These luscious, creamy & lightly spicy bars are a fine fusion of apple pie & cheesecake–sure to satisfy your craving for both. Everywhere you turn, foodies everywhere are latching onto the latest craze of making pie cakes. My appley bars simply simplify the process 🙂 YUM 10 Fold!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 up packed brown sugar

1 stick cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 eggs lightly beaten

3 medium tart apples, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice)

Streusel:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1/3 cup hot caramel ice cream topping

1/2 teaspoon course kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a well-greased 13×9-in. baking pan. Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Spread over crust.

In a small bowl, toss apples with spices and remaining sugar; spoon over cream cheese layer. In another bowl, mix flour, brown sugar and oats; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple layer. Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping; cool in pan on a wire rack 1 hour, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon course kosher salt. Refrigerate at least 2hours. Cut into bars. Makes about: 2 dozen.