Caramel apple cheesecake bars are so delicious and easy to make! They have a creamy, classic cheesecake filling topped with sweet cinnamon apples and a buttery oat crumble, set over a crunchy graham cracker crust. A drizzle of salted caramel takes these bars over the top!
For more fall desserts, try this caramel pecan cheesecake or for something easier, my pumpkin cheesecake bars.
Easy Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
These delicious caramel apple cheesecake bars are essentially my mini cheesecakes recipe layered with gooey homemade apple pie filling and the buttery crumble topping from these mini apple pies. It’s a simple fall dessert that’s creamy, cozy, and crunchy all at once! Plus, baking cheesecake bars is considerably less fussy than making a classic cheesecake. This is your sign to get your hands on some apples ASAP!
My Favorite Things About This Recipe
- Easier than a traditional cheesecake. I love my homemade cheesecake recipe, but sometimes I just don’t feel like fussing with a water bath or waiting hours for it to cool. Apple cheesecake bars bake quickly without any of the fuss.
- It’s full of fall flavor. Sweet, spiced cinnamon apples transform this dessert into something special. Every bite is packed with the flavors. If you were to marry together a cheesecake with apple crumble pie, this is what you would get. Plus a drizzle of salted caramel sauce really finishes it off nicely.
- Perfect for sharing. I love making these caramel apple cheesecake bars when I’m feeding a crowd. They’re great as a Thanksgiving dessert and perfect for holiday potlucks. Just add a scoop of apple ice cream to really seal the deal.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
These are some quick notes on the important ingredients you’ll need to make these creamy apple cheesecake bars from scratch. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with the full measurements and details.
- Apple Pie Filling – I include the recipe for my homemade apple pie filling. You could use canned apple pie filling from the store in a pinch.
- Crust – I use an easy graham cracker crust made from melted butter, crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You can replace with crushed Nilla wafers or Biscoff cookies if you prefer.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese is best for cheesecake. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before you start, this way it’ll combine more smoothly with the other ingredients.
- Eggs and Sour Cream – Also at room temperature. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute Greek yogurt instead.
- Rolled Oats – For the crumble topping. I combine old-fashioned rolled oats with flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and then cut in cold butter. Make sure that you’re not using instant or quick oats, which won’t have the right texture.
- Caramel Sauce – Optional, but a drizzle of caramel makes the perfect ooey-gooey finishing touch on these bars. I use homemade salted caramel sauce but you can also use store-bought.
Which Apples Should I Use?
I recommend using green Granny Smith apples for the apple filling. They have a more tart flavor that pairs well with the sweeter cake. Honeycrisp would be the next best option. You’ll need 1½ to 2 cups of peeled and sliced apples (about 2 medium or 3 small apples). I don’t recommend using more than 2 cups of apples in the filling as it’ll weigh down the cheesecake.
How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars
Between the creamy filling, juicy cinnamon apples, and crumble topping, these bars take a bit of time to prep, but it’s totally worth it. You’ll see, as soon as you bite into a finished apple cheesecake bar drizzled with salted caramel! Follow the steps below, and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the apple filling. First, toss peeled and sliced apples with lemon juice, and then mix in the dry ingredients and maple syrup. Simmer the apples on the stovetop for 15-20 minutes until they’re saucy and tender.
- Prepare the crust. Meanwhile, mix graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter, and then press the crust mixture into a parchment-lined square pan.
- Prepare the crumble topping. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients to make a crumble. Afterward, pop that into the fridge to chill. In the below picture, you’ll see larger clumps of crumble, try your best to keep the crumble with smaller pieces to more evenly cover the cheesecake.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the sugar with cream cheese until its smooth, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla, followed by the eggs. Do not overbeat the eggs as this caused the cheesecake to rise and then sink.
- Assemble. Pour the cheesecake batter evenly over the prepared crust. Then add the prepared apple pie filling over top and do your best to gently spread it to the edges. Lastly, get out the crumble and sprinkle it over the apples.
- Bake. Bake the cheesecake bars at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes until it’s just set in the center. After, leave the bars to cool in the pan before chilling them in the fridge for at least 2 hours. When serving, top the apple cheesecake bars with caramel sauce, and enjoy!
Baking Tips and Pan Size Adjustments
- Don’t overbake. The cheesecake bars should still have a slight jiggle when they come out of the oven, and they’ll continue to set as they cool in the pan. Avoid overbaking as it’ll dry out the finished cheesecake.
- Use a 9” pan. If you use a 9” square pan instead of an 8” pan, you’ll need to reduce the baking time since the bars will be thinner. Check the cheesecake bars at 15 minutes and go from there.
- Make single servings. If you want to make these as a single serving dessert, then I would follow this recipe for mini cheesecake, but before baking, add the apple filling and streusel on top. Alternatively instead of baking with the pie filling you can simply serve the mini cheesecakes with the apple filling on top after it’s cooled since the filling is already cooked.
- Add nuts. For extra crunch in the crumble topping, cut in chopped pecans or walnuts.
How to Store
Keep these cheesecake bars stored airtight in the fridge for 3-4 days. Due to the apple topping, these bars aren’t great candidates for freezing. But they’re so delicious, that we usually have no issue polishing off a batch!
More Apple Desserts
Print
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 33 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Caramel apple cheesecake bars are so delicious and easy to make! They have a creamy, classic cheesecake filling topped with sweet cinnamon apples and a buttery oat crumble, set over a crunchy graham cracker crust. A drizzle of salted caramel takes these bars over the top!
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 2 cups chopped apples, skins removed (2 medium or 3 small apples)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon (9g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (15ml) water (as needed)
For the crust
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cup (128g) graham cracker crumbs (about 1 ½ sleeves)
- 1 tablespoon (14g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cheesecake filling
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (63g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the crumble topping
- 3–4 tablespoons (42-56g) unsalted butter, cold
- 3 tablespoons (26g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar, light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (27g) rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Homemade Salted caramel sauce or store-bought (optional topping)
Instructions
For the apple filling
- Peel and dice the apples into small pieces (about the size of a dime) and squeeze a lemon over top and stir to combine.
- Combine the dry ingredients and then toss together with the apples until fully coated. Pour the maple syrup over top and gently stir.
- Heat apples on the stove over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until soft. Stir occasionally, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time as needed to prevent sticking. Cook until the apples are fork tender and the sauce has thickened. Allow the apple filling to cool prior to using.
For the crust and topping
- Preheat the oven to 350° Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Grind the graham crackers into a fine crumb. Mix together with the brown sugar and then stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press the crumbs firmly into the pan and set aside.
- Prepare the crumble topping. Dice 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and combine with the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or two forks and press the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a crumbly mixture and the butter is broken down into smaller pieces. If the mixer is still dry, an additional 1 tablespoon of cold butter. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
For the filling and assembly
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese together with the sugar until it is smooth and free of lumps, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
- Next add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix at low speed until combined. Next, add the eggs and continue beating until well combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl and stir together. Pour over top of the cheesecake filling. Sprinkle the top with the crumble.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The center of the cheesecake should be only slightly giggly. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours prior to slicing and serving. Serve with salted caramel sauce.
Notes
- Apples- I used granny smith. Honeycrisp would be another good option. You need 1 ½ to 2 cups of sliced apples. I do not recommend adding more than 2 cups. This is about 2 medium or 3 small apples.
- Storing: Keep these cheesecake bars stored airtight in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Do not freeze, the filling and topping are not great options for freezing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 16.4 g
- Sodium: 207.1 mg
- Fat: 23.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.5 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 92.9 mg
I’m going to make this for my book club and I’d like to double it. Would I use the 9×13 at the same bake time? It looks wonderful and I’m sure they will be wowwwwed!
Yes you should be able to double it for a 9*13 inch pan. Just make sure you evenly spread out the apples and don’t concentrate too much in middle. Let me know how it goes!
Looks DELICIOUS! Thanks so much for all the amazing recipes, you have made a huge impact on my baking ~don’t know what I would do without you!
xo, Anna
Anna, thank you so much for the kind message. You have no idea how happy that makes me.
These look SO delicious! I really want to give these a try… 😀
Pardon me while I wipe the drool away! 😉 These look incredible! I love apple week so much! Pinned!
Holy Moly! Cookie and cheesecake and apples and maple? Best bars ever!!!
Thanks Jessica!
Wow. Not that’s my topping to bar ratio!! These look to die for!
HAHA! Me too! Thanks Julie!
Is there ever enough sugar?! Caramel drizzle is always a good addition in my opinion! These bars look fabulous!
Thanks Lindsey!
You guys ROCKED apple week!! These are a perfect treat – maple and apple pie and cheesecake – what a combo!! Pinned 🙂
HOLY MOLY! These are gorgeous. Pinned! #iloveappleweek
Haha thanks Dorothy! I love it too!
That fluffy white cheesecake filling looks heavenly. Beautiful dessert Julianne!
Thanks Renee! It for sure one of my favorite fillings
The apple recipes both of you have been posting this week are stunning! Such awesome choice to pick from… Adding maple to the apple pie filling sounds delightful and I’m loving the thick cheesecake layer:)
Thank you Heather!!
I have struggled for 10 minutes to find words to describe how I feel about these MAPC bars. Every fiber of my being this morning screams for two of these going down the hatch right now! eroipoiwepqowiure is a new word for indescribable. Jules!
These do go good with breakfast 🙂 Thanks Debbie!
That maple sugar cookie sounds to die for! And I love that you crushed up walnuts in it! Great way to end Apple Week!
Whew! Apple week was a good one!
Though some people think of pumpkin, my defining fall flavors are apple and maple! These luscious bars fit my fall flavor cravings perfectly. The maple sugar cookie base could be happily devoured on its own! All of your apple recipes this week have been mouthwatering! Thanks,Julianne!
Thanks Wendy! I hope you are having a GREAT fall!
These look SOOOO good! Nice job!
You had me at “maple sugar cookie!” That is just heaven in a cookie base. I’m so excited to try that!
Totally agree! Thanks Mir!