Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

By Lotte Bostick

Crust

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
 

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients: 

• 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sugar 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ t vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
 

Apples

Ingredients: 

• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled cored and finely chopped
• ½ t ground cinnamon
• ¼ t ground nutmeg
• 2 T sugar

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
 

Streusel Topping

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine all streusel topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over apple layer.

Bake 40-45 minutes.

Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool before cutting. Best if refrigerated overnight.