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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel apple cheesecake bars layer a buttery crust with smooth cheesecake, cinnamon-tossed Granny Smith apples, and a golden oat streusel. After chilling, they’re finished with warm caramel and cut into 16 bars.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Cooling and chilling 5 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 43 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 477
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour for the crust
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour for the streusel
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for the apples
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed, for the crust
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed, for the streusel
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted, for the crust
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed, for the streusel
For the filling
  • 2 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar for the filling
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar for the apples
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the apple layer
  • 3 cup Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon for the apples
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon for the streusel
For the streusel
  • 0.5 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
For the caramel topping
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides, and lightly grease the parchment.
  3. Whisk 2 cups of the flour with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and the salt.
  4. Stir in 3/4 cup melted butter until evenly moistened.
  5. Press the crust mixture firmly into an even layer in the prepared pan.
  6. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the crust looks dry and the edges are lightly golden.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes.
Make the filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Mix in the vanilla just until combined.
Make the apple layer
  1. Toss the diced apples with the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Make the streusel
  1. Stir together the remaining 1 cup flour, the oats, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  2. Work in 1/2 cup cold cubed butter with your fingertips or a fork until coarse clumps form.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread the filling over the warm crust.
  2. Distribute the apples evenly over the filling.
  3. Scatter the streusel on top.
  4. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the streusel is golden, the center is set, and the center of the filling reaches 160°F.
  5. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until thoroughly chilled.
Finish with caramel
  1. Warm the caramel sauce in a microwave-safe bowl in 10-second bursts, stirring until pourable.
  2. Drizzle the caramel over the chilled bars.
  3. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment.
  4. Cut into 16 bars.

Notes

For neat slices, chill the bars thoroughly and wipe the knife between cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze yes, wrapped well for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.