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These Apple Cheesecake Bars bring in fall in the best way. I’ve made the classic recipe even better with a graham cracker crust, a layer of creamy baked cheesecake, sweet apple filling, and a buttery brown sugar crumble on top. I love taking these cheesecake bars to tailgates and Halloween parties. They’re easy to transport, and they keep for days.
My favorite apples for this recipe are Granny Smith apples. They’re the perfect tart balance to the sweet cheesecake and graham cracker crust. I like to make a double batch and freeze some of these bars for later. They’re such a yummy treat that showcases fresh fall apples.
Testing results for apple cheesecake bars
- Be sure your cream cheese is softened so you can get all the lumps out. I’ve used cream cheese that was too cold, and couldn’t get it creamy enough.
- I cut into a pan before it had chilled long enough, and the cream cheese layer was too squishy. I like to chill these apple cheesecake bars overnight for the cleanest slices, but if you don’t have that kind of time, chill them for at least a couple of hours.
- I did try making these bars with oats in the streusel (which you might notice in some of the photos), but I just don’t like oats in streusel, so I went back to my regular streusel without oats.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Graham cracker crumbs: Make it easy on yourself and buy the box of pre-made crumbs.
Cream cheese: Philadelphia brand, full-fat, and softened all the way. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never smooth out, and you’ll still see them after the bars bake.
Granny Smith apples: They’re tart enough to stand up to all that sugar and firm enough to keep their shape under the crumble. The lemon juice they get tossed with keeps them from browning and brightens the flavor. You can use sweet apples; just make sure they are a firm variety.
Brown sugar and flour: These two, plus the cold butter, make the topping on these apple streusel cheesecake bars. It’s the same crumble I use on my Apple Crisp Recipe Without Oats, cut down for the smaller pan. You can use light or dark brown sugar (I usually use light brown sugar in this recipe).
Related 📖 ➡️ How to Soften Hard Brown Sugar
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make apple cheesecake bars
- Press the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter into a parchment-lined pan and pack the crust down firmly.
- Beat the cream cheese smooth, then add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and beat until light. Spread it over the crust.
- Toss the peeled and cubed apples with lemon juice and cinnamon, then scatter them across the cheesecake.
- Cut cold butter into the brown sugar, flour, and spices until the mixture clumps, then sprinkle it over the apples.
- Bake until the crumble is golden and the center is set, then cool the pan and chill it before you cut.
Firm apples and a set center
Granny Smith apples hold their shape through the 35 to 40 minute bake, and they stay tart against the sugar in the crumble and the cheesecake. Peel them and cut them small so they cook through while the bars bake.
A firm apple also gives up less liquid than a soft one, and the apples sit on top of the cheesecake here with nowhere to send that liquid but into the cheesecake filling.
Variations
- Toasted pecans or walnuts. Decrease the flour in the crumble by 1/4 cup and stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts.
- A different firm apple. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Braeburn all hold up the way Granny Smith does. Stay away from soft apple varieties.
- Dark brown sugar in the crumble. The topping tastes more of molasses and bakes a shade darker.
My Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes are a similar no-bake version of these bars but made in a muffin tin.
Make-ahead and storage
Make ahead. These need at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator before they can be cut, so I usually make them the day before I want them on the table. Overnight in the refrigerator gives you the cleanest slices.
Cutting. Lift the whole slab out by the parchment overhang and cut it on a board instead of in the pan. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it clean between cuts.
Storage. Keep them covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
What to serve with apple cheesecake bars
Cheesecake apple bars are rich on their own, so whatever goes alongside should stay simple. When I’m putting them out for company, I set a little pitcher of Homemade Caramel Sauce beside the pan and let everybody help themselves.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the apples:
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the crumble topping:
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs and 5 tablespoons butter, melted.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the pan to form a firm crust. Place the crust in the freezer to chill while you make the filling.
- In a medium bowl, beat 16 ounces cream cheese, softened until smooth. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the crust.
- In another bowl, toss 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Scatter them evenly over the cheesecake layer.
- Combine 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and a pinch of kosher salt in a bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden and the center is set.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before slicing.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Keep them covered in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Yes. Chill and cut them first, then freeze the squares on a sheet pan until firm and wrap them individually. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Peel them. The skins don’t soften the way the apple does.
No. The crust goes into the pan raw and bakes with everything layered on top.
Salted butter is fine in the crust. If you use it in the crumble, leave out the pinch of kosher salt.
