These Cream Cheese Apple Bars with Pecan Streusel are the quintessential fall dessert to fall in love with. So heartwarming and a little decadent...they are simply divine. You can serve them warm, but we love them chilled with a little warmed caramel sauce drizzled over the top. Heavenly.
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 tsp vanilla extract, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp 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 tbsp 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.
In a separate bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
3 large Granny Smith apples, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp lemon zest, ½ tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp 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 tsp 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
See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.Remember to set your butter and cream cheese out at least 2 hours before you start preparing the bars. The bars can easily be cut after the dish has completely cooled. You can serve them warm out of the oven, but the cream cheese filling will ooze a bit.The bars will keep covered in the fridge for up to 7 days. They can be frozen for several months.