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Creamy Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars – Easy Fall Dessert

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These Creamy Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a silky cheesecake layer, tender spiced apples, and a rich salted caramel drizzle. They’re an easy, no-water-bath dessert perfect for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (113g, 1 stick)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature (two 8-oz blocks)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16g)
  • 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (8g)
  • 11 oz soft caramel candies, unwrapped (about 30–35 pieces)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (60ml)
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are just golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a medium bowl, toss diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour until coated. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla extract. Beat in flour until just combined.
  5. Pour cheesecake mixture over slightly cooled crust and spread evenly. Spoon apple mixture evenly over the top. Do not press apples in.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until edges are set and center jiggles slightly. If top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for last 10 minutes.
  7. While bars bake, combine unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in flaky sea salt. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  8. Let bars cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Drizzle salted caramel evenly over top. Reserve a few tablespoons for serving if desired. Sprinkle with more flaky sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  9. Once fully chilled, use parchment sling to lift entire block out of pan. Place on cutting board and slice into squares with a sharp knife, wiping knife clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t skip the chilling step—bars need to be fully chilled to slice cleanly. Use room temperature ingredients for best texture. Watch your oven; start checking at 25 minutes. Let caramel cool slightly before drizzling so it clings to the bars.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cheesecake bars, salted caramel, fall dessert, cheesecake bars, apple dessert, easy dessert

Find it online: https://rowanrecipes.com/creamy-salted-caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars-easy-fall-dessert/