These caramel apple cheesecake bars have a graham cracker crust, cheesecake filling, cinnamon-spiced apples, crumble topping, and a luscious caramel drizzle.
If you are looking for the ultimate autumn-inspired dessert, these bars bring together everything you love about apple pie and smooth New York-style cheesecake in every single bite.
This is my bars version of my most popular apple crumble cheesecake, which is my top fall recipe for 3 years!
For more apple desserts, check out my apple crumble cake, apple fritters, apple crumble muffins, and apple crumble pie.
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Why this recipe works
- Contrasting Textures: The combination of a crunchy graham cracker crust, a velvety cheesecake center, juicy apples, and a crumbly streusel topping creates an irresistible contrast in every bite.
- Warm Cinnamon Apples: Tender apple pieces spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg add a cozy, comforting bite that balances the rich dairy.
- Silky Cheesecake Filling: A smooth, full-fat cream cheese and sour cream layer provides just the right amount of tang to cut through the sweetness of the caramel.
- Golden Streusel & Caramel Drizzle: A buttery oat crumble topping adds extra crunch, while a generous caramel finish brings it all together.
Ingredients
Before you begin, measure and prepare your ingredients so the baking process goes smoothly. You can find the full measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Crust
Graham Crackers: Finely crushed. (Can be swapped with tea biscuits, vanilla wafers, or digestive biscuits).
Melted Butter: Binds the crumbs together. Melt in short 30-second bursts in the microwave or on the stovetop.
For the Cheesecake Filling
Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is essential. Make sure it is completely softened to room temperature to prevent lumps and cracks.
Granulated Sugar: Provides the ideal level of sweetness without overpowering the tart apples.
Eggs: Two large room-temperature eggs to help structure the cheesecake smoothly.
Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds lightness and extra creaminess to the batter.
Cornstarch: Stabilizes the cheesecake filling (can use all-purpose flour as a substitute).
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile.
For the Apple Filling
Apples: Granny Smith apples are ideal because their tartness and firm structure hold up well to baking, but your favorite baking apples will work too!
Brown Sugar & Spices: Light or dark brown sugar paired with ground cinnamon and nutmeg for a classic apple-pie flavor.
For the Streusel Topping
Flour, Brown Sugar, and Butter: The classic base for a rich, crumbly topping.
Rolled Oats: Adds a wonderful rustic texture and extra crunch.
Cinnamon & Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness of the streusel.
Instructions
Make the Crust
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Crush: Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form (or crush them in a zip-top bag with a heavy cup).
Mix: In a bowl, toss the crumbs with sugar and melted butter until evenly moistened.
Press: Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
Bake: Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and let cool to room temperature while you prepare the fillings. Lower the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
Prepare the Fillings & Streusel
Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
Streusel Topping: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter until clumps form, then set aside.
Cheesecake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer until completely smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
Sift in the cornstarch and mix until incorporated.
Assemble and Bake
Layer: Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Evenly scatter the spiced apples over the cheesecake layer, then top with the crumbly streusel mixture.
Bake: Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle.
Cool Slowly: Turn off the oven, crack the door open halfway, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
Chill: Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 5 hours (overnight is best) to let the bars set completely.
Finish and Serve
Slice the chilled cheesecake into bars, drizzle generously with homemade or store-bought caramel sauce, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are fully at room temperature to avoid lumps and ensure a velvety smooth cheesecake batter.
- Don't Overbeat: Mix the eggs in one at a time on low speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to avoid incorporating too much air, which can cause cracks.
- Chill Completely: Do not rush the chilling process! Allowing the bars to set in the fridge for at least 5 hours ensures clean, beautiful slices.
- Choose the Right Apples: Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples hold their shape best during baking and won't turn mushy.
Troubleshooting
Why did my apple layer get too watery? Some apple varieties release excess liquid as they bake. Always use a sturdy baking apple like Granny Smith, and avoid letting the chopped fruit sit in sugar for too long before assembling.
Why is my caramel sliding off the bars? If your caramel is too hot or too thin, it won't cling to the chilled bars. Let the caramel cool to a thick, pourable consistency before drizzling over individual slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for apples that maintain their structure and balance sweetness and tartness, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Jonagold.
The edges should look set and slightly puffed, while the very center should still have a slight jiggle. It will firm up completely as it chills.
Storing
Because these cheesecake bars contain dairy, they must be kept in the refrigerator. Store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing
Freeze the whole cake: Let it cool completely and chill in the fridge to set, then remove it from the pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
Freeze individual slices: Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free: Swap the graham crackers for gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free digestive biscuits.
Variations
Salted Caramel & Pecan: Use salted caramel sauce and fold chopped toasted pecans into the streusel.
Pear & Cardamom: Substitute apples with firm pears and add a pinch of ground cardamom.
Cookie Butter Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of cookie butter over the cheesecake layer, then gently swirl before adding toppings.
Serving Tips
Whipped Cream: Top each slice with a fresh dollop of whipped cream alongside your caramel drizzle.
Vanilla Ice Cream: Serve a chilled bar next to a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to Scale This Recipe for Different Pans
To adjust your ingredients, multiply every single ingredient in the recipe by the percentage listed below for your chosen pan setup:
- 8x8 Inch Pan: Multiply the entire recipe by 80 percent (or 0.8). Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 35 to 40 minutes.
- 9x13 Inch Pan: Multiply the entire recipe by 200 percent (or 2.0) for thick bars. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 45 to 50 minutes.
Equipment
- 9x9-inch baking pan
- Food processor
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Apple corer and slicer
More Apple Desserts
Cinnamon Apple Cake- A moist, buttery cake filled with apples, a cinnamon swirl, and a simple glaze.
Apple Spice Cake- A tender spiced cake topped with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon.
Apple Pie Cookies- Soft cinnamon cookies filled with apple pie filling for portable apple pie flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ⅓ cups Graham crackers crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Butter unsalted, melted
For the spiced apples
- 2 cups Apples peeled, cored, and sliced into small cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoon Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
For the streusel topping
- ¾ cup Flour
- ½ cup Rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- 6 tablespoon Butter melted, unsalted
For the cheesecake filling
- 16 oz Cream cheese room temp, full fat
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Crush: Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form (or crush them in a zip-top bag with a heavy cup).
- Mix: In a bowl, toss the crumbs with sugar and melted butter until evenly moistened.
- Press: Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
- Bake: Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and let cool to room temperature while you prepare the fillings. Lower the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
Prepare the Fillings & Streusel
- Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
- Streusel Topping: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter until clumps form, then set aside.
- Cheesecake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer until completely smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined. Sift in the cornstarch and mix until incorporated.
Assemble and Bake
- Layer: Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Evenly scatter the spiced apples over the cheesecake layer, then top with the crumbly streusel mixture.
- Bake: Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle.
- Cool Slowly: Turn off the oven, crack the door open halfway, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
- Chill: Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 5 hours (overnight is best) to let the bars set completely.
Finish and Serve
- Slice the chilled cheesecake into bars, drizzle generously with homemade or store-bought caramel sauce, and enjoy!
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at true room temperature. This is key to blending the batter smoothly without lumps and prevents cracks during baking.
- Slow Cooling: Do not rush the cooling process! Let the cheesecake cool slowly in the oven with the door cracked open for 1 hour before moving it to the fridge to prevent sudden temperature drops that cause cracking.
- Mandatory Chill Time: Let the bars chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours (or overnight) so the cheesecake layers set completely, making it easy to cut clean, sharp slices.
- Apple Choice: Use firm, tart baking apples like Granny Smith so they hold their shape and don't release excess moisture into the filling.
Eric says
These are perfect for thanksgiving dinner!