Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars! A buttery shortbread crust, creamy cheesecake, fresh apples, streusel topping, and rich caramel, this easy recipe is an irresistible autumn treat. Perfect for gatherings or a cozy dessert night!
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Pin RecipeThe Best Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe
There’s nothing quite like the creamy texture of these homemade caramel apple cheesecake bars. And after just one bite, it’s a safe bet that this might be your new favorite recipe for fall dessert! The rich flavors are out of this world good!
You’re not going to believe how easy this cheesecake recipe is. Not only are you making the crust and cheesecake filling from scratch, but you’re also making the crumb topping, which is super easy to make!
This might be the best caramel apple cheesecake ever because it uses real apples and jarred caramel sauce in the recipe – it really is an easy cake recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
For the entire recipe and ingredient amounts – see the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This is a must to get that delicious fall flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Apples – You can choose any type of apples that you want.
- Sugar – I like to use unsalted butter when I’m baking desserts.
- Eggs
- Butter
- Cream cheese – Let it get to room temperature before using.
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Caramel topping
- Quick-cooking oats – Use instant oats, which are key to topping.
Directions For How To Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- 1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- 2. Combine: First, in a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13X9 pan or cookie sheet with edges. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Mix: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Next, add in the vanilla. Mix until combined. Pour over the warm crust.
- Stir: Next, in a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
- Make the crumb topping: Combine flour, oats, and brown sugar for a crumb topping in another small bowl. Add cubed butter and combine. Crumble over cream cheese mixture.
- Bake: Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and store in the fridge. Don’t be scared to add some vanilla ice cream to the apple topping.
Variations
- You can really use any type of apples that you have at home or from your local orchard. I vary up the diced apples all the time. Granny Smith apples add a wonderful tangy flavor!
- The crumble-type topping on the top of this cheesecake is so easy to make and so delicious. It’s the perfect topping for these delicious cheesecake squares. Streusel topping just might be my favorite part of this simple, crisp fall apple dessert.
Quick Tip
- Make certain that your cream cheese is softened before using it. Otherwise, your cheesecake is going to be lumpy.
- Use cold butter to make the crust AND the crumb topping. It will form the best crust!
- Make sure to keep these dessert bars in the refrigerator because cream cheese needs to be kept cold to keep it from going bad.
FAQs
There are so many great apple choices. Fuji apples, Gala apples, and even Honeycrisp are all sweet and delicious choices.
Due to the ingredients that are added, you need to make certain that you add them to the fridge with a lid to keep them covered.
The caramel sauce is amazing, but I also think that adding on some mini chocolate chips or even a drizzle of hot fudge could really take the flavor over the top.
Caramel Apple Cheese Cake Bars Recipes
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Golden Delicious apples
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar divided
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, cold
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 jar caramel topping
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, cold
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- First, in a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13X9 pan or cookie sheet with edges. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Next, add in the vanilla. Mix until combined. Pour over the warm crust.
- Next, in small bowl, stir together chopped apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
- Make crumb topping
- Combine flour, oats, and brown sugar for a crumb topping in another small bowl. Add cubed butter and combine. Crumble over cream cheese mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and store in the fridge.
Notes
- Make certain that your cream cheese is softened before using it. Otherwise, your cheesecake is going to be lumpy.
- Use cold butter to make the crust AND the crumb topping. It will form the best crust!
- Change out the apple type for any kind of apple you want. You can also try this recipe with other fruit as well.
- If you like your cheesecake cooled, let it sit overnight to chill and firm up.
- Make sure to keep these dessert bars in the refrigerator because cream cheese needs to be kept cold to keep from going bad.
Share With Us!
I hope you enjoy these delicious caramel apple cheesecake bars! If you give it a try, please share your experience in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me on social media @allthingsmamma and use the hashtag #allthingsmamma.
Your recipe calls for sugar to be divided. I didn’t see where the divided sugar goes.
Thanks
Karen Peters
Hi! We use a 1/2 cup in step 3 and the remaining 2 Tablespoons in step 4!
So there’s no bottom crust?
Hi Michelle! There is a bottom crust to the recipe 🙂
The ingredients list for the crust is missing (with the amounts)
The ingredient list calls for the butter to be softened for both the crust and the topping but in the notes you say to use cold butter. Is “softened” an error on the ingredient list?
Good catch — cold butter for the crust and topping!