Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars are made with a buttery shortbread crust filled with sweet creamy cheesecake, tender cinnamon apples and delicious streusel crumb topping. These delicious cheesecake bars are the perfect apple dessert recipe for fall!
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Looking for more apple dessert ideas? Try this Dutch Apple Pie and Apple Upside Down Cake
These deliciously layered apple cheesecake bars are like little portable pieces of heavenly cinnamon spiced apple pie with a creamy cheesecake center. If creamy New York cheesecake and caramel apple pie had a baby, this would be it!
I can’t think of a better way to show your love this fall and holiday season than by baking a special homemade treat for the people you care about the most. Dessert bars are easy to make and a great treat to bring to bake sales, church functions and even Christmas potlucks.
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars
The Shortbread
Unlike a classic cheesecake, these cheesecake bars have a firmer shortbread crust that hold up better than traditional cheesecake bars while maintaining a flaky buttery texture.
- All purpose flour
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Cinnamon
The Cinnamon Apple Filling
The apple filling is a very simple combination of chopped apples, flour and warm spices. I like to cut the apples into small pieces so they can get tender. Coating the apples with flour helps absorb some of their moisture and creates an apple pie filling consistency.
- Apples
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
The Cream Cheese Filling
The smooth cream cheese filling is easy to make and it doesn’t need a water bath when baking. Spread the filling evenly over the shortbread crust.
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Egg Whites
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla
The Cinnamon Streusel
Sugary sweet, buttery, crispy and full of spices. This cinnamon streusel is super easy to make and adds lots of flavor and texture to these dessert bars.
- Melted Butter
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
How To Make Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Get Ready: Preheat the oven and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang, so you can pull the cheesecake out of the dish when it’s done.
- Make The Shortbread Crust: Combine the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender or fork cut in the butter into the flour until crumbly. Then press it into the baking pan.
- Bake The Shortbread Crust: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and raise the oven temperature up to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix The Cinnamon Apples: Combine the apples, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.
- Make The Cheesecake Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and flour on low speed. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix on low speed until well combined. Mixing on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before the next addition. Add the egg white and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until well combined.
- Top the Shortbread Crust: Pour the cream cheese filling mixture over the shortbread crust then top it with the cinnamon apples.
- Make Streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the melted butter until crumbly.
- Finish and Bake: Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples and bake.
What Kind Of Apples Should I Use?
To make these cheesecake squares, you can use any type of apple you’d like. Tart and crisp Granny Smith apples are a good option as well as sweeter apples like Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Pink Lady and Gala apples. You can also use a combination of apples with different textures and sweetness levels.
Can I Make These Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can combine the shortbread ingredients and the cheesecake filling the day before and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The baked cheesecake bars keep for 4-5 days. To store them, wrap them tightly and place them in the refrigerator. These bars freeze well.
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars Recipe Tips
- To make the easy cheesecake filling, I like to use full-fat cream cheese. My favorite cream cheese for baking is Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Cheesecake bars freeze very well and can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the bars to cool completely, then place the whole baking pan in the freezer. When frozen, remove the bars and wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can then place them in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag and store them in the freezer.
- You can drizzle these delicious apple cheesecake bars with caramel sauce.
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
CINNAMON APPLES
- 4 1/4 cups chopped apples (small pieces is best) (about 3-4 large apples)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 20 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg white, at room temperature
CINNAMON STREUSEL
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 teaspoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang, so you can pull the cheesecake out of the dish when it’s done.
Make The Shortbread Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- With a pastry blender or a fork, cut in the butter into the flour mixture until mixture is crumbly.
- Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and raise the oven temperature up to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cinnamon Apples
- Combine the chopped apples, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Make The Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the paddle attachment or with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and flour on low speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Mixing on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before the next addition. Add the egg white and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until well combined.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked shortbread crust and spread evenly.
- Top the cheesecake mixture with the cinnamon apples and spread evenly.
Make The Cinnamon Streusel And Bake
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add the melted butter and stir together until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the center is just set. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 45 minutes. Refrigerate until cold and firm.
- When cool, lift the baked bar using the excess parchment paper as handles. Cut into bars. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- Store the bars covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Cheesecake bars freeze very well and can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the bars to cool completely, then place the whole baking pan in the freezer. When frozen, remove the bars and wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can then place them in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag and store them in the freezer.
- You can drizzle these delicious apple cheesecake bars with caramel sauce.
Nutrition
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