Description
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a creamy, crunchy fall dessert packed with apples, cinnamon, and rich caramel on a graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the crust:
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup melted butter
- For the cheesecake layer:
- 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the apple layer:
- 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- For the streusel topping:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cold butter, cubed
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- For topping:
- ½ cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan to form a crust. Bake for 8–10 minutes and let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until fully combined. Pour over the crust.
- In a separate bowl, toss diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread over the cheesecake layer.
- For streusel, combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the center is set. Cool completely, then chill for at least 2 hours.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce before slicing and serving.
Notes
- To prevent apples from browning, toss them with a little lemon juice before adding to the cheesecake layer.
- Use firm apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith for best texture in the bars.
- Chilling for at least 2 hours helps the bars set for clean slicing.
- If you prefer a saucier finish, drizzle additional caramel sauce on top just before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, caramel apple bars, apple cheesecake bars, fall dessert, cheesecake bars