Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

December 30, 2023

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are the right Thanksgiving dessert recipe! That includes a shortbread crust, spiced apple cheesecake layer, streusel topping, and caramel sauce… they’re pure decadence. Bake and funky the cheesecake, then drizzle with caramel earlier than serving!

Right here’s a recipe you’ll make over and over this vacation season! This apple cheesecake bar recipe is straightforward and easy… however it produces SHOW-STOPPING outcomes. And everybody is aware of bar desserts are good for serving a crowd, in order that’s one other win for this recipe.

However the principle motive you’ll make these over and over? They’re simply so scrumptious. The flavors and textures on this recipe are simply insane!

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Elements for Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Cream Cheese: Full-fat brick type cream cheese works finest for this recipe. Ensure your cream cheese is sweet and smooth – room temperature – earlier than utilizing it on this recipe.
Bitter Cream: In case you can’t discover bitter cream, plain full-fat Greek yogurt is a superb substitute.
Heavy Cream: Aka whipping cream, don’t substitute this with half and half or milk.
Sugar: You’ll use granulated sugar within the creamy cheesecake batter, and lightweight brown sugar for the spiced apples.
Eggs: You’ll use complete eggs in addition to egg yolks on this recipe. Use giant selection eggs and convey them to room temperature. You’ll need to add the eggs one by one and beat them on low pace.
Vanilla Extract: You should definitely use pure vanilla extract, or bourbon vanilla extract, however not synthetic or imitation vanilla.
Flour: A small quantity of all-purpose flour helps thicken the creamy cheesecake batter. I don’t recommend utilizing every other number of flour.
Spices: Together with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make our spiced apples completely scrumptious. In case you solely have apple pie spice available, simply use 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of that as an alternative.
Apples: I used Granny Smith apples on this recipe. However you’ll be able to sub any apple selection you get pleasure from baking with! I’ve had success utilizing pink woman apples and Honeycrisp apples.

Shortbread crust for caramel apple cheesecake bars.

Start with the Shortbread Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 and levels earlier than you begin making the crust.
Use a 9×13-inch METAL or aluminized metal baking pan and remember to line it with parchment paper. In case you use a ceramic baking pan or glass baking pan you’ll want to extend the baking time.
You’ll want a stand mixer or a handheld electrical mixer to make the shortbread crust.
Don’t fear your self if the dough appears crumbly. Shortbread crust dough will likely be crumbly however will come collectively within the baking pan.
Press the remaining crust combination evenly into the underside of the ready baking pan. When you’ve got a tough time urgent it into the pan, you should utilize a spoon.

Creamy Cheesecake Filling

You’ll want a handheld electrical mixer to make the creamy cheesecake filling. In case you don’t have one, you should utilize a meals processor or heavy-duty blender.
You should definitely scrape down the edges and backside of the bowl as you’re making the cheesecake filling. This ensures there’s no lumps or clumps misplaced on the backside of the bowl.
When you add the eggs, remember to beat the cheesecake filling on low pace. Beating on too excessive of pace will incorporate an excessive amount of air into the batter. Which can trigger the batter to rise within the oven, which we don’t need.

Brown Sugar Streusel Topping

The best option to make the topping is by utilizing a pastry blender. However if you happen to don’t have one, you should utilize two forks or your fingers.
You may make the streusel topping proper earlier than you bake the caramel apple cheesecake bars, or you may make it just a few hours beforehand. Simply cowl the bowl and retailer within the fridge.
Use your fingertips to essentially crumble up the topping earlier than including it on the cheesecake layer. You don’t need the clumps too giant or they’ll sink into the creamy cheesecake batter.

Cheesecake Baking Suggestions

You’ll bake the cheesecake at two totally different temperatures. After 20 minutes, ensure you scale back the oven temperature to 300 levels.
For the creamiest cheesecake, don’t over bake the cheesecake bars. The bars are prepared to come back out of the oven when the filling is about across the edges. However the middle of the cheesecake bars are nonetheless a bit of jiggly. The filling will utterly set within the fridge.
You MUST chill these cheesecake bars earlier than serving. After you take away the bars from the oven, cool them at room temperature for an hour. Then refrigerate for no less than 5 hours, or in a single day.

Let’s Speak Caramel Sauce

Need to learn to make straightforward salted caramel sauce? I’ve this straightforward foolproof recipe! Made with six easy substances you in all probability have in your kitchen proper now! No sweet thermometer required!

However if you happen to’re not up for making do-it-yourself caramel sauce, use store-bought. I simply recommend utilizing a model you understand you get pleasure from. Nothing worse than scrumptious creamy cheesecake bars drizzled with caramel that tastes too candy or synthetic. You’ll want a few 1/2 cup to 1 cup of caramel sauce, relying on how a lot you propose on drizzling.