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Ultimate Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars – Best Easy Dessert

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These Ultimate Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, creamy cheesecake layer, spiced apples, crunchy streusel topping, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. They’re easy to make and perfect for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 16 oz (two blocks) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce
  • Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Lightly grease parchment.
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Cut in ½ cup cold cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces. Press firmly into prepared pan. Bake 15-18 minutes until edges are just golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare apple filling: In a small bowl, toss diced apples with 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Let sit while crust bakes.
  4. Make cheesecake layer: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and ½ cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla and 2 tbsp flour until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Assemble layers: Pour cheesecake mixture over pre-baked crust and spread evenly. Spoon apple mixture evenly over cheesecake layer.
  6. Make streusel: In a separate bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup oats, ½ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt. Cut in ½ cup cold cubed butter until mixture forms clumps. Sprinkle evenly over apples.
  7. Bake 40-45 minutes until edges are bubbly and center is set but still slightly jiggly. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
  8. Lift bars out using parchment overhang. Slice into squares. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip pre-baking the crust to avoid sogginess. Use cold butter for crust and streusel. Room temperature ingredients are key for smooth cheesecake. Chill bars completely before slicing for clean layers. Bars can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple cheesecake bars, apple cheesecake bars, fall dessert, easy dessert, cheesecake bars, apple dessert, streusel topping

Find it online: https://bakebelle.com/ultimate-caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars-best-easy-dessert/