Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apple Layer:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9×13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup 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.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. Mix together the Streusel topping until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the chopped apple layer. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping (find it in the ice cream topping section in a squeeze bottle) and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!