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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel apple cheesecake bars with a buttery graham crust and a smooth baked cheesecake layer, topped with lightly sautéed apples. Baked until the center is just set, then chilled for clean, sliceable bars.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For crust
  • 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
For cheesecake filling
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
For 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 & crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325F, then line a 9x13 pan with parchment for easy lifting.
  2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter, then mix until evenly moistened.
  3. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the lined pan to form an even crust layer.
Cheesecake filling
  1. Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low just until each egg disappears.
  3. Mix in vanilla extract and sour cream until the batter looks silky and fully combined.
  4. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust, spreading to an even layer.
Apple topping
  1. In a skillet, sauté diced apples with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Cool the sautéed apples slightly so they don’t sink or loosen the cheesecake layer.
  3. Scatter the apples over the cheesecake filling in an even distribution.
Bake, chill & finish
  1. Bake at 325F for 35-40 minutes, until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
  2. Cool completely at room temperature before chilling.
  3. Refrigerate for 3 hours until firm and sliceable.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the chilled bars, then cut into bars to serve.

Notes

For the neatest slices, cool completely and chill the full 3 hours before cutting. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze bars up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, swap in low-fat cream cheese and reduce sugar slightly if desired—texture stays creamy, though firmness may vary slightly.