Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a decadent layered dessert featuring a buttery spiced shortbread crust, a rich and creamy cheesecake filling blended with warm spices and tender apples, and topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel and luscious salted caramel drizzle.

You’ll love these bars for their perfect balance of textures and flavors: the crisp shortbread base, smooth cheesecake layer, sweet-spiced apple chunks, and crumbly streusel finish combine to create a mouthwatering experience. The salted caramel adds a luxurious sweet-salty touch that elevates the classic apple and cream cheese pairing.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Spiced Apple Creamy Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (about ⅛ inch pieces)

Brown Sugar Streusel Topping:

• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

To Finish:

• 1 cup salted caramel sauce for drizzling
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the Shortbread Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal, and spray with non-stick spray.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, spices, and salt on low speed and mix until crumbly.

3. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:

1. Beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.

2. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well.

3. Blend in eggs one at a time on low speed.

4. Stir in flour just to combine, then fold in heavy cream. Spread over crust.

5. Toss apples with brown sugar and spices; scatter evenly over cheesecake layer.

Make the Streusel Topping:

1. Combine sugars, flour, oats, and cinnamon in a bowl.

2. Cut in cold butter with fingertips until mixture forms clumps.

3. Sprinkle crumble evenly over the apples.

Bake and Finish:

1. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, then reduce oven to 300°F; bake another 40 minutes until edges set and center is slightly jiggly.

2. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.

3. Lift bars out using parchment overhang.

4. Drizzle generously with salted caramel and sprinkle flaky sea salt.

5. Slice with a clean sharp knife, wiping between cuts.

Tips for Success

• Use a large skillet to cook apples slightly if preferred, but this recipe uses fresh diced for fresh texture.

• Don’t overmix cheesecake batter to avoid cracks.

• Use cold butter for crumble to get nice crunchy topping.

• Allow cheesecake to fully chill for clean slices.

• Press apples firmly into cheesecake layer to prevent sliding crumble.

Delicious Variations

• Swap Granny Smith apples for pears or peaches.

• Use maple syrup or honey instead of caramel drizzle.

• Add chopped walnuts or pecans to crumb topping.

• Mix in a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom for warmth.

• Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these bars ahead?

Yes, chill overnight or up to 3 days for best flavor and texture.

How do I store leftovers?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze these bars?

Yes, freeze wrapped tightly for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

How to get clean cuts?

Use a sharp knife, warming the blade slightly and wiping between slices.

What if the crumble topping seems dry?

Add a little more butter next time to improve crumble texture.

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

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• Author: Emma Hart
• Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 16 bars 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Buttery cinnamon shortbread crust, creamy spiced cheesecake, tender apple pieces, crispy oat streusel topping, finished with rich salted caramel drizzle. Elegant, comforting fall dessert bars.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Shortbread Crust

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

Spiced Apple Cheesecake Filling

3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1½ tsp all-purpose flour

½ cup heavy cream

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (⅛-inch pieces)

Brown Sugar Streusel Topping

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Finishing

1 cup salted caramel sauce, for drizzling

Flaky sea salt, for topping

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Instructions

1. Prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13‑inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang. In a mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; mix until crumbly. Press evenly into the pan and bake 8 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2. Make filling: Beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla; mix until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by yolks. Stir in flour, then fold in heavy cream.

3. Add apples: In a bowl, toss diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust, evenly scatter spiced apples on top.

4. Prepare streusel: Combine sugars, flour, oats, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apples.

5. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 300°F (150°C) and bake an additional 40 minutes, until edges are set and center slightly jiggles.

6. Cool and chill: Cool 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.

7. Serve: Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang, slice cleanly with a sharp knife, drizzle salted caramel over top, and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.

See also  Vanilla Pumpkin Oatmeal Latte Cookies

Notes

Bake gently to avoid cracks in cheesecake layer.

Use cold butter in streusel for crisp texture.

Cube apples evenly for uniform baking.

Chill thoroughly for neat slices.

Warm caramel sauce before drizzling for smooth finish.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Dessert, Bars
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/16 recipe
• Calories: 445
• Sugar: 35 g
• Sodium: 190 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 17 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Carbohydrates: 43 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 115 mg

Keywords: salted caramel apple cheesecake bars, apple streusel cheesecake, fall dessert bars, caramel cream cheese bars, apple shortbread cheesecake recipe