Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

By Addie

I am so excited to share this yummy treat! They were delicious. The bars themselves were fantastic, but when you add the homemade caramel, it became even more decadent. I liked the caramel so much that I put some in a bowl and ate it all by itself. Did I just admit that? Well, it really was good. These are a little more labor intensive, but are SO worth it! They last for a few days in the fridge, so these are great treats to take around to friends and neighbors or for a recipe exchange.
I got the original idea from A hint of Honey, but then saw a slightly varied version at Mel's kitchen cafe. I decided to use a little from each and make my own variation. I thought they turned out great..so here is my version.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ........................................
• Cheesecake Filling:
• 3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ..........................................
• Apples:
• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ..........................................
• Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• .............................................
• Caramel Sauce: (OR use a 12 oz. jar of caramel sauce)
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9X13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. (I would just spray my pan next time with PAM) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned on the edges.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, two tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer.

In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Spread evenly over apple layer.

To make the caramel sauce, whisk sugar and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it melts. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Let cool. It can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Refrigerate until cold. Cut into squares and serve.