This delectable dessert is the true celebration of everything we love about baking in the fall!
Perfect served warm, room temperature, or even chilled. We love to serve it with homemade warm caramel sauce, but, honestly, it’s amazing on its own. Perfect for the holiday season and beyond.
How to Make Cream Cheese Apple Bars with Pecan Streusel
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The Ingredients You Will Need
Nothing exotic with this recipe at all. Below is what you’ll need to have on hand.
For the Shortbread Crust
Pecans – Roughly chopped
Brown sugar – Light or brown, whatever you prefer or have on hand.
Butter – Softened to room temperature.
Vanilla extract
Flour – All-purpose
Salt – Kosher
For the Cream Cheese Filling
Cream cheese – Room temperature.
Sugar – Granulated.
Eggs – Room temperature, if possible.
Lemon – Both zest and juice.
Vanilla extract
For the Apple Filling
Apples – We recommend Granny Smith.
Sugar – Granulated
Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Lemon – Zest and juice.
Vanilla extract
For the Streusel
Brown sugar – Light or dar, whatever you prefer or have on hand.
Flour – All-purpose.
Oats – Old-fashioned.
Toffee bits – Heath is our favorite.
Pecans – Chopped
Salt – Kosher.
Butter – Softened to room temperature.
EXPERT TIP: Be sure to let the crust cool on a wire rack before spreading the cream cheese filling over the top of it. It only takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the crust to cool.
Tips for Making Perfect Cream Cheese Apple Bars
Make Sure Butter and Cream Cheese are Room Temperature – This will allow you to make a flaky, tender crust and very creamy filling.
Use a Food Processor – This makes the pecans a uniform size for the crust and makes preparing it easy and fast.
Let the Bars Cool Completely – Letting the bars cool completely before cutting will allow them to set and make them easier to cut cleanly. If you want to serve warm, simply reheat in the microwave or on a low-temp oven.
EXPERT TIP: We love all types of apples, but we find that Granny Smith apples work best.
How To Serve
As mentioned, these can be served warm, room temperature, or even chilled.
We like to cut them into bars once they have completely cooled off. Be sure to chill them so the filling will completely set. You can serve them warm right out of the oven, but they will be a little messy (see video for reference).
It’s not necessary, but a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce truly puts them over the top.
Other Fall Baking Recipes to Try
Fall is such a glorious time for baking. Here are some of our favorite recipes that we’re pretty certain you and your family will love, too!
Apple and Caramel Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping
Homemade Apple Pie
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Homemade Pecan Pie
Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Butterscotch and Pumpkin Bread
Banana Nut Bread
Apple Cider Doughnuts
These are all wonderful in their own way, but, in the meantime, aren’t these bars calling your name?
If you’re looking for a delicious fall dessert that will put a smile on the faces of the one’s you love…you’ve come to the right place.
These are even better with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce of the top.
Make these bars, and you will have lots of happy folks in your home.
Ready to make the best fall dessert in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Cream Cheese Apple Bars with Pecan Streusel
Video
Equipment
- 9"x13" baking dish
Ingredients
For the Pecan Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon butter softened, for greasing the dish
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Apple Filling
- 3 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and chopped
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
- 1 cup brown sugar light or brown
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup toffee bits we use Heath bar bits
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened, room temp
- 1 cup caramel sauce, warmed purchased or homemade, optional
Instructions
Make the Pecan Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, pulse together the pecans and the sugar for 30 seconds.1 cup pecans, ½ cup brown sugar
- In a mixer, on medium speed, beat the butter, vanilla, and pecan/sugar mixture until creamed and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Press the shortbread into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish that has been well-greased with butter, shortening, or cooking spray. Use a fork to puncture the crust all over.2 tablespoon butter
- Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix (stand mixer our hand-held mixer) beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar
- One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition.2 large eggs
- Add the lemon zest and lemon juice along with the vanilla and beat until combined.½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the filling over the cooled shortbread.
Prepare the Apple Filling
- In a separate bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.3 large Granny Smith apples, 3 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture.
Prepare the Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
- In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, oats, toffee bits, pecans, and salt. Carefully fold in the butter with a fork, until incorporated. The mixture will be a bit crumbly.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup toffee bits, ½ cup pecans, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¾ cup unsalted butter
- Sprinkle the streusel over the apples.
Finish Off the Bars
- Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a rack.
- Serve warm, or cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with warm caramel sauce, if desired.1 cup caramel sauce, warmed
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in September 2018, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in November 2023!
John says
These were FANTASTIC! My wife made them TWICE for Thanksgiving. Just delicious. Overwhelming support from the families on these – all agree – not too sweet. Rich taste of apple is the first thing to hit you, then the cool, cream cheese with a hint of lemon. Finally, the lovely texture of the streusel. So satisfying.
Kris Longwell says
John!!!! Awesome!!!! So glad you guys loved them!!!!
!!.Peggy Lewis says
Hi Kris and Wesley,Peggy here again. Just wanted you to know I made the cream cheese apple bars with pecan streusel,today,and it is WONDERFUL. I will include this in my cookie/bar Christmas exchange.Theres a whole lot more servings than for 8 people!!
krislongwell says
That is great to hear!! So glad you had success with these bars. And you are right! This recipe does feed a crowd. I’ll probably up the serving to 12!! Good point!!! That’s a great idea about the cookie/bar Christmas exchange. We love that!! Thank you letting us know and please stay in touch!! Best, Kris & Wesley
kiran says
This recipe is very good and i love it. I have a question = Whether or not to use red apples in this recipe?
krislongwell says
Awesome! You could certainly use red apples. We love Granny Smith, but delicious red, or any variety would be just fine. Let us know how it turns out. We think you’ll love it!!