Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars – apple pie, cookies, cheesecake; all rolled into one. Delicious rich flavors of salted caramels, apples and cinnamon and luscious cheesecake!
Did I ever tell you that cheesecake is by far my all time favorite dessert? There’s no question about it that when I go into a restaurant and if I have any type of dessert, 99% of the time I will always order cheesecake. I mean there has to be some extraordinary dessert on the menu that catches my eye to make me stray from the norm.
These bars are not really about the salted caramel sauce, these squares are about the cheesecake and the apples. It’s no secret that I also like apple pie, so why not combine two of my favorite desserts together, cheesecake and apple pie?
It’s really no rocket science here. While most apple cheesecake bars call to put the apples and some sort of streusel topping over the top of the bars, here I went against the norm and mixed the apples with the cheesecake together. And why not?
Ingredients
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Crust
- Graham crackers – The main ingredient in our crust and it also offers a great molasses flavor.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted though I prefer unsalted to control the sodium content of our dessert.
- Sugar – We want a nice clean flavor for our crust, white granulated sugar is your best bet.
- Spices – Some cinnamon to warm everything up and pair nicely with our apples.
Filling
- Cream cheese – I used 2 packages of whole fat Philadelphia cream cheese. Reduced fat can also be used to cut calories.
- Sugar – Again granulated sugar is best for this cheesecake recipe.
- Eggs – Our key binding agent for this cake, eggs will allow it to bake properly.
- Salt – To season our cake, an important component.
Apples
- Apples – I used Macintosh apples, however any kind will do! Be sure to slice them thin and bite sized.
- Spices – Some cinnamon to warm it all up, cinnamon also pairs perfectly with apple.
- Sugar – We want some white sugar to give us a clean sweetness.
Topping
- Caramel sauce – You can use store bought like I did to make things a bit easier, or you can make your own! I’ll include directions below for doing exactly that.
- Sea salt – Some of the nice flaky stuff sprinkled over top.
What’s The Best Cream Cheese To Use For Cheesecake
I prefer using Philadelphia cream cheese because it always makes a super silky cheesecake. However, if you can’t find the Philadelphia brand, use a cream cheese that is full fat for best results.
How To Make Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper, spray it with cooking spray first so that the parchment paper sticks to the pan. Set aside.
- Form the crust: In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, sugar and the graham cracker crumbs. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press evenly. It might be easier to use the bottom of a glass to press the crumbs down to make a thin layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Make the cheesecake mixture: While the crust is baking make the cream cheese mixture. To the bowl of your mixer add the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and pinch of salt. Beat on medium high for at least 5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
- Add in the apples: In a medium bowl mix together the apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Gently fold in the prepared apples into the cheesecake mixture. Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust in the baking pan. Level the top off with a spatula.
- Bake uncovered for about an hour or until the filling is set. Let the cheesecake cool completely before slicing into it. Once the cake is cooled slice it into squares. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.
Want To Make Your Own Caramel Sauce?
Well I sure won’t try to stop you! I have a super easy 1 ingredient caramel sauce right here on the blog, just follow the directions listed there to really take this dessert up a notch.
What Else Can I Top My Bars With?
Besides this delicious caramel sauce there are other toppings you can add. Here are some suggestions:
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Toasted pecans or walnuts
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa Powder
Storing Leftovers
These little bars will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just store in an airtight container or wrap them up tightly before popping them in.
Cooked cheesecake also freezes really well, just place the bars fully cooled and uncovered on a pan in the freezer and allow to freeze entirely. Remove them and wrap fully in plastic wrap and aluminum foil till ready to eat. This method should ensure the cheesecake bars lasts 3 months.
More Drool Worthy Desserts:
- Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Matcha Mini Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Mini Tiramisu Cheesecakes
- Hawaiian Cheesecake Bites
- Creme Brûlée Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pops
- Tiramisu
- Chocolate Fudge
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
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Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For Crust
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
For Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
For Apples
- 2 large apples peeled, cored and sliced in small pieces
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp sugar
Topping
- caramel sauce I used store bought
- sea salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper, spray it with cooking spray first so that the parchment paper sticks to the pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, sugar and the graham cracker crumbs. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press evenly. It might be easier to use the bottom of a glass to press the crumbs down to make a thin layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is baking make the cream cheese mixture. To the bowl of your mixer add the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and pinch of salt. Beat on medium high for at least 5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
- In a medium bowl mix together the apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Gently fold in the prepared apples into the cheesecake mixture. Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust in the baking pan. Level the top off with a spatula.
- Bake uncovered for about an hour or until the filling is set. Let the cheesecake cool completely before slicing into it.
- Once the cake is cooled slice it into squares. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.
Recipe Notes
- These little bars will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just store in an airtight container or wrap them up tightly before popping them in.
- Cooked cheesecake also freezes really well, just place the bars fully cooled and uncovered on a pan in the freezer and allow to freeze entirely. Remove them and wrap fully in plastic wrap and aluminum foil till ready to eat. This method should ensure the cheesecake bars lasts 3 months.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
