Delish Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

There’s something so wildly comforting about these bar-dessert mashups: buttery shortbread crust, tangy cheesecake in the middle, cinnamon apples piled on top, a toasty oat crumble, and a shameless caramel drizzle to make the whole tray glisten. Delish Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are the fall bake I pull out when I want easy applause without juggling three different pans. They slice clean, travel well, and honestly taste like a candy apple and a cheesecake had a very delicious baby.

My little crew devours these. My husband always hovers during the chill time like a kid who can’t wait for Halloween, opening the fridge every 12 minutes like that’ll make them set faster. The last time I made them, my kiddo helped “taste test” the caramel straight from the spoon and then announced he was full. Twenty minutes later, three bars disappeared. So, yeah—this has become our bake-on-a-Sunday, pack-in-lunchboxes, sneak-a-midnight-square situation.

How to Make It

Okay, grab a 9×13 pan and line it with parchment—leave little wings so you can lift the bars out later without swearing. Preheat to 350°F.

Crust first: stir 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Pour in 3/4 cup melted unsalted butter and mash it together with a fork till it looks like wet sand. Press it into the pan and bake 10 minutes, just to set.

While that’s happening, beat 16 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup granulated sugar till creamy. Add 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 cup sour cream. Don’t overthink it; if a few tiny lumps happen, they’ll bake out. Pour this over the warm crust.

Apples! Peel and dice about 3 medium apples (3 cups—Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are my ride-or-die). Toss with 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp cornstarch so they don’t weep everywhere. Scatter those across the cheesecake layer.

Streusel time: mix 3/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cut in 6 tbsp cold butter till clumpy and irresistible. Sprinkle all over like confetti.

Bake 30–35 minutes, till the edges are set and the center has a tiny shimmy (not sloshy). Cool to room temp, then chill at least 3 hours or overnight if you can stand it. Right before serving, drizzle with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Slice into neat little squares and try not to eat the corner pieces while “trimming.”

✔Ingredient Notes

– Cream cheese: Room temp or you’ll fight lumps. I forgot once and microwaved it 10 seconds at a time—don’t melt it, just soften.
– Apples: Tart ones (Granny Smith) keep it balanced; sweet ones (Honeycrisp, Gala) make it dessert-dessert. Use what you’ve got, mix and match.
– Oats: Old-fashioned oats give chewy texture. Quick oats work in a pinch; steel-cut will ruin your day.
– Butter: Melted for the crust, cold for the streusel—opposites attract. Salted butter works; just pull back the added salt a smidge.
– Cornstarch: Stops the apple juices from turning the bars soggy. If you skip it, still good, just a touch looser.
– Caramel sauce: Jarred is fine and I will die on this hill. If yours is thick, warm it a little so it drizzles nicely.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Mix flour, brown sugar, salt; stir in melted butter; press into pan and bake 10 minutes.
3. Beat cream cheese with sugar; add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream; pour over warm crust.
4. Toss diced apples with sugars, cinnamon, lemon, and cornstarch; scatter over cheesecake layer.
5. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt; cut in cold butter; sprinkle streusel on top.
6. Bake 30–35 minutes until mostly set; cool, chill 3+ hours, then drizzle caramel and slice.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or apple cider for full cozy vibes.
– A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream if you’re going full drama.
– Lightly salted, toasted pecans sprinkled on top—chef’s kiss.
– A dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of flaky salt if you’re feeling fancy.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t skip the chill. Warm bars taste melty-good but won’t slice clean. Chill = bakery edges.
– If your apples are super juicy, add an extra 1/2 tsp cornstarch.
– Overbaking makes the cheesecake rubbery. Pull it while the center still shimmies.
– Line the pan. Parchment wings save your sanity.
– Room-temp cream cheese beats smoother and faster. Cold bricks are chaos.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge all the way—covered—up to 5 days. They’re awesome straight from the fridge (that cool, creamy-chewy thing is unreal), and also very acceptable for breakfast. No judgment. To freeze, chill first, cut into bars, then wrap individually and stash up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, not on the counter, unless you like condensation puddles.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Gingersnap crust: Swap the shortbread for 2 cups crushed gingersnaps + 1/2 cup melted butter.
– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in crust/streusel and certified GF oats.
– Nutty: Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel for crunch.
– Less sweet: Cut the caramel drizzle or use half the sugar in the apple toss.
– Maple moment: Replace the granulated sugar in the cheesecake with maple sugar or 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (reduce other liquids slightly).
– Apple pie filling: In a pinch, use 3 cups canned filling—drain excess goo so it’s not soupy.
– No oats? Do a simple crumb: 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 5 tbsp cold butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Buttery graham crust, creamy cheesecake, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a golden oat streusel finished with a drizzle of caramel. A crowd-pleasing fall dessert bar that slices clean and travels well.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ▢ 0.25 cup granulated sugar for crust
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon for crust
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted, for crust
• ▢ 16 oz cream cheese softened
• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar for cheesecake
• ▢ 0.5 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 3 cup Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced about 3 medium
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 0.25 cup light brown sugar for apples
• ▢ 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for apples
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon for apples
• ▢ 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg for apples
• ▢ 0.75 cup all-purpose flour for streusel
• ▢ 0.75 cup old-fashioned rolled oats for streusel
• ▢ 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed, for streusel
• ▢ 0.25 tsp fine sea salt for streusel
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold, cut in small cubes, for streusel
• ▢ 0.75 cup caramel sauce plus more for drizzling

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang; lightly coat with nonstick spray.
• Make the crust: In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, and 0.5 tsp cinnamon. Stir in 0.5 cup melted butter until evenly moistened.
• Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes; set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
• Cheesecake layer: Beat cream cheese and 0.5 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time just until combined; do not overmix.
• Spread the cheesecake batter evenly over the warm crust.
• Apple layer: Toss diced apples with lemon juice, 0.25 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 0.25 tsp nutmeg. Scatter the apples evenly over the cheesecake layer.
• Streusel: In a bowl, combine 0.75 cup flour, 0.75 cup oats, 0.5 cup brown sugar, and 0.25 tsp salt. Cut in 0.5 cup cold butter until pea-to-marble sized clumps form.
• Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples, pressing lightly so it adheres.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is just set and the topping is golden. Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 3 hours or until well chilled.
• Slice into 16 bars. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith. Wipe your knife between cuts for clean slices. Bars keep refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze (without caramel) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and add caramel before serving.