Name: Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 6 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Instructions

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.
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.
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.
Prepare streusel: Combine sugars, flour, oats, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apples.
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.
Cool and chill: Cool 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
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.

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