Description
Indulgent caramel apple blondie cheesecake bars blend classic American dessert flavors into one irresistible treat. Creamy cheesecake layers nestled between spiced apple blondie create a delectable experience you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Layer:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Blondie and Topping Layer:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium apples, diced
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over the sides for easy removal.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until thoroughly combined, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to create an even crust.
- Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy, then incorporate eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract and sour cream.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over the graham cracker crust, spreading it carefully to cover the entire surface.
- In a separate bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Gently fold flour and cinnamon into the blondie batter until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Sprinkle diced apples over the cheesecake layer, then carefully spread the blondie batter on top, ensuring even coverage.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour.
- Drizzle caramel sauce generously over the cooled bars, creating an attractive pattern.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set completely before cutting into squares.
- Slice into bars and serve chilled, enjoying the rich layers of graham cracker, cheesecake, blondie, and caramel apple goodness.
Notes
- Chill cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy texture.
- Use fresh, crisp apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best balance of tartness and texture in the bars.
- Avoid overmixing the blondie batter to keep the bars tender and prevent a tough, dense consistency.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute graham cracker crumbs with gluten-free cookie crumbs and use gluten-free flour in the blondie layer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg