Easy Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake Bars have a cream cheese filling, surrounded by apple blondie bars, and drizzled with caramel topping. No one will be able to resist the creamy cheesecake paired with fresh apples, nuts, and gooey butterscotch chips!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get affordable and easy gluten-free recipes delivered each week!
Apple Blondie Bars with Cheesecake Filling
There are a lot of apple cheesecake bar recipes out there, but I wanted something EASY! I didn’t want to bake multiple layers separately, make a shortbread crust, or have a syrupy, overly-sweet apple layer.
Apple blondie cheesecake bars fresh apple chunks balances perfectly with the cream cheese, and the butterscotch chips give an extra boost of caramel sweetness. To round out the caramel apple flavor, drizzle slightly warmed caramel ice cream sauce all over the top.
If you love caramel apple pie or apple cheesecake, save yourself the extra work and time and make this easy caramel apple cheesecake bars!
Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
Let’s Make This Together!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Add eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well. The dough will be very thick, similar to cookie dough.
- Stir in chopped fresh apples, butterscotch chips, and chopped walnuts. Reserve 2 cups for topping and press the remaining dough in bottom of 9X13″ baking pan.
- For the cheesecake layer beat together cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Spread cheesecake mixture over bottom layer of apple bars.
- Dollop spoonfuls of reserved topping over top of cream cheese and bake until filling is set and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
Yes. I have made this recipe several times, both traditionally and gluten free. To make gluten free apple blondie bars simply swap out the flour with a gluten free all-purpose brand.
My preferred brand is Cup4Cup because it mimics the taste and texture of regular flour the best. Since gluten free flour doesn’t absorb moisture as readily, I find they usually need 5 minutes longer baking time.
The other ingredient to watch out for when making gluten-free apple bars are the butterscotch chips. Many brands add barley, so it’s important to read the labels carefully. Guittard or Hershey’s brand are clearly labeled gluten-free.
Can I Add Icing?
Yes. A cinnamon frosting would go perfectly on these apple cheesecake bars and I have just the recipe for you! Use the cinnamon glaze frosting from this Snickerdoodle Bars recipe. It will be a match made in heaven!
Can These be Frozen?
Yes. Cool the bars completely, and do one of the following:
- Cover 9X13″ pan of cooled apple bars with plastic wrap. Wrap around the entire pan with plastic wrap, even underneath, to make sure they are well protected in freezer and don’t take on any off-putting smells or taste. Cover the top with foil and freeze up to 3 months. OR
- Cool apple bars completely and slice into bars. Layer cut bars, laying flat, in a gallon-sized freezer bag with a piece of wax paper or parchment in between the two layers. Close securely and freeze up to 3 months.
Do They Need To Be Refrigerated?
Yes, to store them for longer than 8 hours. Otherwise, wrap the cooled pan securely in foil and leave out at room temperature. If storing longer than 8 hours, make sure the bars have completely cooled before covering and storing in the refrigerator.
What Are the Best Apples to Use?
My personal favorite to use for apple desserts are Golden Delicious because they have a perfectly balanced flavor, not too sweet or too tart. There are other great options, though!
The apples listed below are known to be good for baking because they hold their shape, have great flavor, and don’t turn mushy.
- Honeycrisp
- Granny Smith (these apples are tarter so may want to pair with something else)
- Jonagold
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious – My favorite to use in gluten-free apple cobbler and apple crisp as well!
Save this recipe to your pinterest board!
Let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!
Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 2 (2) eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup (163.5 g) oil, any preferred
- 2 ¼ cups (281.25 g) all purpose flour, regular or gluten free (I use Cup4Cup gluten free flour)
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoon (3 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- 3 cups (40.38 kg) (about 2 large or 3 small) Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced
- ½ cup (87.75 g) chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup (127.5 g) butterscotch chips, see recipe notes for gluten-free
Cheesecake filling:
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 (1) egg
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla
- optional: caramel ice cream topping
Instructions
- Preheat 350ºF. Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. It will be really thick, similar to cookie dough.2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, ¾ cup oil, 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add apples, butterscotch chips, and nuts. Since it is so thick, I ended up using my hands and kind of kneading it in. Don't worry if everything isn't incorporated all the way. It will all bake together when you press it in the pan. Reserve 2 cups and set aside.3 cups (about 2 large or 3 small) Golden Delicious apples, ½ cup chopped nuts, ½ cup butterscotch chips
- Press remaining dough evenly in 9X13 pan. Set aside.
- In a small bowl place all cheesecake filling ingredients. Beat until smooth and no lumps remain. Pour over apple dough in pan. Smooth with offset spatula.8 ounce cream cheese, 1 egg, ⅓ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Dollop the reserved apple dough over the cheesecake filling using a small spoon. It's okay if there the cheesecake filling is still visible.
- Bake 50-55 minutes if using regular flour, 5 minutes longer if using gluten free. If bars are becoming too brown before they are cooked through, loosely tent foil over the top. Insert knife to make sure apple dough is cooked in middle. Cool 15 minutes, then drizzle with caramel topping, if using.
Notes
Gluten-Free Adaptation
To make gluten free apple blondie bars simply swap out the flour with a gluten free all-purpose brand. Since gluten free flour doesn’t absorb moisture as readily, I find they usually need 5 minutes longer baking time. The other ingredient to watch out for when making gluten-free apple bars are the butterscotch chips. Many brands add barley, so it’s important to read the labels carefully. Guittard or Hershey’s brand are clearly labeled gluten-free.Can these be frozen?
Yes. Cool the bars completely, and do one of the following:- Cover 9X13″ pan of cooled apple bars with plastic wrap. Wrap around the entire pan with plastic wrap, even underneath, to make sure they are well protected in freezer and don’t take on any off-putting smells or taste. Cover the top with foil and freeze up to 3 months. OR
- Cool apple bars completely and slice into bars. Layer cut bars, laying flat, in a gallon-sized freezer bag with a piece of wax paper or parchment in between the two layers. Close securely and freeze up to 3 months.
Do apple blondies need to be refrigerated?
Yes, to store them for longer than 8 hours. Otherwise, wrap the cooled pan securely in foil and leave out at room temperature. If storing longer than 8 hours, make sure the bars have completely cooled before covering and storing in the refrigerator. Adapted from Taste of HomeThis post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
Can you make these without the nuts?
Yes, for sure!
Best,
Melissa
Do the apples need to be peeled?
Yes, Kendall. Enjoy!
I made these for the first time for a card party and everyone liked them. My family especially liked them! I will definitely make them again. And they were so easy to make.
Glad to hear, Ann! So glad they were a hit!
Best,
Melissa
Absolutely to die for!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Best,
Melissa
Can you substitute butter for oil? If so how much butter?
Hi Kim,
I haven’t tried substituting butter for oil, but generally it’s a 1-to-1 conversion. The butter would have to be melted first.
Enjoy!
Melissa
This was not so easy!! Lots of bowls!!
Hi Dede,
Sorry about the clean up! I make the cheesecake in the same bowl as the filling. I believe I amended the recipe to show that. I will double check though!
Best,
Melissa
What did you use for the Carmel drizzle?
Hi Liam,
Just caramel ice cream topping. You could also make a homemade salted caramel sauce, which would be amazing!
Best,
Melissa
Can you bake the Apple Bars with Brown Sugar Praline and 1/4 cup dark rum? Can I use Apple pie spice instead of cinnamon n?
GLAZE Please email the answers. Thank you very much,
Gale
Of course, email sent!
These are excellent, my husband loves them. I know because he stood in the kitchen and peeled and diced all the apples. They also make the house smell so good on a cold winter night. Great recipe♥️
Hey Judy,
Wow, that is love (for you and the apple bars!) Thank you so much for taking the time to write! It’s so appreciated!
Best,
Melissa
This tasted fine but turned out very mushy. I tried everything to fix that. Decided not to take it to thanksgiving dinner after all.
Hi Kristin, I’m so sorry to hear that. It might have been the type of apples used? Some break down more during baking. In the post, above the recipe card, I have suggested apples to use. Was it one of those?
Best,
Melissa
Have you ever made it the day before?
Yes, I have and they are fine. However, I do feel like they are best served the day they are made. The apples have a lot of moisture in them which can affect the texture of the bar. If you do make them before cover with foil rather than plastic wrap.
As someone lacking the baking gene, I love how simple this is but it still looks like a fancy dessert I could entertain with. I’m officially done surfing Pinterest for what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner 🙂
You can do it Bernie! You don’t lack the baking gene. 🙂