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Easy Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe with Graham Cracker Crust

Apple Cheesecake Bars combine two classic desserts into one – apple pie and cheesecake! This holiday treat consists of a buttery Graham cracker crust, topped with a layer of cream cheese mixture, spiced chopped apples, and a streusel topping!

It's then baked, chilled, and drizzled with salted caramel for the ultimate dessert sensation!

Close up of two stacked apple cheesecake bars resting on a sheet of parchment paper.

Why You'll Love My Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars

  • You get to enjoy the flavors and textures of two distinct desserts in one bite of these apple cheesecake bars!
  • These apple cheesecake bars are the perfect make-ahead holiday dessert since they need to be chilled in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Serving these as dessert bars and not cake or pie slices instantly increases the recipe serving quantity – great for catering to a crowd when hosting parties over the holidays.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Graham cracker crust – A mixture of crumbled Graham crackers and melted butter.
  • Cheesecake mixture – Softened cream cheese combined with granulated sugar and eggs.
  • Spiced apples – Chopped Granny Smith apples tossed in granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • Streusel topping – Made with oats, brown sugar, softened butter, and flour.
  • Drizzle – Use salted caramel to drizzle over the apple cheesecake bars once chilled in the fridge. You can use store-bought salted caramel or homemade salted caramel.

Swaps

Apples – Granny Smith apples are a popular choice when baking, but you could use another type of apple, such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious.

Gluten-free – Make these apple cheesecake bars gluten-free by using gluten-free Graham crackers and gluten-free flour in the streusel topping.

Drizzle – If you don't enjoy salted caramel, drizzle the chilled apple cheesecake bars with melted white chocolate or a simple sugar glaze. You could also add a light dusting of powdered sugar, if you like.

Close up of sliced apple cheesecake bars.

Cheesecake Bar Tips

If you are rushed for time, chill the apple cheesecake bars for a minimum of 2 hours. I do recommend chilling them in the fridge overnight for best results.

Allow ingredients such as the cream cheese, butter, and eggs to reach room temperature for better mixing, flavor and consistency.

Give yourself enough time when making these apple cheesecake bars, especially if you intend to serve them to guests. You must factor in the chilling time in the fridge for best results. Make them the day before!

Overhead view of sliced apple cheesecake bars on parchment paper on a white marble countertop.

More Delicious Fall Flavored Desserts

David Murphy

Apple Cheesecake Bars

These apple cheesecake bars allow you to indulge in the flavors and textures of two classic desserts! Perfect for the holidays with ice cream, whipped cream, or extra salted caramel.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Course: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

For the Crust
  • 2 packages graham crackers
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
For the Cheesecake
  • 2 packages cream cheese 16 oz total
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
For the Streusel Topping
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 4 tbsp butter softened
  • 1/2 cup flour
For the Apples
  • 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, chopped.
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Drizzle
  • 1/3 cup salted caramel

Instructions
 

  1. For the streusel topping, in a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and softened butter. Mix  with your hand or using a spatula until mixture is crumbly. Place it in fridge until needed.  
  2. In a medium bowl, combine crumbled graham crackers and melted butter. Press evenly into a 8×8  baking pan that is lined with parchment paper.  
  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until  fully combined. Add eggs gradually. Pour over crust. 
  4. In a medium bowl stir together chopped granny smith apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and  nutmeg. Spoon over cream cheese mixture.  
  5. Lastly, sprinkle Streusel topping over apples and bake for 45-50 minutes until filling is set at 350F  (175C).  
  6. Let the cheesecake come to the room temperature and place it until fridge for at least 2 hours up to  over night. Drizzle with salted caramel before serving. 

Notes

FRIDGE

Store apple cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FREEZER

These apple cheesecake bars can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend wrapping them with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.

What You Can Serve with Apple Cheesecake Bars

TOPPINGS

Serve these apple cheesecake bars with additional salted caramel, or consider chocolate sauce or a dollop of whipped cream.

ICE CREAM

Much like traditional apple pie, these apple cheesecake bars pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

DESSERT BOARD

If you're assembling a holiday dessert board for a party of function, consider adding these apple cheesecake bars with slices of Gingerbread Loaf, Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes, Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies, Sweet Potato Pie Bars, or Cranberry Bliss Bars.

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