Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 large eggs
1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Drizzle:
1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar
Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth
Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla
Stir to combine
Pour over warm crust.
In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

For the streusel topping:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients
Use clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until filling is set
Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool.