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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel apple cheesecake bars with a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy center topped with sautéed cinnamon apples. Bake until the middle is just set, then chill for clean, sliceable bars and finish with a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chilling 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.3333 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake filling
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
Apple topping
  • 3 apples peeled and diced
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for lifting.
  2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Cheesecake filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
  2. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream until fully combined and smooth.
  3. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust and spread it into an even layer.
Apple topping
  1. Sauté the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
  2. Cool the sautéed apples slightly, then scatter them evenly over the cheesecake filling.
Bake, chill, finish
  1. Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
  2. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 hours to firm up the bars.
  3. Drizzle with caramel sauce and cut into bars before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 3 hours) and lift out using the parchment overhang before cutting. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; freeze the bars without the caramel drizzle for up to 2 months and add fresh drizzle after thawing. Dietary swap: use reduced-fat cream cheese to lower calories while keeping the same bake time and texture.