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Caramel apple cheesecake bars cut into squares with oat streusel and a caramel drizzle on a cutting board
Nancy Wilson

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

5 from 6 votes
Layered bars with a buttery crust, cream cheese filling, finely chopped cinnamon apples, oat streusel and a caramel drizzle. One 9x13-inch pan cuts into 24 bars.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting time (1 hour cooling, 2 hours chilling) 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
Cheesecake Filling
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple Layer
  • 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp 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
To Finish
  • 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking pan
  • Foil or parchment paper
  • Pastry blender or two forks
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Wire rack
  • Sharp knife
  • Instant read thermometer (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C, 160°C fan, gas mark 4). Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides, and grease lightly.
  2. Mix crust. Stir the crust flour and brown sugar together. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like damp crumbs.
  3. Bake crust. Press the crumbs evenly into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Keep the oven on.
  4. Make streusel. While the crust bakes, combine the streusel ingredients by hand until they form clumps. Chill for 15 minutes if the kitchen is warm.
  5. Beat filling. Beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, then the vanilla. Pour over the warm crust and spread level.
  6. Add apples. Toss the apples with 2 tbsp sugar, the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Spoon over the filling, leaving any juice in the bowl.
  7. Add streusel. Scatter the streusel evenly over the apples.
  8. Bake bars. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center barely jiggles (150°F in the middle). Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes if the top browns too fast.
  9. Drizzle caramel. Drizzle the caramel over the hot bars, or wait until serving for a crisper streusel.
  10. Cool and chill. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour, then chill for at least 2 hours. Lift out by the foil and cut into 24 bars, wiping the knife between cuts.

Notes

  • Pan and oven: a 9x13-inch pan is about 23x33 cm. 350°F is 180°C, 160°C fan, gas mark 4.
  • Thicker filling: use 24 oz cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla in the filling, and bake 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Weights (King Arthur conversions): crust 240 g flour, 106 g brown sugar and 227 g butter. Filling 454 g cream cheese. Streusel 213 g brown sugar, 120 g flour and 113 g butter.
  • Half batch: halve everything, use 1 egg and an 8x8-inch pan, and start checking at 25 minutes.
  • Doneness and cutting: the edges are set and the center barely jiggles. Chill fully before cutting for clean bars.
  • Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze without the caramel for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.