Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars
Amazing Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars layered with a Biscoff cookie crust, vanilla cheesecake, spiced apples, cinnamon oat streusel topping, and then finished with a homemade salted caramel sauce!
INGREDIENTS
Cookie Crust
- 2 ¼ Cups (250g | 32 Standard Rectangle Cookies) Biscoff Cookie Crumbs (you can also use graham crackers)
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 6 to 7 Tablespoons (85g to 98g) Unsalted Butter melted
Spiced Apples
- 2 Apples, about 2 ¼ Cups diced
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
Crisp Topping
- ⅔ Cup (80g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ Cup (100g ) Brown Sugar
- ⅓ Cup (30g) Quick or Rolled Oats
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 5 Tbsp (70g) Unsalted Butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 20 Ounces (567g | 2 ½ Blocks ) Full-Fat Cream Cheese room temp
- ½ Cup (100g) White Sugar
- ¼ Cup (56g) Full-Fat Sour Cream room temp
- 2 Large Eggs room temp
- Fine Zest of 1 Lemon (optional)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- For Serving, Salted Caramel Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep - Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325ºF (165ºC). Line a 9x9 inch (23x23 cm) square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1 to 2 inch overhang. Set aside.
- Make Cookie Crust - Finely pulse together cookies and brown sugar in a food processor. Then pulse in melted butter. Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes (keep oven on as the cheesecake will bake at 325ºF as well).2 ¼ Cups (250g | 32 Standard Rectangle Cookies) Biscoff Cookie Crumbs (you can also use graham crackers)2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar6 to 7 Tablespoons (85g to 98g) Unsalted Butter
- Make Spiced Apples - Clean, peel, core and finely dice your apples. Transfer to a small bowl and combine with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. Set aside until needed.2 Apples, about 2 ¼ Cups1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar1 Teaspoon Cinnamon¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- Make Crisp Topping - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Then add melted butter and toss everything together until incorporated. Set aside.⅔ Cup (80g) All-Purpose Flour½ Cup (100g ) Brown Sugar⅓ Cup (30g) Quick or Rolled Oats1 ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt5 tablespoon (70g) Unsalted Butter
- Make Cheesecake Filling - In a large mixing bowl, whisk room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add white sugar and sour cream and mix until combined. 20 Ounces (567g | 2 ½ Blocks ) Full-Fat Cream Cheese½ Cup (100g) White Sugar¼ Cup (56g) Full-Fat Sour CreamAdd eggs, one at a time. Mixing well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Finally, add sour cream, lemon zest (if using) and vanilla and mix until combined.2 Large EggsFine Zest of 1 Lemon (optional)1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- Assemble Cheesecake - Pour cheesecake mixture over cooled cookie crust. Next, use a slotted spoon or drain your spiced apples over a sieve and evenly transfer on top of the cheesecake filling (see note below). Then add all the streusel topping over the top. It may seem like a lot of streusel, but trust me, you will want to use all of it!
- Bake - Bake for 42 to 45 minutes. It's ready when the cheesecake is set and has a slight jiggle.
- Cool - Allow to cool completely on a wire rack and then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
- Serve - When you are ready to serve, remove from the pan and cut into bars. Drizzle with salted caramel sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Apples - You'll want to drain the apples well, as you do not want the excess liquid in your cheesecake.
Storage - Store the cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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