Apple Cheesecake Bars
I love the fall for many reasons but mostly because it’s the perfect time of year for baking! I decided this week’s school lunch treat for my kids would be these apple cheesecake bars from a recipe I found on If you Give a Blonde a Kitchen. Although there are a few different steps to making these bars, they were fairly easy to make. My kids were absolutely thrilled and so was my husband when they all tried them out for dessert the other night. I loved the combination of the buttery crust with the creamy cheesecake center along with the spicy apples streusel topping. These cheesecake bars are a must try if you love apples.
How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars
Place into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until streusel is light brown and filling is set.
Allow the apple cheesecake bars to cool in the pan to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours. Slice and serve cold. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- Cheesecake Filling:
- 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Apple Layer:
- 2 small Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- Pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Make the crust by whisking together flour and brown sugar.
- Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut butter into the mixture until crumbly.
- Press mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
- Place into the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden in color.
- Make the cheesecake mixture by beating together the cream cheese and white sugar using an electric mixer until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Beat to combine.
- Pour over the warm crust and carefully spread out evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Prepare the apples by placing the diced apples in a bowl then add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until evenly coated.
- Pour evenly over the cheesecake mixture.
- Make the streusel topping by combining the brown sugar, flour, oats, and butter in a bowl.
- Using clean hands combine the butter into the mixture until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apple layer.
- Place into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until streusel is light brown and filling is set.
- Allow the apple cheesecake bars to cool in the pan to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours.
- Slice and serve cold. Enjoy!
This looks just amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!
Love apple sweet dishes. And cheesecake. Don’t see all that many recipes that combine the two for some reason. This looks wonderful — very creative. Thanks!
Fall is here. These bars look yummy.
My grandmother used to make something like this, but there was no egg and peanut butter was involved. All I remember is her saying that it took every bowl and pan in the kitchen. Yours look like a very delicious version!
I am so behind on my fall baking!! Need to get a batch of these in the oven ASAP.
oh, what a treat! that thick layer of streusel would be amazing on anything, but cheesecake is the best!