Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts because it’s easy to make and there are so many variations out there that you could never get bored of it! While this would be the perfect fall dessert recipe with it’s cinnamon sugar apple topping and walnut streusel, it is going to be delicious year round and the ingredients will be readily available. Cheesecake is also great because you can tweak the recipe to make single bite size cheesecakes like these Pomegranate & Hazelnut Cheesecake Bites, you can make a whole traditional cheesecake, or make cheesecake bars that are easy to grab and go! This recipe is designed to make delicious cheesecake bars but if you would like to serve it as a traditional cheesecake just reduce the total cheesecake serving size to about 10 bars and further reduce the crust and apple topping by about 30%.
This easy recipe produces cheesecake bars that are equal parts graham cracker crust, vanilla cheesecake, and apple topping/ walnut streusel. This amazing combination of textures and flavors that will make you happy that this recipe makes such a large amount of cheesecake! The cheesecake filling uses less sugar than traditional cheesecake to help balance the sweetness from the topping. This dessert recipe may seem like a lot of work, but it goes by quickly and it is far easier than it seems, so give it a try!
To take this great recipe a step further, try topping it with our Salted Caramel Sauce recipe or with our Cinnamon Whipped Cream recipe (or maybe both)!
Ingredients
Crust
- 2½ cup graham cracker crumbs about 18 full crackers
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts finely ground
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 2½ tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Apple Topping
- 4 medium granny smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup walnuts finely ground
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and grease the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" cake pan. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the crust except the butter. Once well combined, add in melted butter and stir well. Press into the bottom of the cake pan (no need to press it up the side since these are making cheesecake bars). Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth, then add flour until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla and heavy cream; pour filling into the cooled baked crust. Gently tap on counter to release air bubbles.
Apple Topping
- For the apples, I found it easiest to peel and core them, then slice on a mandoline. Then microwave apples for 60 seconds, then drain any excess liquid (if there is any) and let cool for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Toss the apples gently in mixture to coat. Lay apples on top of cheesecake, slightly overlapping the slices to create a shingled pattern. You should have enough apples to do 3-4 layers deep, then if there is any liquid at the bottom of the bowl, pour evenly over top of the apples.
Streusel Topping
- Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add butter and combine until all ingredients are crumbly (I find this easiest if you add butter and pinch it into the dry ingredients). Spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes. It will be difficult to see if the cheesecake set due to the apple layer, but give the pan a gentle shake and the middle should have a little give to it. You can also use a thermometer, just insert it into the center of the cheesecake and once it reaches 150°F you are good to remove from the oven. Let cool on a baking rack, then chill cheesecake bars completely before serving.
