Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

A delicious combination of creamy cheesecake, tart Granny Smith apples, buttery streusel, and sweet caramel! These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are the perfect fall-inspired dessert, with layers of rich cheesecake and spiced apples nestled over a buttery crust and finished with a golden oat streusel and a drizzle of caramel.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1½ sticks cold butter, cut into square pats

Cheesecake Layer

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Apple Layer

• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup quick-cooking oats

• 1 stick butter, softened

  
  

Optional Topping

• Caramel sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Add the cold butter and cut it into the mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly.

Press the crust mixture evenly into a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well to combine after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the warm crust.

In a small bowl, combine the chopped apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until the apples are evenly coated, then spoon the apple mixture over the cheesecake layer.

To prepare the streusel, combine the brown sugar, flour, and oats in a bowl. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apple and cheesecake layers.

Bake for 30–45 minutes, or until the cheesecake filling is set.

Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving for an extra-sweet finish.