Apple Cider Cheesecake Bars – Delicious layered bars with a shortbread crust, cheesecake filling, and topped with a crumb topping, apples, and caramel!

Apple Cider Cheesecake Bars

I’m back with my final #AppleWeek recipe! For this recipe, I was inspired by Republic of Tea’s Hot Apple Cider Tea.  This was one of the items that was provided to me for #AppleWeek and I wanted to find a way to incorporate it into a dessert.

As I was thinking about the tea, the idea of cooking the apples in it to pick up some extra flavor came to mind in addition to serving it with the cheesecake bars because the flavors fit together so well with both the tea and the cheesecake.  The recipe itself is based on one of my most popular recipes on Mildly Meandering for cheesecake bars but with a bit of a fall twist – I added apple cider right into the cheesecake, cooked the apples down in the apple cider tea, and added a swirl of homemade caramel sauce through it.

Now this recipe is great because it is so easy to make and it makes a pretty big batch of about 15 pieces or the recipe can be cut in half and cooked in an 8″x8″ pan.  I usually opt for the half batch but both work.  I love how it tastes just like fall in a bar!

Make sure to check other Apple Week recipes from this year – Caramel Apple Spice and Apple Gouda Crostini.

Can’t get enough of this apple cider cheesecake bars recipe? Try these other recipes!

• Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
• Boozy Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
• Streusel Topped Apple Cider Muffins

Yield: 12 Bars

Apple Cider Cheesecake Bars

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Apple Cider Cheesecake Bars – Delicious layered bars with a shortbread crust, cheesecake filling, and topped with a crumb topping, apples, and caramel!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup walnuts (finely chopped)

Cheesecake Filling

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons apple cider
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Cider Filling

• 2 medium apples (peeled and chopped)
• 1/4 cup Republic of Tea Hot Apple Cider Tea (or plain apple cider)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Additional Ingredients

• 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter with brown sugar. Add in walnuts and flour, mixing until the dough comes together.
3. Transfer all but 1/2 cup to the bottom of a 9"x13" pan and press it evenly onto the bottom. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until it has lightly browned.
4. In a small sauce pan, combine the ingredients for the apple filling and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until apples have softened.
5. While the apples are cooking, beat together sugar and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add in eggs, apple cider, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
6. Spread cheesecake filling on top of the baked crust. Place apples, caramel, and the remaining crumb topping on top. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake portion is cooked through.
7. Cool before cutting the bars.

Notes

I used this caramel sauce recipe.

Find this recipe and more at Meal Plan Monday and the Weekend Potluck!

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