Apple Blondie Cheesecake Bars
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These apple blondie cheesecake bars have a chewy apple blondie base, creamy cheesecake and apple topping. They’re perfect for apple season and just a little different than your classic apple dessert.
Fall means apple season, and if you’re looking for an apple dessert that’s just a little different, then try these apple blondie cheesecake bars. They feature a chewy apple blondie as the cheesecake base. It’s made with brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon and chunks of apples. Then there’s creamy vanilla cheesecake on top – it’s slightly tangy with a hint of cinnamon to pair too. Then I like to top these bars with cinnamon apples, salted caramel sauce or a combo of both.
Compared to my apple crisp cheesecake recipe, or my caramel apple cheesecake recipe, these apple cheesecake bars are simpler to make because there’s no water bath or springform pan needed. The recipe makes a big batch and also transports really well.
Making the Apple Blondie Cheesecake Bars
This recipe isn’t too difficult – but it does require some time and organization because of the 3 components: apple blondie, cheesecake, and apple topping. You can easily make the bars the day before you plan to serve because they store perfectly in the fridge.
For the apple blondie base, you’ll first whisk together melted butter and sugars, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Flour, cinnamon and salt are mixed into the batter. Then lastly, you’ll fold in the chopped apples. The blondie batter is spread evenly into the bottom of the pan and then it’s baked on its own for about 25-30 minutes. It’s necessary to bake the base on it’s own first – otherwise, the blondie bottom will be soggy.
As the blondie base is cooking, make the cheesecake layer. In a large bowl, you’ll beat together the cream cheese, sugar and hint of cinnamon until smooth and creamy. It’s important to turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to ensure there are no lumps. Then you’ll mix in the sour cream and vanilla, followed by the eggs 1 at a time.
You’ll remove the apple blondie base from the oven once cooked (no need to cool it first), then pour the cheesecake batter over top and pop the bars back in the oven. Then need another about 25 minutes, or until the top looks just set. The cheesecake layer shouldn’t wobble like a glass of milk. The bars will need to cool slowly, then go into the fridge to chill.
For the apple topping, I used both cinnamon apples and salted caramel sauce. I’ve included the recipe for both – feel free to use just one or buy your favorite caramel sauce to use. For the cinnamon apples, you’ll add a little butter, sugar, cinnamon and chopped apples to a large saucepan. You’ll gently cook the apples as the soften and sweeten – they’ll end up similar to apple pie filling!
Slicing & Serving
Before baking the blondie base, I lined the pan with parchment paper so that there’s an overhang around the sides. Alternatively, you could grease and lightly flour the pan.
- If you lined the pan, when the bars are baked, cooled and chilled – lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper (lift from the long edge sides) and place on a cutting board. Peel back the edges of the paper and slice.
- If you greased the pan, slice the bars in the pan and use a square-shaped dessert lifter (or even 2 forks) to lift each bar out of the pan.
I only recommend topping each bar right before serving.
More Apple Desserts to Try & Love:
Apple Blondie Cheesecake Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Apple Blondie Base
- 1 cup unsalted butter (228 grams), melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup brown sugar (210 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour (281 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups chopped apples, about 1½-2 apples
Cheesecake Layer
- 20 ounces full-fat cream cheese (567 grams), brick style, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (100 grams), or caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream (80 ml), room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams), cut into cubes
- ½ cup whipping cream (120 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Cinnamon Apples
- 3 cups peeled & chopped apples
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (52 grams), light or dark
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper so that there's an overhang around the sides. Alternatively, lightly grease and flour the pan. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃)
Apple Blondie
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Keep whisking until the melted butter isn't sitting on top of the sugars. Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs.
- Add the flour, cinnamon and salt into the bowl. Gently mix together until there are no lumps of flour. You can do this using a wire whisk or a rubber spatula.
- Fold the chopped apples into the batter.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. When the blondie base is done baking, the top should look set and it should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Leave the oven turned on, but turn it down to 325℉ (170℃).
Cheesecake
- While the blondie base is baking, make the cheesecake layer. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Turn off the mixer a few times and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that there are no lumps of cream cheese stuck to the bottom.
- Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs together. Then mix the eggs into the cheesecake batter, about ⅓ at a time until combined. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see pieces of egg.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top o the baked blondie base (you don't need to cool the blondie base first).
- Return the bars to the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. When finished baking, the top should look set. The cheesecake layer shouldn't look liquidy if you give the pan a gentle nudge.
- Turn off the oven and open the oven door. Let the bars cool in the oven for about 20 minutes (with the door open and turned off). Then remove the pan from the oven. Continue cooling until the pan is at room temperature. Then cover the pan and place in the fridge for the bars to set. They should stay in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar to a medium-sized heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the sugar as it begins to melt. It will form clumps and then start to melt. Stop whisking once all the sugar has melted. Let the sugar continue on the burner until it turns a deep amber color.
- Turn the burner down to low heat. Add all the butter at once to the pan (make sure it's cut into small cubes). Whisk together until all the butter is melted. Be careful, as the mixture can bubble up.
- Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully, whisk in the cream. Continue whisking until incorporated. Lastly, whisk in the salt and vanilla extract.
Apple Cinnamon Topping
- Add the butter, sugar and cinnamon to a large saucepan over low heat. Gently stir/swirl the pan as the butter melts.
- Once the butter has melted, add the chopped apples to the pan. Stir together using a rubber spatula to coat the apples in the buttery sauce. Continue stirring as the apples soften. Remove from the heat when the apples have softened enough to your liking.
Serve
- If the pan was lined, carefully lift the baked, cooled and chilled bars out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper (lift from the long edge sides). Place the bars on a cutting board and peel back the sides of the parchment. Slice the bars using a sharp knife. I recommend wiping off the knife after each slice for cleaner cuts.
- If you greased and floured the pan, slice the bars with a sharp knife. Lift the bars out of the pan using a square-shaped dessert lifter or 2 forks.
- Top each cheesecake bar with a dollop of caramel followed by a scoop of cinnamon apples (this is what is pictured), a drizzle of caramel, or a scoop of cinnamon apples. When adding the cinnamon apples, I don't recommend adding any extra liquid from the pan.
Notes
- Apples: Choose a tart, crips apple – as the apples will soften and sweeten as they bake. For a tarter flavor, use Granny Smiths. Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady work well. I do not recommend using McIntosh or Red Delicious.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the cheesecake layer, be sure the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs are at room temperature before getting started. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting on the blondie base.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat, brick-style cream cheese.
- Storage: Store cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Salted caramel sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Cinnamon apple topping can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I recommend making the apple topping right before serving. Store the cheesecake without topping.
- Nutrition: Details are an estimate only, based on 1 slice with cinnamon apple topping, assuming the pan yields 18 uniform pieces.
Nutrition
