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Gooey Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel

Caramel apple cheesecake bars layer a buttery graham cracker crust with creamy cheesecake, cinnamon apples, and golden oat streusel. Bake until the center is set, chill until firm, then finish with a drizzle of warm caramel.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling and chilling 5 hours
Total Time 6 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 500
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake
  • 2 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 0.67 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Apple layer
  • 2 firm apples medium, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Streusel
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.125 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
Caramel topping
  • 0.75 cup thick caramel sauce

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan

Method
 

Prepare the crust
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  3. Stir the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and granulated sugar together.
  4. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
  5. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
  6. Set the pan on a rack while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake
  1. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and flour just until combined.
Prepare the apple layer
  1. Toss the diced apples with the lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until evenly coated.
Make the streusel
  1. Stir the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.
  2. Cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the warm crust.
  2. Scatter the apple mixture over the cheesecake mixture.
  3. Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top.
  4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the streusel is golden and the cheesecake center is set; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the cheesecake layer in the center should read 160°F.
  5. Cool the bars in the pan on a rack for 1 hour.
  6. Refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours.
Finish the bars
  1. Warm the caramel sauce in the microwave in 10-second bursts until pourable.
  2. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the chilled bars.
  3. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang.
  4. Cut into 16 squares.

Notes

For neat squares, chill the bars fully before cutting and wipe the knife between cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze yes, wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free variation, use gluten-free graham crumbs and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.