7-Layer Apple Cheesecake Bars
These Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are buttery, creamy, and loaded with seven layers of fall flavor—the showstopping holiday dessert that’s easy to make ahead. A simple technique keeps the crust crisp beneath the juicy apples, while key flavor upgrades, homemade caramel, and my expert tips make these gooey, cinnamon-spiced bars impossible to resist!
Servings 24 bars, or 32 smaller bars for a party platter
Ingredients
CARAMEL & TOPPING
- 1 recipe Caramel Sauce (or store-bought, see Notes)
- 1/2 cup toffee bits (like Heath Bits O’ Brickle Toffee Bits)
CRUST
- 2 cups flour fluffed, spooned & leveled
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
STREUSEL
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
CRUST TOPPING
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup toffee bits (like Heath Bits O’ Brickle Toffee Bits)
APPLES
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced very thin
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH ground nutmeg, ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
CHEESECAKE
- 2 8-oz. pkgs. block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- Caramel: Prepare the easy Caramel Sauce according to the directions, cooking for the full 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly and thicken.
- Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper so it overhangs the long edges and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together crust ingredients. Scatter crust mixture evenly over the prepared pan, then press into an even layer with your fingertips. Smooth with the bottom of a flat measuring cup, pressing straight down (not packing hard), and make sure the edges and corners are as thick as the center.
- Bake crust: Bake 18–22 minutes or until the edges are light golden and the center looks dry and set. Don’t let it get deeply browned, because it bakes again under the toppings. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes, until it’s firm to the touch and just slightly warm.
- Streusel: While the crust cools, add the pecans to a food processor and pulse a couple of times to chop. Add the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse briefly to combine. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse until it resembles coarse pebbles. Don’t over-pulse: Stop the food processor while the butter is still in pea-sized pieces. Those cold butter pockets are what make clumps rather than sand. Over-pulsing also breaks down the oats. (No food processor? Chop the pecans, mix with the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt, then cut in butter until crumbly.) Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Toffee and Pecans: Top the crust with 1 cup of the prepared caramel sauce, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup toffee bits and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Refrigerate the remaining caramel.
- Apples: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Add the apples and toss until evenly coated, then layer evenly over the caramel/toffee/pecan layer.
- Cheesecake: Add the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed (6) until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (no less!). Add sugar and beat one additional minute. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt, and beat until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time on low speed just until incorporated. Pour over the apple layer and spread evenly.
- Add Streusel: Sprinkle streusel evenly over the cheesecake layer, then top with 1/2 cup toffee bits.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly (150°F on an instant-read thermometer-don't overbake or the cheesecake won't be as creamy). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 ½ hours, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Caramel Drizzle: When ready to serve, reheat the caramel gently over low heat. After it loosens, you can add additional evaporated milk or heavy cream if needed to thin. Drizzle the bars with caramel and dig in!
Notes
- Store-bought caramel: Use a thick caramel sauce or caramel dip, about 1½ cups total. Thin ice cream topping runs and soaks into the crust.
- Slice apples ⅛ inch thick or less: A mandoline makes this fast. Thicker slices stay crunchy in the short bake and leave gaps that make the cheesecake layer uneven.
- Shingle the apples: Overlap the slices like roof tiles instead of dumping them in. A flat, even layer means the cheesecake spreads smoothly and every bar gets the same amount of apple.
- Soften everything first: Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of beating fixes, and cold eggs make softened cream cheese seize. Cut the blocks into cubes and they'll soften in about 30 minutes.
- Trust the jiggle: The center will look underdone when it's ready. It firms up as it cools and chills, while overbaked cheesecake turns grainy and cracks.
- Chill overnight for clean slices: Use a long, sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped between every cut. Press straight down instead of sawing so the streusel doesn't drag through the cheesecake.
- Taste before you drizzle: These bars are sweet on their own. Try a bite first, then decide how much caramel to add, if any.