Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars

Why I Love These Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars

I mean, I don't think this requires much explanation, but...these bars are a combination of so many good things like cheesecake, caramel, baked cinnamon apples, and a sweet and salty crumble. There is a little bit of everything for everyone in these squares of goodness!

Not only that, but these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are pretty easy to put together like my Saltine Cracker Caramel Bars and my Pink Grapefruit Dessert Bars. This recipe is for an 8x8 baking dish but can easily be doubled for a larger batch.

Key Ingredients Needed For This Recipe

• Graham Crackers are lightly sweetened with honey or molasses and provide a crunchy texture, often used for pie crusts, s'mores, and snacks.
• Pretzels are made from wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, offering a crisp, salty contrast in both sweet and savory dishes.
• Cream Cheese is a smooth, mild-flavored soft cheese, typically sold in 8-ounce packages, commonly used in cheesecakes, dips, and frostings.
• Two Large Apples vary in sweetness and crispness by variety, adding fiber, vitamin C, and a fresh, juicy element to recipes.
• Caramel Sauce is made from sugar, butter, and cream, with a salted option available. It is used for drizzling, dipping, and flavoring desserts.

*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.

What type of apples to use for this recipe

The great thing about baking with apples is that you can use any variety you like, just make sure the apples are nice and firm. I used fuji apples for this recipe, but I have also used honey crisp or granny smith.

Use store-bought caramel or make your own!

I topped these apple cheesecake bars with some salted dulce de leche (salted caramel sauce) that I made in my Instant Pot! You can also use regular caramel sauce. And, if you don't want to make the caramel sauce, just buy some at the store!

How to Make Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.

Step 2: Pulse graham crackers and pretzels in a food processor until crumbly, leaving a few larger pieces. Mix with brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Press ¾ of the mixture into a baking pan, first with your fingers, then a flat-bottom cup. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

Step 3: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Spread over the crust.

Step 4: Peel and core the apples and cut them into small pieces. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to coat the apples fully.

Step 5: Spread the apples on top of the cheesecake layer.

Step 6: Sprinkle the remaining crumble on top of the apples.

Step 7: Bake for 40 minutes until set. Allow the bars to cool on a rack for 30 minutes and then continue to cool and set them in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Step 8: Drizzle the top with caramel sauce before serving, and enjoy!

Expert Tips for Making These Fall Treats

• I highly recommend using parchment paper to line your baking dish before baking. It makes clean-up easier and helps remove the bars from the pan.
• Cut the apples into ½" pieces or smaller so that every bite has delicious apples in them. Just eyeball it, it doesn't have to be perfect.
• Room-temperature cream cheese is essential so that all of the filling ingredients blend together. If you forget to pull it out of the fridge ahead of time you can zap it in the microwave at 15-second intervals or place the sealed package in warm water.
• The bars are done when the center no longer wiggles. A slight movement is ok, the bars will continue to set as they cool so don't leave them in the oven too long.
• You can easily double this recipe and use a larger baking dish if desired.
• These bars will last 2-3 days covered in the fridge.

Tools to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars with Caramel

This is my new favorite baking pan from Caraway and for good reason. It is the non-stickiest pan I've ever used, it's gorgeous, and it's non-toxic so you can feel good about using it.

Buy on Caraway Home!

I've had my Kitchenaid hand mixer for years and I still love it! I also like that you can pick your favorite color (not that it matters to the end result, but still...).

If you don't have an apple slicer/corer in your kitchen you really should get one. It's easy to use and easy to store!