Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I was thrilled to find out that my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month was Peggy from the blog, "Feeding Andy."  I've been following her posts for quite a while now ever since the time that she used to blog over at, "My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good."  With all the great food that comes from her kitchen, I'd say that Andy is one very lucky person.

I decided to make her Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars.  They just have autumn written all over them and combine every delicious thing into one treat.  Cheesecake?  Yum!  Streusel?  My favorite!  Caramel apple-y goodness?  You don't need to ask me twice.

 

The only changes I made were to double the ingredients for the crust and to use caramel ice cream topping since I had a jar of it in my fridge.  Other than that, I kept the recipe as is.  These bars were a delight to eat.  Creamy, crunchy, sweet and gooey.  Whatever you do, do not skip the caramel topping because that is what really makes these bars pop!  I shared these bars with some friends and they got some rave reviews.

Thanks Peggy for a great recipe!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (from My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good)

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (I used Gala apples)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel:

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed
1 cup flour

caramel ice cream topping

To make the crust, combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter into the mixture with your fingers or a fork until the mixture is crumbly.

Press the dough into a 9x13 inch pan in an even and flat layer.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated.  Stir in vanilla until just combined.

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Let sit for about 1-2 minutes, then gently fold into cream cheese mixture.

Pour the batter over top of the warm crust.

Make the topping by combining the oats, flour, and brown sugar.  Cut the butter into the mixture until it is chunky and crumbly.

Top the cream cheese mixture with an even layer of the topping. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture is set and topping is a nice golden brown.

Drizzle caramel topping over cheesecake.