Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars

It’s September, which means it’s time for Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars! Apple desserts are one of my fall baking favorites, and this caramel apple pie cheesecake does not disappoint. Cinnamon and pumpkin and apple, oh my! If you love apple pie and you love cheesecake, then you’ll really enjoy this recipe for caramel apple pie cheesecake bars. I also snuck some caramel sauce in there. You know, for good measure. These caramel apple pie cheesecake bars are like having a few different desserts at once. You have the crust which is almost like a pie crust. Then you have your cheesecake layer, which is, well, really good cheesecake. Next up your cinnamon apples. Deliciously pie like. And then the crumb topping. Oh, the crumb topping, people. You basically need to make these and then immediately feed them to people, unless you have some fancy pants willpower of steel. It’s a slippery slope between just having a bite and just having a pan. Not that I know or anything like that, I’m just thinking that’s how it could go down. And another great thing about these apple pie cheesecake bars? I feel pretty justified telling my husband that I made him both apple pie and cheesecake, thus it’s totally fair to expect him to do the dishes. Have I convinced you yet to make these? So damn good!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup cold butter cut into cubes
2 8 oz packages cream cheese softened (the brick, not the tub style)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 medium apples granny smith is great, peeled and chopped into ¼ to ½″ pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Crumb Topping:
¾ cup flour
¾ cup firmly packed packed brown sugar
½ cup quick cook oats
⅓ cup cold butter cut into cubes

Optional – Caramel sauce for drizzling over the top when serving

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. In your food processor combine and pulse flour, brown sugar and cut up cold butter until a crumb type mixture forms. Press into a 13×9 inch pan that has been lined with either parchment paper or foil and sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add in ½ cup sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. Spread mixture over crust (careful, remember your crust pan is hot from baking!). In a bowl combine chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining 2 TBSP of sugar. Stir to combine. Sprinkle apple mixture over cream cheese mixture. Once again in your food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and remaining cold cubed butter, pulsing food processor until mixture starts to form crumbs. Sprinkle this topping over the apples. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from oven. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer to refrigerator. Store in refrigerator. When serving top with a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

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