Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping
The perfect marriage of cheesecake + caramel apples, these caramel apple cheesecake bars with that buttery, delightful streusel topping are one of my favorite fall desserts!
Move over pumpkin, because today, apples are getting their rightful attention as favorite fall flavor, too!
I mean, obviously you can enjoy apples every day of the year if you want (same with pumpkin, if we’re going to have this conversation), but there’s something about fall that brings out the delicious, warm flavors of apples.
And there’s no better combination than apples + caramel. Am I right?
Throw a little shortbread, cheesecake and streusel in there and you are looking at one of my family’s favorite desserts EVER.
And ok, fine, I actually have never relegated these caramel apple cheesecake bars to just autumn time. They are an oft-requested and oft-made treat all through the year.
My brother, Nathan, sent me the recipe years and years ago after his coworkers basically told him he should never bring any other treat in to work besides these babies. (Sidenote: my brother is an incredible baker and makes the most delectable desserts.)
I soon saw for myself the popularity that follows these bars. As in, you may get mobbed for the recipe. Prepare yourself.
Every time I bring these to a church activity or book club or social gathering (that highlight reel makes me sound like I actually get dressed and leave my house on occasion, which is slightly misleading), they are wildly, wildly popular.
I mean, just look at them! I know looks aren’t everything, but you have to admit, they are stunning little bars. And the outside appearance is just the beginning. They are ridiculously delicious. Like, best thing I ever ate kind of delicious.
That buttery shortbread based topped with a luscious creamy cheesecake layer and then followed by the syrupy tender apples…it’s almost too much.
But wait! There’s more! We’re going to take it two steps further with a buttery golden streusel (streusel is life) and caramel sauce drizzled on top with wild abandon.
I know. Let me give you a minute.
If you are looking for a showstopper dessert this fall, these caramel apple cheesecake bars should be very high on the to-make list.
And I’m not the only one with undying love! I originally posted this recipe back in 2010, and it has continued to be a family favorite of ours and many of yours, too (check out the comments for reviews and feedback).
There is a lot going on in this recipe, there’s no doubt about that. But I promise the end result will be worth it.
All of the components come together quickly and simply. It’s just a matter of assembling them all together (and bribing someone else to wash the dishes).
And in the name of giving apples a chance to shine today, here are a couple of my other favorite apple recipes (that aren’t pie)!
Whole Grain Applesauce Cinnamon Quick Bread
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Apple Dapple Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce (one of my favorite cakes ever)
Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
Apple Cinnamon Waffles
Apple Cinnamon Streusel Dessert Pizza
Caramel Apple Cider Floats
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Apples:
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup (212 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup (50 g) quick cooking oats
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
Shortbread Base:
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (106 g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 2 packages (8-ounces each) (454 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup (212 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream cream
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla, can cut down to 1 teaspoon for less vanilla flavor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil (helps with cleanup but isn't necessary). Lightly grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- For the apples, in a small bowl, stir together the chopped apples, two tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- For the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients and mix with a pastry blender or two forks (or your fingers) until crumbly. Set aside.
- For the shortbread base, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but evenly and well combined. Press the crust evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges.
- For the cream cheese layer, while the crust is baking, in a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese with the 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla. Mix until evenly combined, scraping down the edges of the bowl as needed. Pour over the warm crust.
- Give the apple mixture a good stir and spoon over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is set.
- For the caramel sauce, add the butter, brown sugar, cream, and salt to a saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook while stirring gently for 5-7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If the caramel sauce has been refrigerated, warm slightly to pour over the bars.
- Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle with topping one by one).
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: Bars adapted from my brother, Nate (I think he originally found them here), caramel sauce from Pioneer Woman
Recipe originally published October 2010; updated with new photos, commentary and recipe notes.
190 Comments on “Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping”
I’m not gonna’ lie – the 5 different elements of this recipe intimidated me. But, after reading the description to my son, he convinced me to make them with his help. And, boy – not disappointed – worth the effort. Granted, each element in itself wasn’t too difficult, I was just being lazy, I guess. I used reduced fat cream cheese, which was the only modification. Delish!
Hi Mel! I have made these bars once before and my family loved them. I am going to make them again for a midway between Thanksgiving and Christmas meal we are having at my Dad’s house, and I was wondering if you think I could assemble them a day or two before I want to bake them and put them in the refrigerator, and then add the streusel and bake them the day of our meal? It would save a ton of time. I just have no idea if that would work. Thanks and happy holidays!
Yes, I think you could definitely do that!
Can these be frozen?
Yes! Wait to drizzle the caramel until after they have thawed (right before serving)
Overall very good! If I were to make again, I would increase the amount cheesecake filling and apples and cut down a bit on the streusel. I thought it was kind of a thin layer of cheesecake to crust/topping ratio
Wanted to add to my post above…
my shortcut is to use already made caramel topping – Ghirardelli Caramel is fantastic and comes in a squeeze bottle to easy to make the plate and dessert look pretty! I’ve used the sea salt caramel also and it’s fantastic!
Delicious!! Made it for my bunco group and they LOVED it!! About to make it for one (of many) Thanksgiving desserts!!
Thanks, Dawn
These are time consuming but so good I haven’t made them in a couple of years. My main concern is no to ver cook and with the apples on top kind of heard to tell
When stored back into the fridge does the strussel get soggy?
The streusel does soften a bit but it doesn’t get soggy.
I brought these to work and they were a hit! So many people asked for the recipe. I will definitely make these again. Recipe was nicely laid out and easy to follow.
This is my favorite dessert on your site and we have made many! This is a big hit at Thanksgiving and any other gathering. Soooo good!!
would i need to cut this recipe in half if i’m using an 8×8 pan? (i don’t own a 9×13 pan)
Yes, it would need to be halved for that size of pan.
Would you change anything (cook time or temperature) if you are cooking this in a glass 9×13?
Sometimes glass pans don’t bake as evenly, so I’d reduce the temp by 15 to 25 degrees and just keep an eye on the baking time (It might need a bit longer)
Can you make these with any other kind of Apple? Have never liked granny apples
Yes! Honeycrisp or gala apples work great.
These were absolutely amazing and I will definitely be making them again!! However, do we need to refrigerate the leftovers? Is the cheesecake ok out at room temp?
Yes, they should be refrigerated.
Can you freeze these caramel strudel bars.
Yes. I wait to top them with the caramel drizzle after they have thawed.
ok thanks will do
Can I use old fashioned oats and maybe soak them for a bit. Just don’t wanna buy a whole nother thing of oats for this recipe when I never use the quick ones
You can blend the old-fashioned oats a bit and they’ll work for quick oats.
Thank you! And how do you know if the filling is set?
It should be slightly puffed and not completely raw in the center.
As I finish my Thanksgiving grocery list today (I only have to contribute, not host) I came to your site to make sure I’d professed my appreciation for this recipe and was shocked not to find my name in the comments already! I started making these probably about the time you originally posted the recipe and they’ve become a Thanksgiving staple (ie, my in-laws might disown me if I didn’t show up with them and my other signatures, peanut butter pie and corn macaroni casserole). So, on behalf of all of the people who will try to steal the pan when I walk in the door on Thursday, thank you!
Wow, This recipe is different and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
This recipe was so good! It was very easy to make and it turned out delicious!
Thanks, Emily!
Totally mind blowing! I’ve only made them twice and both times they stole the show.
Okay, so I made this for Thanksgiving this year, just to have another option outside of our typical pumpkin pie (not complaining, I love my pumpkin pie). With all of the other commotion, it was maybe not the best time to tackle this recipe as it was unfamiilar and had a lot of steps. But, let me just say that these are going to the top of our “must make again” pile. They were so worth the effort. We might have used the left over caramel sauce in our coffee, on random fruit, in our oatmeal. . .. fantastic! Who doesn’t want to have a convenient little bottle of caramel sitting around the kitchen? Thanks for this recipe. LOVE.
Thanks for the report, Jenny! Glad they were a hit despite it being a bit chaotic to make them!
Hi, I plan on making these bars for Thanksgiving and I wanted to know if I would be able to make it in a 9×9 pie pan? Btw I came across your lemon bars recipe a few years back and yours is by far the best, I’ve been a fan of yours every since!
I think you’d definitely want to halve the recipe if baking in that small of a pan. Happy Thanksgiving!
Divine! There are lots of steps, but they are easy. We served this to company and both they and my family said they were the best! Soooo good! The left over caramel sauce is extra yummy on apples or ice cream. So good!
Glad these were a hit, Jen! Thanks for letting me know!
If I make this 1 day ahead of time, is it stored in the refrigerator or at room temp?
Thank our for all the scrumptious recipes! This look a amazing. I have a ton of Gala apples. Do you think I could use those instead of Granny Smith in this recipe?
Yes…the overall taste will be sweeter since you won’t get that contrast with the tart Granny Smith but I’ve made this with honeycrisp apples and it turned out well.
Made this for my coffee birthday group, it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it! It is time consuming but well worth it! I used Haroldson apples because that’s what I had and omitted the Carmel sauce. Just delicious! Thanks Mel, love your site!
Glad these were a hit. Thanks for letting me know, Angie!
Do these freeze well? I’m thinking of making them ahead for Christmas dinner
I’m not sure how this mixture would bake – I’m worried it would get super runny in the oven.
Can these be cooked, and then frozen?
I haven’t frozen them myself, but someone else reported on this thread or Instagram, can’t remember, that they freeze great.
FABULOUS!!! and i’m not a big cheesecake fan-however these were divine–i’d cutter small cuz sooo rich…my carmel sauce did thickenen as it cooled..i also used 3 different apples i had on hand and was great…i think next time i’ll put more apples on top…took to a family party…definitely a keeper…good work Mel…fyi my love language is food/cooking as i can c it is yours too. :).
Thanks, Tina! So happy you loved these. 🙂
Made these exactly per specifications. Had high expectations…honestly it was a ton of work for a result that tasted a heck of a lot like a basic apple crumble. Family didn’t rave either. Won’t be going to all the trouble again, but love the idea anyway and appreciate the effort you took to post.
Sorry you didn’t love them!
Do you have any suggestions on how to make this recipe gluten free?
You might be able to substitute a cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend for the flour…it seems like recipes like this adapt pretty well to gluten free flour in the crust/streusel.
Oat flour worked great in the crust and streusel!
Soooo good! Love the new pictures. I made this a while ago and was inspired to make it again last night for my husband’s office when you updated the post. My husband reported everyone went wild for them and when I had a taste I remembered just how amazing these bars are is. 🙂
Glad they were just as delicious as when you first made them! Thanks, Miki!
Theses caramel cheesecake bars are my newest favorite dessert from Mel’s blog! My husband and I love them, his office loves them and my office has gone wild over them too, even one of the men asked me for the recipe and that never happens. Mel, thank you for having the stamina week after week to put out amazing recipes for us. I smile when I see I have a new posting from you in my in-box. I have always said I wished I lived next door to you cuz I think we would be great friends!
Wow, thanks, Amy! You are awesome and your comment made my day. 🙂
Could I use Honey Crisp? I just don’t like Granny Smith…I know, I know…,how dare I not like it!!!
Yes, I think so! The bars won’t have quite that contrast of tart and sweet but it’ll be yummy still I think.
Could I cut this recipe in half and use an 8 x 8 pan. Thee is only my husband and myself.
Thank you.
I make an 8×8 every year for Thanksgiving. We like a good amount of the cheesecake layer so I keep that layer the same, and halve everything else. It works perfectly.
Yes, I think so! The layers might be a bit thicker, but it should work.
I have to make a dessert for 80 people at my church. How many servings does this recipe make?
BTW, I LOVE your blog! You are my go-to gal for most of my favorite recipes!
Thanks, Ashlee!
The recipe makes a 9X13-inch pan of bars, so it really depends on how large/small you cut them, but I think you could get 15-18 servings from one pan.
Made this on Friday for Saturday lunch get together with family. Everyone loved it! I didn’t make the caramel sauce and it was still great. Next time I will probably add a fourth apple since I love granny smith. Thanks Mel!
Hi Mel! I just came across this delicious looking recipe & I’m so excited to try it!
As I read through some of the previous comments, I noticed that a couple of people commented that they had difficulty getting the Caramel Sauce to thicken up. Any idea what may have caused that, & what to do to prevent it from happening? (I just want to be prepared for the worst! Lol )
Thanks for all of your inspiration, Mel!
I’m not sure, Cindy – it’s always thickened up when I’ve made it (I use the heavy cream from Costco which is a little thicker than normal so that might help).
Thank you, Mel. I will try that!
I’ve found that simply letting the Caramel cool down will thicken it….if you can wait that long!
It could be that the brown sugar wasn’t packed enough…
I’ve probably commented on these before, but oh my goodness, they are soooooo good! Just made them again yesterday for company, and they are so amazingly fabulous, I just can’t get over it. I’m being bad and eating them with my coffee this morning. I can’t help myself! Thanks again for sharing.
Do these freeze well after baked?
Thank you.
I’ve never tried that, Kris – sorry! There might be others who have in the comment thread (I don’t remember). Most cheesecake does pretty well frozen so it’s definitely worth a try.
It freezes beautifully. I freeze it in the pan and covered with foil. Let it thaw in the fridge the day of serving and it turns out just like it was baked the day prior. This is the recipe that first brought me to this blog years ago. I have made it at least a dozen times.
I know this post is older, but I just had to shout this recipe’s praises. I made it for my husband’s work – it was gone in 30 minutes, which was a record for the office. My husband kept receiving emails raving about it’s wonderfulness. I made it as the recipe states and it didn’t take too long to make. I used an apple slicer and then used my mandolin to get the apples thin (I struggle with cutting things evenly). Thanks for the knockout recipe!
I just wanted to let you know I have made these twice. The first time I made the recipe exactly as written. The second time, I used blueberries instead of apples and it was a huge hit. It also saved a few minutes. Thanks for sharing!
Which do you like better? These or your Apple Cheesecake Pie? I can’t decide which to make for my extended family dinner this week.
Both are delicious but these cheesecake bars would win out over the two, I think.
Hi, I love the idea of this recipe. My boyfriend asked for a caramel apple cheesecake for his Birthday but he typically likes a full sized cake not bars, would the crust be enough for a 9 inch cheesecake?
Yes, it should be!
This may seem silly but why do you use foil on the bottom of these? Does it tear and stick to the bottom of the dessert at all when you serve it? I was hoping to make these for a potluck.
I use it simply to help with cleaning up the pan but you don’t need to – you could grease or butter the pan well or use parchment paper.
I am totally in love! Made them tonight and they turned out great! Yummy yum yum!!!!
I made these and they tasted wonderful but the crust wan a little hard to cut . Is that normal? I would also like to know if I can freeze them. I want to make them for a dessert bar for my grandson’s wedding and need to make them ahead of time. Thanks so much. Love your site. Your recipes are amazing.
Hi Pat – try underbaking the crust by a minute or two and also try not to press it too firmly into the pan – just lightly pressing it will help it not bake up too hard. I have never frozen these so unfortunately I’m not sure how they would fare but other cheesecake-type desserts seem to freeze well so it’s certainly worth a try (although I’d definitely freeze them without the drizzle of caramel on top and add that right before serving). Good luck!
This was delicious! I did have trouble with the caramel sauce. It wouldn’t thicken. I waited 15 minutes before I saw any change, now it’s gritty. Next time (oh, yeah – there will be several ‘next times’) I’ll try your crockpot dulce de’ leche instead. 🙂 Thanks Mel.
the caramel sauce was runny no matter how long I cooked it
Made these for a coworker’s birthday today and got rave reviews. These bars are always a huge crowd pleaser and the perfect fall recipe. Thanks for sharing.
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Oh wow. I am going echo everyone else’s comments in saying how freaking amazing this is. The only thing is that in the directions, it never says when to add the salt & cinnamon on the base layer. I just added it in with the flour and brown sugar, but you might want to include that in the instructions. Thanks so much for this fab recipe!!!
Thanks for the heads up, Georgia – I edited the recipe!
I have already posted about how DIVINE this bar is, but I have more great news; increase the pan size to 10 x 15 and omit the apples to make a perfectly portable morsel ready to dress for any occasion – right now I’m adding a dollop of rhubarb sauce to the top and as soon as the strawberries are ripe, they’ll take over center stage. Thanks, Mel, for one of my new favorite desserts!
Sounds good I love it
I´ve made these at least four times and they really, really are great. They´re a hit with everyone time after time. You can´t go wrong with these no matter who eats them. Thanks for a great recipe.
This. was. so. good. That is all.
This was delicious!!!! Thanks for the great post
These look delicious! How far in advance can you make these prior to serving them?
Katie – I’ve made them up to 1 day before and refrigerated until serving with great results.
Had a Paparazzi jewlery party last night and this was the dessert I chose to serve. Big, big hit! I’m sending your link to all my friends! Thanks soooo much!
Yeah I was thinking a 9″ springform pan. I will probably use the base & find a recipe for plain cheesecake for that pan & add all of that caramel-apple goodness to the top! I will play around with it. Thanks & I LOVE your blog!
I really want to make this recipe!!! Was wondering if there’s any way to turn this into cake form rather than bars?
Laura – I haven’t made this other than the bar form so you would probably have to experiment with pan size, etc. Baked per the recipe, it turns out like a 9X13-sized cake, are you wanting it to be 9-inch rounds or something similar?
They look AMAZING and they have been getting soooooooooooooo many postive reviews! All of your recipes get positive reviews!
But I don’t know wat nutmeg is, I just know that it is a spice, so would it be okay to leave the nutmeg out? Will it make a change/difference to the taste if I do so?
Thanks, and pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssseeeeeeeeeeeee reply!
Mindy – Nutmeg is a spice, you can find ground or whole nutmeg. You can try leaving it out – it will affect he flavor a bit but will probably work fine.
Once it had cooled completely and served it on the bars, I couldn’t taste the vanilla nearly as much. I guess I should just keep my finger out of the jar and use it for the dessert. 🙂 Thanks!
I’m curious if the caramel sauce is supposed to have a strong vanilla flavor or if i did something wrong…
davis – I don’t think the flavor is overly strong but it definitely has a hint of vanilla flavor. You might try halving the vanilla amount next time if you thought it was too strong for your tastes.
On Halloween we dress up our kids & invite their grandparents over for supper. This year we went the easy route & had baked potatoes for the meal. The dessert was the star – I made this & it was a HIT!! Thanks for another wonderful & impressive recipe!!
What would happen if I used regular oats instead of quick?
Ang – the streusel might bake up a little bit more lacey/crumbly than if you use quick oats, but it probably won’t be a huge difference. If you have regular oats, you might give them a quick spin in the blender – not enough to pulverize them but just chop them slightly.
Just one more comment to add to an already long list of comments…but I just have to say, that I made these on Saturday for a bbq with friends and have have been eating them everyday since. Everyone loved them! I’ve even decided to make them again when I do a jewelry party at my house in two weeks. These little bits of heaven aren’t too labor intensive, but give the impression that you’ve worked on them all afternoon. Very elegant dessert. I think I’ll add these to my top 3 desserts of all time!
With the unbelievable apple harvest this year, I’ve already made this dessert twice…and I’m sure to again. Here’s a tip to make the prep quicker; use your food processor to make the crust, then without cleaning it, use it again to make the struesel – less mess and less time – yippee! FYI these are still quite yummy w/o the caramel (I need a portable dessert last week and these fit the bill), however, as we all know, everything can be improved by adding caramel. I’m thinking of chopping some fresh cranberries and adding to the apples next time…
I finally made these on Sunday. My husband said they are now one of his top 5 desserts and that I should make them for any church function or any family that I take a meal to. We prefer them cold, though.
These are in the oven right now – I am soooo nervous, they are going straight up to a family gathering before I even get to taste test them! (I’m prone to somehow messing up everything I try to bake!) So excited about all these positive reviews!
Just made this dessert on Sunday for a family get together…it was a HUGE hit! Soooo delicious!! Will be making these again! My husband isn’t much of a dessert eater…but he really liked these! I ate just one that night, trying to be good…and that was sooo hard because I wanted to grab the plate and keep them all for myself!
I’m the mom of four boys…so the few that were leftover were gone the next morning …a common occurrence in this house :/ …Sigh…Next time, I’m gonna be selfish…and hide a few in the veggie drawer in the fridge! Hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! 🙂
I am 16 and i am the baker in my family, today i made this recipe to take to seminary class, and it was a hit. the fridge that i stored them in overnight froze the bars which made them 10x better, although i didn’t have any.
I made this for my mom’s Mother’s Day meal, and my husband went crazy! He isn’t a huge dessert guy, and, more often than not, I enjoy something sweet far more than he does. I was taking my Sunday nap by the time he tried this, and he woke me up to ask where I got the recipe and to tell me that it’s the best thing I ever made. Later, when on the phone with his mom, he raved about it to her. I have never, ever, seen my husband react to a dessert like this, so thank you!
By the way, I found you through our mutual, super talented friend Mariann. 🙂
Loved this recipe, so did everyone else that tried it! Very easy to make! Just wondering if it has ever been doubled before, to be baked in a foil lined cookie sheet, so that it can feed a larger crowd?
Kristy – I’ve never tried it that way. It should work ok as long as the sides of the pan are high enough to avoid bubbling and spilling over.
I tripled the recipe to feed to a crowd and made it in a jelly roll pan, half jelly roll pan and an 8×8 square pyrex dish. No overbubbling happened. It seems perfect!
I was pilfering through your website enjoying the recipes. When I got to this one, that did it. I copied it, Facebooked it to my sister and signed up to follow you on Facebook. Fortunately you can not see me drooling. I will be making this soon!
Thanks, Mel! There has to be someone out there who knows a fast trick for cutting up apples into small pieces and if I ever find that person I’ll let you know! Maybe I’ll try chopping them earlier in the day to save some time later.
I have made these twice and LOVE them! The only thing I do not love is that they are a bit time consuming. Any tips for chopping up the apples quickly? I have tried them in my hand food chopper but the apples seem to stick to the side of the blades instead of staying in the cup for easy chopping.
Hi Sarah – I’m pretty old school when it comes to chopping the apples. I do it by hand and yes, I agree, it is a tedious process. Unfortunately I don’t have any great tips to speed it up (unless you have or get one of those nifty apple peeler/corer/slicer hand crank machines).
Was referred to your site by a friend, and boy do I owe her a favor! I’ve been reading your recipes all day and have yet to find one I didn’t drool over! I’ve printed off no less than 10 of your recipes which are the ones I want to try immediately, and have bookmarked numerous others! But this one is gonna be the first one I make tomorrow! cannot wait! it looks amazing! thanks for sharing! and for taking the time to do your blog!
Amazing, delicious, delightful, and so rich!! This is a great dessert for parties.
First of all I would like to thank you for the fabulous compliments. I submitted this recipe to Paula Deen in 2008, and it has been published in several of her magazines, and it is posted on the food network website. I just decided to do a search on the recipe tonight, and to my surprise, it is pretty popular. It is a recipe that I made up for a dinner party for someone who wanted to serve my Caramel Apple Cheesecake. I decidedto make the recipe into bars, so it was easier to serve. Thank you.
This recipe will be the end of me. Apple anything has always been a favorite, and combining my other favorite thing, cheesecake is just playing a big joke on my back end. It is delicious! I halved the recipe and it came out great! I’m glad I wont have a whole pan of this stuff hanging around.
I just made these last night after months of staring at them on your blog and they were a big hit. Even my husband, who is dubious about apple desserts, went back for seconds.
I made these for our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday because I actually had all of the ingredients for them, yay! I LOVED them. They are the perfect apple desert and I loved all of the different layers, they go perfect together. So, so, so, yummy, thank you Mel!!! 😀
Kensi – way to go on having all the ingredients on hand for these. I’m so glad they were a hit!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe Melanie! I made it for a family get together and it was major hit! I will definitely be making this again!
Thanks, Shayla – I’m so glad this worked out well for your family get together!
Okay, so, I was beginning to think I was cursed. I have made SIX new recipes in the last 2 weeks, and they have ALL been DISASTERS!! But… you broke my curse! These bars were fantastic! They were easy to make, and are just divine! I’m going to have to share them so I don’t eat them all. Thanks for the yummy recipe and for breaking the curse! 😉
Krista – sorry you’ve had such bad luck with new recipes. That’s the worst! Glad that these cheesecake bars broke up the bad streak!
I can’t remember if I commented or not … I made these last week and they are oh-my-goodness good! Basically a cheesecake in bar form, which definitely makes them easier to bake!
Thanks!
Thanks, Candice!
These bars were a HUGE hit at my family reunion this past weekend. Everyone was asking me for the recipe! I have to admit to taking 2 shortcuts. I made a graham cracker crust base (called for less butter) and i used Hershey’s caramel sauce on top.
I’m so happy I found your blog by doing a random Google search for cheesecake bars. Now i want to try more of your recipes 🙂
Stephanie – I’m so glad you found your way here, too and that the first recipe you tried was a hit. Thanks for letting me know!
I just made this last night and it was a hit with all our friends and family! I liked it and thought it had great texture and flavor. I am a HUGE cheesecake fan so my only wish was that that cheesecake flavor was more prevalent. But the desert was really good; and that carmel sauce..to die for and so easy! I tried it slightly warm and then cold. I think I would prefer it at room temperature so I will try that today 😉
As always thanks Melanie for the awesome recipes. My husband thinks I’m a great cook now and I always tell him it’s because your recipes inspire me to try new things so thank you!
p.s. I also send all my friends to your blog! I think it is one of the best out there!
Lisa – you need to start taking the credit for your husband’s praises (forget about telling him you got the recipe from here!). I’m so glad these cheesecake bars were a hit. I’ve seen other people make them and they one and a half the cheesecake layer – you might try that for a more prevalent cheesecake flavor!
Awesome- and this dessert is good for breakfast,lunch,dinner, midnight snack….I made this for company and everyone ate dessert no matter how full they were already and cleaned they’re plates and groaned! My husband isn’t a cheesecake fan but ate several helpings within the next couple of days. I may add a little more apple mixture to it the next time because I think it would be nice to have even more of a apple flavor and the texture of it more pronounced. But it’s very good the way that it is already.
Dorcas – so glad you loved this and I agree it is perfect for just about any meal!!
I thought this recipe was delicious. It tastes a lot like the bavarian apple torte, but with streusel and caramel–two things that amp up any recipe in my book! That caramel sauce was so easy and tasty–I’ll be using that component for all kinds of things!
Reyna – yes, the flavors are definitely similar to your Bavarian Torte. In fact, next time I make the torte, I’m going to drizzle some of that caramel sauce on top.
This was by far the best dessert I have made this fall. It’s really good for breakfast too!
Thanks, Ann!
I made this last night (sans caramel sauce) and it was one of the best things I have EVER made. Having a food processor cuts the steps down. Thank you!
Kitty – I bet a food processor could really help out with this. Thanks for the tip! And I’m happy you liked it so much!
yumm. this seems like the perfect sweet fall dish!:)
I made these last night. The recipe looks long and involved, but they are simple, really. Not difficult–even for someone like me who is easily overwhelmed by recipes–and faster than it looks, too. And they turned out great for me. Really love the apples in them. And the oats in the streusel.
Queenann – thanks for checking in on this recipe. I agree that the steps look endless but it really does come together quickly. So glad you liked it!
Holy crap Mel!!! Those look to die for! I really, really wish you could be my personal chef. Little do your adorable kiddos know how lucky they are!!! 🙂 Hope all is well!
The men in your family seem like super guys! 🙂
~ingrid
this is a cheesecake-type creation i can see myself enjoying immensely! hooray for apple season.
These look so delicious! Has anyone had success freezing these bars for a yummy treat later? If so, how long do they take to thaw approximately?
Well after so many rave reviews from so many different sources, I know exactly what dessert I’ll be making this week. My thighs officially do NOT thank you 😛
With the exception of the homemade caramel sauce , the cheesecake bar recipe comes from Paula Deen. These are very good, I’ve made them several times.
ohhhh, yum. thank you for sharing this!
Looks so good. Love the drizzle across the top. Couldn’t resist these if I saw them on the table.
I saw your recipe and decided to made these for a bake sale at my husband’s work tomorrow to benefit cancer research. WOW! Amazing! It is going to take everything in me to send them to the bake sale rather than just eat them all myself. SOOOO GOOD!
Thanks, Barbie – I’m glad these worked out for you!
Oh heavenly! Agreed with all statements previously mentioned! Ha ha! Must make immediately!
Your dessert posts make me so happy!!! 🙂
I brought these to our church cheesecake contest a couple years ago, and won 1st place for them!!! This is a Paula Deen recipe with extra spices added to the crust. Recently, I’ve seen this recipe pop up on everyone’s food blog.
Wow, Mel, these look incredible! I could definitely go for one of these right now… I’m so glad I found your blog! I’ll be visiting again soon to see what you’re cooking and baking up next!
Sorry I didn’t finish my comment earlier…these look amazing. I will have to try your homemade caramel. I’m sure that just makes it out of this world. Thanks for stopping by and saying hi. I love everything you make!
I’ve decided apple pie is my favorite pie, cheesecake is my favorite cake, and caramel is my favorite topping…how could I go wrong with this dessert? I am thinking it may replace our apple pie this year at Thanksgiving if it is that good. Hmm. Could I justify making it sooner than that because I sure want to try it?!
Oh my goodness. I need these. Right. Now.
Those look so yummy…I am headed to the grocery store today and I just had to add those ingredients to my list.
I found these a couple of years ago on Food Network and they are AWESOME! They are delicious. They take a bit of time but they are so worth it. I’m glad you’re getting that recipe out there!
This dessert encompasses everything I love! My only hesitation in making them is my concern that I will devour the entire pan myself. I’m going in though, I can’t stop myself!
Yeah! Just the other night I was on a hunt for something like this. I had a craving for a creamy cheesecake filling with cinnamon apples. Voila! You came to my rescue. I am thinking my bottled apple pie filling will work great for the top apple part.
Thanks Melanie!!
I have been looking for a recipe exactly like this! Thanks for ending my search.
That picture speaks for itself. I can see why this would be such a favorite, especially with all that good stuff going for it.
I guess I’m headed to the store for Granny Smiths and cream cheese.
Oh those are calling my name. Why oh why have I already had my share of goodies for the week. Those look awesome. Thanks for sharing them.
These look absolutely fabulous! They are going on my table soon!
These look so yummy! Silly question, do you wait till the caramel simmers and then cook 5-7 more minutes or 5-7 minutes total? thanks!
Jeanette – it isn’t a very scientific recipe but that’s a good question. Bring it to a simmer and cook it for about 5 minutes after that.
I’ve been waiting for a good apple cheesecake dessert recipe to pop up online! Thanks 🙂
I have been wondering what to do with my extra half and half dinner called for a few nights ago…. MMMM!
Caramel apple flavors are good in so many desserts–this recipe looks like another one to add to the list!
Ditto for me, Jessica! These are going to be on my Thanksgiving table, too! Thanks for sharing Nate’s recipe with us, Melanie! 🙂
These are one of the most popular things on my site. I increased the cream cheese layer because I thought it needed a little but more.
http://thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html
Just bookmarked! These are going to be my Thanksgiving dessert!