These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a layer of cheesecake over a graham cracker crust covered with cinnamon-spiced apples a streusel topping and drizzled with sweet caramel. The PERFECT dessert for Fall!
Yield: Makes one 8 X 8-inch dish
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Apple Layer
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Granny Smith apple
Streusel Topping
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup oats
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Caramel Drizzle
- 12 individually wrapped caramels
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- OR salted caramel sundae topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the crust: graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter, and mix well with a fork.
- Place crust mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing down gently with your fingers.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Pour over crust, spreading evenly.
- In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the apple layer: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well.
- Peel, core and dice the apple into small pieces. Add to dry ingredients and toss to coat.
- Distribute evenly over the cheesecake layer in the baking dish.
- In another medium bowl, combine ingredients for streusel topping: brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix welll until a coarse meal is formed. Sprinkle evenly over apple layer.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until streusel is golden.
- Transfer baking dish to a wire rack to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for an hour or more to set.
- For the caramel drizzle, in a microwavable bowl, melt the caramels on increments of 30 seconds, until smooth, stirring in between. Allow to cool slightly and stir in the heavy cream.
- Drizzle with homemade caramel sauce or caramel sundae sauce topping before serving.
