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Have you ever had something so awesome that you didn’t want to share it with anybody? Scratch that. Have you ever had something so awesome that you had to share it with your neighbors because you knew you would polish off the whole thing all by yourself? These bars are the dessert that would be served on the last train to Awesome Town. Seriously, re-read the name of these. Caramel Apple- check, Cheesecake Bars- check, Streusel Topping- check! I really wish I could take credit for these, but I can’t. So, I am sending a big thank you to the queen of butter herself, Ms. Paula Deen. Once you make these bars, you will do the same.
To the original, I added some salt to the crust and the streusel. And since I like a little citrus with my fruit desserts, I added a little bit of lemon juice to the apples. Oh, and for the caramel… a generous drizzle of the Caramel Sauce Cockaigne. These bars are bananas, or should I say apples? Let’s just say they are crazy, crazy good!
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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup quick cooking oats
- ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Bars
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into a ¼-inch dice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the Topping
- ½ cup caramel sauce, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil; set aside
For the Streusel
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients with a fork until all of the butter is incorporated; set aside.
For the Bars
- In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until small crumbs form. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Add the cream cheese, ½ cup of the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; process until smooth; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the apples, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice; set aside.
- While the crust is still warm, evenly spoon the cream cheese mixture on top. Evenly spoon the apple mixture on top of the cream cheese mixture. Squeeze a handful of the streusel topping in your hand, then break into small clumps and sprinkle evenly over the apples. Continue with remaining streusel. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight until firm.
- When ready to serve, remove the the cheesecake from the pan using the aluminum foil. Carefully peel the aluminum foil from the sides of the cheesecake. Cut into 24 squares and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look so fabulous!
This is the only food blog I read these days, and this recipe is one of the reasons why. I haven't even made them yet and already I need to get them out of the house before I dream of another bite!
WOW, apple cheesecake is my weakness. This recipe made my day. Thank you so much.
These sound and look amazing?
I barely finished making these, the kitchen is a disaster, and my neighbors are shoving these into their faces as I type this.
I just needed to tell you that THESE. ARE. FABULOUS.
For real. They are probably one of the best things I have put in my face in a really long time. Thank you for posting it!!!
I also made your caramel sauce for these which was just as good. I had never actually made my own before…and now I'm afraid I won't stop!
So good to hear! Thank you for letting me know!
Nicole, these look fantastic! I will definitely be making these soon!
Freaking amazing! I'm just sitting at work drooling over these right now!
Yum these looks fantastic! Perfect taste for a fall sweet tooth.
This looks delicious – just saw the photo today on foodgawker.
These look amazing! I love the combination of cream cheese and a streusel topping!
This is perfection in the form of a dessert. Delicious looking!
These look amazing! I love the combination of cream cheese and a streusel topping!
These look absolutely scrumptious. Cheesecake is my favourite dessert, and this looks like the perfect cheesecake recipe.
I made these for two different parties and they were a huge hit! Loved making the caramel sauce.
Great! Thanks for letting me know☺.
I made these tonight and they were as awesome as they looked to be. This recipe is very similar to a Polish one my mother has been using for years. Glad I found a great American twist to impress her with. Fantastic…thank you!!!
You are so welcome and thank you!
How far ahead of time can I make these and they are still good? Can they be frozen?
They can be made several days in advance stored in the refrigerator. I can't say for sure if they keep well once frozen and thawed.