How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars

These apple cheesecake bars are my top crowd pleaser. I can’t tell you how many times I have brought these to a gathering and had people say “OMG, who made these?! They’re delicious!” 

The bars start with a shortbread crust, then filled with a cheesecake mixture, diced apples and finally a cinnamon streusel on top then baked to perfection. The worst part about this recipe is you have to wait at least 5 hours to cut into it but it’s totally worth the wait. Trust me!

I love using my Kitchenaid when making this dessert because I can have the kitchen aid mixing the ingredients together while I work on the apples and streusel topping. Get the kitchenaid that I used here. I’ve also just used my favorite glass bowls and a wooden spoon so you don’t need a fancy kitchen appliance to make this dessert but it’s nice to have and helps out while multitasking in the kitchen. 

Make these for your next holiday get together, potluck at work or honestly any occasion that you want to make a delicious dessert to share.  

What are Apple Cheesecake Bars?

Apple cheesecake bars are a dessert that start off with a shortbread crust, filled with a cheesecake mixture, diced apples and topped with cinnamon streusel. They’re baked in a 9×13 baking pan and cut into bars. If you’re a cheesecake fan this is definitely made for you!

How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars 

Ingredients:

For crust

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup of salted butter, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ packed brown sugar

Cheesecake filling 

• 2 (8oz) cream cheese, softened at room temperature 
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract

The apples

• 3  apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

Topping

• ¾  cup old fashioned oats 
• ¾  cup all purpose flour 
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½  tsp cinnamon 
• 6 tbsp cold salted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or baking spray. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, add the softened butter, flour, sugar and brown sugar and mix until everything is well combined. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press down firmly and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. When done, set aside.
3. In the mixer, add the softened cream cheese and sugar and mix until creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the mixture on top of the baked crust and set aside while you work on the apples and streusel.
4. In a bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. Evenly distribute the cinnamon apples over the cheesecake filling.
5. In a bowl, add the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and cold butter and with a pastry cutter or fork, start working the mixture to form a crumble like texture.  Sprinkle the streusel all over the apples and cheesecake mixture evenly then place in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature then place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 5 hours. (overnight is best)
6. Cut into bars and they’re ready to serve! (Depending on the size you want you can cut into 16 or 24 bars.) 

# Tips 

Use any apples you like. I love using a mixture of granny smith and honeycrisp apples.  

Make sure you keep them refrigerated before serving! If you want to add some more sweetness add a drizzle of your favorite caramel sauce!

These are my favorite so I’m so excited for you to try them out. When you do please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

Why aren’t you following me on social media?!

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Pinterest

Apple Cheesecake Bars

These apple cheesecake bars start off with a shortbread crust then layered with cheesecake filling, cinnamon apples and cinnamon streusel.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Refrigerate 5 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Bars

Ingredients

  

For crust

• 2 cups All purpose flour
• 1 cup of salted butter softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ packed brown sugar

For cheesecake filling

• 2 8oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract

Apples

• 3 apples peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the Topping

• ¾ cup old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp cold salted butter cut into small pieces

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or baking spray. Set aside.
• In a standard mixer, add the softened butter, flour, sugar and brown sugar and mix until everything is well combined. Dump the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press down firmly and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. When done, set aside.
• In the same bowl, add the softened cream cheese and sugar and mix until creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the mixture on top of the baked crust and set aside while you work on the apples and streusel.
• In a bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. Evenly distribute the cinnamon apples over the cheesecake filling.
• In a bowl, add the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and cold butter and with a pastry cutter or fork, start working the mixture to form a crumble like texture. Sprinkle the streusel all over the apples and cheesecake mixture evenly then place in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature then place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 5 hours. (overnight is best)
• Cut into bars and they’re ready to serve! (Depending on the size you want you can cut into 16 or 24 bars.)

Keyword Apple Cheesecake Bars, Apple Desserts, Best Fall Desserts, Cheesecake Desserts, Dessert Bar Recipe, Dessert Recipe, Easy Fall Desserts, Fall Desserts