Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel apple cheesecake bars have a toasted pecan crust and graham cracker crust with a cheesecake filling and topped with caramelized apples and pecans and of course, extra caramel!

Happy National Apple Day!! Okkkk so this is like my fifth or sixth apple recipe this fall and these caramel apple cheesecake bars may or may not be my last one. Who knows, maybe I’ll spontaneously decide to make something else with the bag of gorgeous Honey crisp apples I just bought at the cider mill! If you’ve never been to cider mill, you are missing out on a crucial part of fall life.

What are Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars?

Glad you asked! *winky-face emoji* These scrumptious little squares start with my favorite kind of crust, pecan and graham crackers. The next layer is a rich caramel cheesecake made with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk for the PERFECT amount of sweetness and creaminess. Then topped with caramelized apples, pecans and an extra drizzle of caramel. You can use store bought or homemade caramel. Just make sure it’s a pretty average thickness, not too runny, not too thick.

How To Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Most of my recipes would fall between low and medium in difficulty level. Although these aren’t difficult, there’re multiple layers and the waiting game consumes more time, making it a bit more difficult. You want to begin with the crust & bake it a little before pouring the cheesecake over. This will ensure that it’s firm enough to pick up a bar instead of crumbling everywhere. Then you will bake the cheesecake over the crust.

If you’re making homemade salted caramel, you’ll have to prepare ahead of time to give that time to cool, as well. Allow the cheesecake to cool, then refrigerate it for a few hours until it’s cold & firm. Now you can caramelize your apples, giving those time to cool while you slice the cheesecake. Top cheesecake with caramelized apples, pecans & an extra drizzle of caramel!

How To Get Clean Slices For Cheesecake

Ok seriously though, this is like part rocket science. Why is it so hard to neatly slice cheesecake?! My best tips for slicing these beauties, and any cheesecake really, is to make sure it’s cold and firm before anything. When you’re ready to slice, heat up a large knife with really hot water. Make sure to clean knife and reheat with hot water before every single cut.

Storing Cheesecake Bars

Any dessert is best eaten with in the first day or two but you can store these cheesecake bars in the fridge for up to a week. These are best kept in an airtight container but I didn’t even cover some and they were still amazing, up to a week later. I would recommend topping them fresh because the caramel will end up soaking into the cheesecake but if you don’t mind, it’s honestly good either way.

Ok folks, that’s all for today! Make sure to pick up a can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk for the creamiest festive cheesecake bars ever! If you make these, make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram so we can all share in on the fun.

As always, have a blessed day & happy baking!

Love, B

Recipes

Cheesecake

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

prep 30 minutes mins

cook 40 minutes mins

Additional Time 4 hours hrs

total 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Serves 12

Creamy caramel apple cheesecake bars made with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, a pecan crust and topped with caramelized apples and pecans!

Author: Bernice Baran

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Servings 12

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Equipment

• ▢
  8 inch cake pan
• ▢
  Rubber Spatula
• ▢
  Binder Clips 
• ▢
  Small Offset Spatula
• ▢
  8 Inch Square Baking Pan

Ingredients

Pecan Crust

• ▢ 1 sleeve honey graham crackers
• ▢ 1 cup pecans
• ▢ 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Caramel Cheesecake

• ▢ 16 oz cream cheese
• ▢ 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 14 oz Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup caramel
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt

Apple Topping

• ▢ 1 large apple, or two small-medium
• ▢ 2 Tbsp butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• ▢ 1/4 cup caramel
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup pecans

Method

Crust

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 325F (163C) convection (300F/149C conventional) and grease and line an 8" square pan with baking spray and parchment paper. Use binder clips to secure the paper to the pan.  
2. Blend the graham crackers in a food processor until they turn into crumbs. Add the pecans to the food processor and blend until there are no more large chunks. Mix in the melted butter until it's evenly distributed.
   1 sleeve honey graham crackers, 1 cup pecans, 2 Tbsp butter melted
3. Press the crust onto the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Caramel Cheesecake

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the cream cheese until it's smooth. 
   16 oz cream cheese
2. Add in the eggs and beat for a few minutes, scraping the cream cheese off the sides of the bowl. Add in sweetened condensed milk and beat until it's completely combined. Mix in the sour cream, caramel and salt until everything is fully combined. 
   2 large eggs room temperature, 14 oz Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup caramel, 1/2 tsp salt
3. Pour the cheesecake over the crust and bake it for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is almost firm (just a tiny bit jiggly).
4. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate it for 2-3 hours before slicing.

Apple Topping 

1. Peel and chop the apples into small chunks. 
   1 large apple or two small-medium
2. Place all ingredients, besides the pecans, in a pan over medium heat and cook until the apples are tender. 
   2 Tbsp butter, 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed, 1/4 cup caramel, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup pecans
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Add in the pecans and top the cheesecake bars with the apple mixture and an extra drizzle of caramel.

Notes

• It is easiest to make in a springform pan so you can easily remove it.
• It can be made in an 8" round pan and cut into triangles as well.
• The topping is best served fresh.
• It is best stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 9gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 404mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44g

Course: Brownies & Bars

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bars, caramel, caramel apple cheesecake bars, caramelized apples, cheesecake, pecan crust, pecans

Thank you for supporting all things Baran Bakery & the brands that make it all possible. This post was sponsored by Eagle Brand. All opinions are 100% my own.