Caramel. Apples. Cheesecake. Shortbread. Streusel. Do I really need to write anything else here? These Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars take a few bowls to make a few layers, but they’re worth the effort, I pinky-swear. From the bottom up they start with a buttery shortbread crust, layered with creamy cheesecake, soft-baked apples (like apple pie), then topped with crumbly sweet streusel, and drizzled with caramel sauce. They’re so, so good. They’re one of my favorite things that’s come through my kitchen lately!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Bars
- All purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Cold butter – Always use real butter if you can!
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Tart apples – Like Granny Smith, although really any apples will work in a pinch.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping
- All purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Quick cooking oats – Old fashioned oats will work as well, just expect a chewier texture.
- Butter
- Caramel syrup – Any jarred caramel will work here but if you’ve got the time, definitely make our Buttermilk Caramel Sauce– it’s freakin’ amazing.
How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- You’ll start with a layer of buttery crust with just three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour. Press it down into a pan and bake it off for a few minutes to get browned and toasted.
- Then pour on an easy cheesecake layer: cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. On top of that goes some diced, spiced apples. And last, but definitely not least, a streusel topping.
- Pop the whole thing in the oven and bake it until the cheesecake is set, the apples are soft and caramelized, and the topping is golden and crunchy. You can pour the caramel over the top of the whole pan at this point and let it just kind of set in there as they cool, or you can leave it off (see tips below). Either way works great.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished bars, tightly covered, in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5 days for best results.
- If I’m serving these on a platter for a grab-and-go kind of thing, I sometimes leave the caramel off completely, because they stack nicely without it, kind of like a bar cookie. If I’m serving them for an after dinner desert, I like to bring out the caramel separately, and drizzle it on the plate.
- These are so stinkin’ good. They’ll keep in the fridge if you want to make them ahead of time; I actually think they improve after being chilled for a few hours. Makes a great buffet style dessert, looks adorable in a cute gift box for giving, and works awesome for a fun family treat. They’re kind of perfect!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! They store well in the fridge so feel free to make them a day or two in advance.
Could I add nuts to these?
Sure. I’d recommend very finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Sprinkle them on top with the streusel before baking.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, but I recommend baking in two pans rather than one larger one, just to make sure everything cooks evenly.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Caramel. Apples. Cheesecake. Shortbread. Streusel. Do I really need to write anything else here?
Servings bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup cold butter 12 tablespoons, cubed
- 2 8- oz packages cream cheese softened
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 medium tart apples peeled and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel
- ¾ cup flour
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ⅓ cup butter 5 ⅓ tablespoons, cubed
- ⅓ cup caramel syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a well-greased 13×9 baking pan. Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Spread over crust.
- In a small bowl, toss apples with cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar; spoon over cream cheese layer. In another bowl, mix flour, brown sugar and oats; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple layer.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping; cool in pan on a wire rack 1 hour. (OR reserve caramel for later. They can be served without caramel sauce, or sauce can be drizzled on before serving. ) Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.
Notes
- Store finished bars, tightly covered, in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5 days for best results.
- If I’m serving these on a platter for a grab-and-go kind of thing, I sometimes leave the caramel off completely, because they stack nicely without it, kind of like a bar cookie. If I’m serving them for an after dinner desert, I like to bring out the caramel separately, and drizzle it on the plate.
Nutrition
Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 125mg, Potassium: 84mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 471IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 258kcal
Cost: $12
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Questions & Reviews
Tried this so good! It’s like apple crisp on steroids! Brought some to work, everyone loved it!
Oh my gosh these look so good!! The recipe doesn’t seem too complicated and I love baking so I think I might just give this a try 🙂 all the recipes that are posted look delicious. The step by step pictures will definitely help me when I attempt to make this so thank you!
These are divine!!! I am planning on making them for a couple of events coming up…..so I won’t eat half the pan like this time!! Super good!!! Thanks!
I added a wee bit of cayenne pepper to the buttermilk syrup! YUM!
Looks like a very easy recipe to halve, when it is just for my husband and myself. Furthermore, to sub in regular oats for quick, can’t you just give them a buzz in the blender to sort of break them down? Maybe this is not needed in this recipe though. Thank you for a yummy looking treat!
These look gorgeous. Almost to pretty to eat…almost. 🙂
So I came here this morning to get the recipe I was making for a dinner party tonight and saw this and had to give it a try. The entire party RAVED about these. The crust on the first one got pretty marred but after I got one out I was able to free the rest with the aid of a metal spatula. The crust was amazing (and unlike any I have had with cheesecake before. It will be hard for me to even consider making the apple streusel bars again with this recipe in my mind!
So glad they were a hit! I totally love it when people make our recipes the same day they’re posted 😉
How decadent. Caramel, cheesecake and some apple to make me feel virtuous that I was doing something healthy. Lol
LOVE LOVE LOVE the buttermilk caramel syrup. I must try if you haven’t made it yet. I will never, ever make another caramel syrup besides this one!