Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

These bars are so healthy, low fat, low calorie, low sugar. You'll be able to eat them all day! Okay, so I'm joking. These are anything but good for you, but I was telling the truth about one thing...you will still be able to eat them all day. Filled with everything delicious - butter, cream cheese, caramel - you'll be looking for seconds for sure.

These are some of my favorite bars. Clearly... Come on...caramel apple CHEESECAKE? Yum. I think these are some of Curtis's favorite bars too. I'm not sure what I like the most...the buttery crust, the cheesecake filling, the soft apple pieces, or the caramely streusel topping. It's all so, soo good.

Though these bars do take a bit of patience and time, I promise you they will be worth it. And people will beg you to make them again. They are a perfect way to put your fall apples to good use! 

Ingredients:

Crust: 

• 2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. butter

Cheesecake filling:

• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Apples:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 c. oats
• 1/2 c. butter, softened

Drizzle

• 1/2 c. caramel topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour and brown sugar and work in butter with pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture evenly into 9x13 pan lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla. 
5. Pour mixture over warm crust.
6. In small bowl, stir together chopped apples, 2 tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
7. Sprinkle over cream cheese mixture. 
8. For streusel topping, combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Mix thoroughly until crumbly. 
9. Sprinkle streusel topping over apples.
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes. 
11. Drizzle with caramel topping and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.