle on the top to make that much more tasty!
Aww thank you!
Best cheesecake I’ve ever had!
Thank you!
Is the butter supposed to be salted? Can’t wait to make this.
You can use either. It’s a sweet dish so salted would be great.
I’m looking to make these for a Friendsgiving this weekend! Do the apples need to be sautéed first?? I’m just worried about them coming out hard if I don’t.
Nope they don’t. They’ll cook!
Can you make the crust/cheesecake a day ahead?
Yes! You can make the whole thing a day ahead
I’d make this again in a heart beat! I made this tonight for my cosmetology school’s Fall party tomorrow and my husband and I snuck some of it after it had cooled off and omg! DELICIOUS!! The girls have been very excited for me to make this and they are in for a TREAT!! All I did different was add 1/4 cup more sugar to my cheesecake mixture and not quite as much butter as called for!
So glad you liked it!
Everyone in our Sat. night get together liked this. My only issue is that the soften butter did not cut into the flour and it didn’t come out like I thought it should. The next time I will use my crust that I use for another dessert and see if that makes a difference. All in all a really good dessert. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry Gail. It does take some patience to cut it in
Made these for a weekend with friends….these were a HIT! Everyone couldn’t get over how good they were. People had seconds! Will be making again. Thank you
Thank you!
The recipe was easy and a lot of fun to make with my kids. It was really good but I did think the streusel topping was almost too much you almost couldn’t enjoy the cheesecake and apple part. We are going to try it again without it but all in all it was really good and a nice way to kick off fall and use our apples from apple picking.
These were delicious, but next time I think I’ll make my own homemade caramel to top it off. It did take more prep time than I thought it would, but the end result was worth the effort!
Thank you!
Won third place in our dessert contest with this recipe!
That. Is. Awesome!
This recipe did not disappoint! The best of flavors – apple pie and cheesecake with the bit of crunch from the top layer of struesel yum!
Thank you!
I made these for my daughter in a 9×13 pan sprayed with PAM. She is telling me that the crust is glued to the bottom and the bars are coming out in chunks. Is there any way to salvage this? It was my first time making them.
Sorry! I’m not sure what happened. In the future you can use parchment paper.
What size pan to use for the above measurements and timing?
If I double the recipe, what size pan and baking time?
Thanks!!
The directions list a 9×13 and have the cooking times!