Caramel Apple Bars Recipe
These caramel apple bars make the best fall dessert from scratch. They have four incredible layers: a buttery shortbread crust, a rich cheesecake layer with a tender apple-filled topping, and a crisp streusel topping. They make the perfect sweet treat and will become an immediate favorite.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp (16 Tbsp)
Cheesecake filling:
- 3 8-oz. each blocks cream cheese, room temp
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Apple filling:
- 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Streusel topping:
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened (4 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Topping:
- 3 Tbsp caramel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13" baking pan with parchment paper.
Make the crust:
- Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Press the mixture into the pan and set aside.
Make filling:
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Pour over the crust.
Apple filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine the apples, sugar, and cinnamon; set aside.
Streusel:
- Combine the sugar, all-purpose flour, and cubed butter until a crumbly mixture forms. Add the walnuts and toss to combine.
- Add the crumble streusel topping over the apples and cheesecake mixture.
Bake:
- Bake at 350°F 45-55 minutes. The center should still be slightly jiggly.
- Cool for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and drizzle with caramel.
- Serve and enjoy, friends.
Notes
- What apples are best? We use Granny Smith apples to balance out the sweetness of these bars.
- Don’t overbake. When baking the apple bars, watch them after 45 minutes. You want the center to be slightly jiggly.
- Line your baking pan. Don’t skip the parchment paper on your baking dish, as you don’t want the bars to stick to the pan.
- Storage. Keep leftover bars in the fridge, tightly sealed. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days if stored correctly.