Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

¾ cup sugar

3 large eggs

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup quick cooking oats

½ cup butter, softened

Topping:

½ cup caramel topping (see here)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and brown sugar. Mix in butter 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 electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla; 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 until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Cut into squares and serve cold.