These layered apple cheesecake bars combine some of my favorite flavors all into one dessert recipe. It starts with a shortbread crust, then a thick and creamy cheesecake layer. Fresh apples and spices make the apple filling layer and the bars are topped off with a delicious streusel. Add a caramel drizzle that will remind you of an old-fashioned apple crisp or maybe even caramel apples.
If you find yourself making this apple crumble cheesecake bar recipe in October, aka apple picking season, you may want to use freshly picked apples. Going to the orchard is a fun family outing, and apple recipes are at their peak during this time of the year. If you have an abundance left over, cook up a batch of homemade fried apples or a Dutch caramel apple pie.
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Choosing the Best Apples for Apple Caramel Cheesecake Bars
When it comes to baking with apples, I like to use Granny Smith apples. They hold their texture well once they are cooked and the tartness helps to offset the sweetness in most desserts. They also offer a nice texture against the creamy cheesecake filling.
Another variety that would be great to use are golden delicious apples. These will make a smoother layer (once the cinnamon apples cook down) and will be a little sweeter.
🍏🍎 Ingredients:
- all-purpose flour – the flour makes up the crust, thickens the cheesecake and apple filling layers, and forms the crumble topping.
- light brown sugar and granulated sugar – we sweeten all of the layers with sugar.
- butter – it is critical to keep the butter cold when mixing it into the shortbread crust and also the streusel topping. The small pieces of butter melt during baking, leaving pockets of air that give the baked goods a nice crisp flakiness.
- cream cheese – soften the cream cheese to room temperature before mixing so that all of the cheesecake ingredients incorporate easily.
- vanilla extract – deepens the flavor of the cheesecake, you can also add vanilla to the streusel layer if you’d like.
- sour cream – I really like adding sour cream to my cheesecakes, it adds some tartness and lightens the cream cheese.
- heavy whipping cream – we use heavy cream to add richness to the cheesecake filling and a few extra tablespoons to moisten the apple crumble topping and bring it together into some nice crumbs.
- large eggs – the eggs are an integral part of the cheesecake filling – be careful you don’t mix in too much air with the eggs or the cheesecake will crack.
- apples – use firm, ripe apples. We used granny smith for their crisp tartness, but you can use Fuji,
- ground cinnamon
- baking powder – I like adding baking powder to my crumb toppings, it gives the crumble a little rise.
- caramel sauce (optional) – for topping the finished cheesecake apple bars. You can use our homemade recipe for an easy brown sugar caramel sauce or simply use a store-bought caramel topping.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
We served these bars with a caramel sauce drizzle. Other garnishes could include whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Equipment Needed:
We use a food processor to quickly cut the butter in to the dry ingredients for both the shortbread crust and the apple crumble topping. You can also use a pastry blender or even two forks to work the cold butter into the flour. A food processor makes quick work of it, but isn’t necessary.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t want to use fresh apples, substitute apple pie filling instead. You do not need to add the flour, cinnamon, and sugar to the layer if using canned apple pie filling.
- Some like to use oats for a crisp topping instead of streusel. You can use the same ingredients to make that topping as I did on my Rhubarb Crisp
- For a “spicier” taste you can add a dash of nutmeg in with the cinnamon. Or add a teaspoon of apple pie spice to the cream cheese layer.
- Swap the shortbread crust for a homemade graham cracker crust if you prefer.
- Caramel apple cheesecake bars – we’ve added caramel to the top of the bars during serving. You can also drizzle caramel sauce over the apple filling layer before topping with the streusel.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Make the shortbread crust. Combine 2 cups of flour and ½ of brown sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined.
Step 2: Slice a stick of butter into tablespoons and add to the food processor. Pulse until the crumbles are fine. (You can also use a pastry cutter and mix by hand in a bowl.)
Step 3: Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Make the cheesecake filling. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer on medium speed until it’s fluffy. Mix in the sugar until combined.
Step 5: Add the sour cream, vanilla, and ½ cup of heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture. Once it’s mixed, add the flour.
Step 6: By hand, mix in one egg at a time.
Step 6: In a large bowl, toss together the chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
Step 7: Make the apple layer. Peel and remove the cores from the apples. Dice into ½″ square pieces. Measure four cups of diced apples.
Step 6: Sprinkle sugar, flour, and cinnamon over the diced apples and toss to coat the apple chunks evenly.
Step 7: Sprinkle the apple mixture over the cheesecake layer.
Step 6: Mix together the crumb topping. Using a food processor, pulse the flour, baking powder, and brown sugar together. Add the tablespoons of butter and pulse until crumbly.
Step 7: Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and stir with a fork. Spread the brown sugar streusel over the apples in the baking dish.
Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes (the topping will be golden brown) then turn the oven off and keep the door closed for 20 minutes, then crack the door and allow the cheesecake bars to come to room temperature.
Step 7: Refrigerate. Chill for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Add a drizzle of caramel topping or sauce just before serving.
Tips for Making Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars
- Gently stir in the eggs instead of using the mixer. This allows for less air to get into the cheesecake mixture. Too much air can cause the cake to rise more than it should and overflow or crack.
- Because apples turn brown so quickly, you may want to mix the streusel topping first so that you can immediately put it on before the apples oxidize.
- To prevent discoloration, you can also add a little lemon juice to the apples.
- Do not add the caramel sauce before the cheesecake has had time to completely set. It will soak in instead of making a nice topping.
- Store cheesecake apple bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or freeze them for up to a month.
- To freeze the leftover bars, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until they are almost frozen, then wrap them with plastic wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil (or separated in layers in a freezer bag). This keeps them from getting smushed before they are fully frozen.
More Cheesecake & Dessert Bars to Try
If you tried these Apple Cheesecake Bars or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold
Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:
- 3 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Apple Layer Ingredients:
- 4 cups peeled and diced apples
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Optional: caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together 2 cups flour and ½ cup brown sugar until combined. Cut 1 cup butter into tablespoon size pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse until fine crumbles form.
- Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes – crust will be lightly browned on top.
Cheesecake Layer:
- Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer (or standing mixer) until light and fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
- Add vanilla extract, sour cream, and ½ cup heavy cream and mix to combine. Add in the flour and mix.
- Add in one egg at a time and stir by hand until mixed in.
- Pour cheesecake mixture over the baked shortbread crust.
Apple Layer:
- Toss together diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
- Sprinkle over the cheesecake layer in the baking dish.
Streusel Layer:
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and brown sugar by pulsing in the bowl of a food processor.
- Cut the butter into tablespoon size pieces and add to the food processor.
- Pulse several times more until mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of heavy cream over the streusel mixture and stir with a fork or pulse just once or twice more. The streusel mixture will pull together just a bit to form larger clumps.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples in the baking dish.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, turn off the oven, keeping the door closed for 20 minutes. Then, open the door of the oven and allow the apple cheesecake bars to cool to room temperature.
- Chill for at least 3 hours before cutting into bars and serving. Drizzle apple cheesecake bars with caramel sauce, if desired.
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Notes
- Gently stir in the eggs instead of using the mixer. This allows for less air to get into the cheesecake mixture. Too much air can cause the cake to rise more than it should and overflow or crack.
- Because apples turn brown so quickly, you may want to mix the streusel topping first so that you can immediately put it on before the apples oxidize.
- To prevent discoloration, you can also add a little lemon juice to the apples.
- Do not add the caramel sauce before the cheesecake has had time to completely set. It will soak in instead of making a nice topping.
- Store cheesecake apple bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or freeze them for up to a month.
- To freeze, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until they are almost frozen, then wrap them with plastic wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil (or separated in layers in a freezer bag). This keeps them from getting smushed before they are fully frozen.
Nutrition
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