Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
A buttery oat crust under creamy cheesecake, tender cinnamon-spiced apples and a crunchy streusel, all finished with a generous caramel drizzle. Everything you love about fall in one indulgent, sliceable bar — the dessert that owns apple season.
Prep
30 min
Cook
50 min
Total
80 min
Serves
16
Ingredients
Oat crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Cheesecake filling
- 16 oz (2 blocks) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Spiced apple topping
- 2 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, diced 1/2-inch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Streusel & drizzle
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce, for drizzling
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x13 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Whisk the crust flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, then cut in the cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Press firmly into the pan and bake 10–12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool slightly. For the apples, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice, and cook 5–7 minutes until tender but not mushy. Set aside. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until completely smooth, then add the eggs one at a time on low, beating just until combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla and flour until just blended — don't overmix. Pour over the crust. For the streusel, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon, then cut in the cold butter until crumbly.
- 2
Spoon the cooked apples evenly over the cheesecake layer and sprinkle the streusel over the top. Bake 35–40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is almost set with a slight wobble. Turn off the oven, crack the door and let the bars cool inside 1 hour to prevent cracking. Cool completely on a rack, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Lift out by the parchment, drizzle generously with caramel sauce, cut into 16 bars and serve cold.
- 3
Bon appetit..
Tips
- Room-temperature cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are essential for a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Wipe the knife clean between cuts for bakery-neat edges.
- Cook the apples just to tender — mushy apples make a watery layer under the cheesecake.
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